A Toddler/Preschool Printing Lesson: Ladybugs and Dandelions

This lesson was developed for a 2's/3's class.  Printing is an excellent fine motor practice for children of this age group.  With this lesson a sponge and stencil brushes are used to create ladybugs in grass with dandelions. 

Vocabulary to Introduce:

printing

Materials:

-white paper

-tempera paint (red, black, green, yellow)

-sponge (cut into a circle)

-stencil sponges

-paint brush

Preparation:

Beforehand hot glue or glue the details of the dandelion petals on the circular cut sponge and allow to dry completely.  Place the green and yellow paint on separate plates.  Red and black paint because of the small volume can be used on the same plate. 

Modifications for Older Students:

If you know the skill level of the students that you work with, you can allow them to paint the grass with a paint brush themselves.  In addition, details can be added to the ladybugs such as legs.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:



Truffula Trees: An Earth Day/Arbor Day Printing Lesson

The following lesson is inspired by Dr. Seuss' story "The Lorax." With Earth Day and Arbor Day both in April I thought this would be an appropriate story to base a lesson on. Using koosh balls that you can find at any dollar store, children will enjoy the novelty of painting a scene from a familiar and well-loved story.

Vocabulary to Introduce:

printing
recycling

Materials:

-construction paper (blue, green, and white)

-scissors

-glue stick

-tempera paint (red, yellow, purple, pink, white, black)

-small paper plates for paint

-koosh balls (one for each color if you don't want to have to wash in between colors)

-paint brush

Preparation:

Give each child a sheet of blue paper for their background, a half sheet of green and half sheet of white.  Place each paint color on a plate with a koosh but don't forget to include a plate that shares a small amount of black and white for the tree trunks.  

For Older Children:

You can make the picture more complicated by using found twigs for tree trunks painted with white and black paint and using small pieces of bright colored yarn.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar": A Cut & Paste

This cut and paste lesson is inspired by the work of Eric Carle, a well known children's author and illustrator.  Your students or child will enjoy reading the classic, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and creating their own picture of the caterpillar eating through an orange. 

Vocabulary to Introduce:

illustrator

Materials:

-construction paper in black, orange, green, red, and yellow

purple and yellow oil pastel or crayon

-scissors

-glue sticks

Preparation:

For younger students:  Draw the circles in pencil beforehand.  Do not give them all the pieces of paper at the same time as they will often loose parts when throwing away scraps.  Children who are having a particular difficult time turning their paper to follow the curve of a circle can be shown how to shave small pieces to get closer to the line.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

Concentric Squares: A Cut & Paste

This cut and paste lesson is inspired by the abstract geometric work of Frank Stella, an American painter and printmaker born in 1936.  Stella graduated from school at Princeton where he majored in history and painted.  After his graduation he would move to New York where he would begin painting more seriously.  Frank Stella is considered a leading figure of the Minimal art movement.

Vocabulary to Introduce:

minimalism
concentric
geometric shape (square, rectangle, circle)
abstract art

Materials:

-construction paper in bright colors

-scissors

-stencils of squares out of card stock or poster board

-pencils

-glue sticks

Preparation:

For younger students:  Cut squares of varying sizes using an inch difference between each size.  You can place these squares in a container or on a paper plate at the center of the table.

For older students:  Older students can either trace the shape using a stencil or create the square using a ruler depending on the age. 

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

Winter Birch: A Watercolor Masking Technique

Using masking tape or painter's tape your child or students can create an evening winter scene of birch trees and snow.  The tape is used to mask the shapes of the birch trees and moon, while white crayon or oil pastel is used to draw snowflakes.  A blue watercolor wash is used over the picture.  After pulling off the tape (try to give the wash a few minutes to start to dry so as not to run) black or brown lines can be added as detail to the trees

Vocabulary to Introduce:

masking technique
watercolor wash

Materials:

-watercolor paper

-masking tape or painter's tape

-blue watercolor or watered down tempera paint

-scissors

-white and black crayon or oil pastel

Preparation:

Pre-tear or cut as many trunks and branches as necessary so that all you will need to do is hand them to the child or students to place on the paper.  Masking tape can rip the paper if it is pulled to quickly.  It sometimes helps to stick it to an article of clothing before handing it to the child or instructing them to do it if you can trust them not to fold the tape in on itself.  If you desire, tape off the other colors of paint so that they are not tempted to use them or place bowls  with the thinned tempera between seats placing  a paper towel beneath it to daub excess paint from the brush.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

Modifications:

For older children you can allow them to cut or tear the tape themselves.

"Confetti Heart" Inspired Valentine's Day Card

The following art lesson draws on Jim Dine's "Confetti Heart" for inspiration.  Jim Dine is an American pop artist that was born in 1935.  Pop art was an art movement that emerged in the 1950's and featured the use of familiar everyday images as a subject.  This lesson uses a stencil to create the image of a heart on folded card stock with a crayon.  The card is completed by painting confetti-like lines with tempera paint in bright colors. 

Vocabulary to Introduce:
heart
pop art

Materials:

-card stock (for heart stencil and folded card)

-black crayon or oil pastel

-tempera paint (red, green, blue, yellow, pink, orange, black)

-paper plates

-cups/bowls for water

-paper towels

Preparation:

Place small amounts of the tempera paint on the paper plate (save the black to be added at the end).  Fill a cup or bowl with a small amount of water with a paper towel underneath to dry the brush off with each color change. 

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

 

Age Modifications:

For younger children

Precut the heart stencil using the negative space to allow them to draw the heart.  If you are using the heart itself, place tape on the back of it to keep it from sliding away from the child while tracing the shape.

For older children

Allow them to draw and cut the stencil themselves using a folded square of card stock.

Polar Bear, Polar Bear!

 Using chalk pastels on light blue construction paper, the child can create an portrait of this Arctic inhabitant.  This is a wonderful lesson for the winter and can tie into discussions of winter and the poles.  Be sure to explain the simples shapes that are used to create the parts of the polar bear as you create an example for the child. 

Vocabulary to Introduce:
geometric shapes (oval, circle, triangle, square)
chalk pastel

Materials:

-chalk pastels or chalk in various colors

-black construction paper

-aerosol hairspray or fixative

Preparation:

 As chalk pastels are messy be sure to cover the tables.  Place one sheet of light blue construction paper at every child's seat with chalk pastels between students.  When the students are finished with their art, spray the picture with hairspray or a fixative to set the pastel.  Do this in a well ventilated area or outside if possible.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

Aurora Borealis Chalk Pastel Lesson

The Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights as they are commonly called, is a natural light display that can be seen particularly in the higher latitudes of the Arctic.  These lights give the horizon a greenish or sometimes reddish glow.  The following art lesson creates a tree line and glowing lights with the use of stencils and chalk pastels.  Children preschool age to early elementary will enjoy completing this lesson to create the Northern Lights.

Vocabulary to Introduce:
Aurora Borealis

stencil

chalk pastels

Materials:

-cardstock/poster board for stencil making

-scissors

-chalk pastels or chalk in various colors

-q-tip/cotton balls/blending stumps for smearing

-black construction paper

-aerosol hairspray or fixative

Preparation:

 Create two stencils using the cardstock one for the tree line and one for the glow of the Northern Lights.  The tree line stencil is simply triangle tops of varying size.  If you wish to add detail to the trees you can snip out sections of the tree tops.  The stencil for the Northern Lights is simply a wavy line.  For younger children you may want to add tape to the stencil as they have a difficult time keeping a stencil in place on their own.  Older children may cut the stencils themselves.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

Winter Silhouette

The following lesson is a painting that uses tints of blue to create a winter sky.  Black paint is used to create tracks in the snow that lead to the silhouette of person sledding.  This is a great way for children to explore adding white to a color while creating a beautiful and simple piece of artwork.

Vocabulary to Introduce:
tint
silhouette

Materials:

-tempera paint (blue, white, black)

-brush

-masking/painters tape

-paper plate (for tint mixing)

Preparation:

Using scissors cut a curved line for the horizon from masking or painters tape.  Place this in the bottom third portion of the picture.  This aids in maintaining a clean line for the impression of snow while the curved lines of the sky are painted.  On the paper plate place three varying amounts of blue paint.  Next place white paint of varying amounts in two of the blue paint portions for the students or child to mix on their own.  Add a small amount of black for the silhouette of the sledder, the tree, and the footprints.  Place a small amount of water in a cup for rinsing brushes on top of a paper towel next to the paper.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process: