1st Grade Funky Penguins

1st graders created these beautiful pieces in two classes.  On day one of the lesson I mixed up some watered down tempera paints and students were to create a background.  I gave them very little instruction on this step and just let them go.  For the most part students did a very nice job filling the space, not leaving white spaces, and not having colors run together.  It was a great exercise for paint/brush control.  On the first day of the lesson we also talked a little bit about texture. Rather than just using black construction paper students painted a small piece of paper with black and added in the Crayola Mixing Medium "Pearl it" or "Glitter it."  Using texture scrapers, forks, ends of paintbrushes students created texture on their small piece of paper.

On Day 2 we focused on creating our penguin which took the entire class.  Students were given three pieces of paper the painted black piece, a painted orange piece, and a small white piece of paper.  We drew step by step together the parts of our penguin, students cut them out and started assembling the pieces.  If students had time they were able to select from the "funky paper bin" to make a hat, scarf, mittens, or other winter accessory they wanted to make.

2nd Grade "Snowman Scoops"

The inspiration for this lesson came from this ornament I have had hanging on my tree for many years.

As the winter months come around most every grade creates some sort of snowman in their classroom.  I challenged myself to think of a different way students could make their snowman. This year as I was putting up the Christmas tree it came to me.  Let's make snowman scoops!    I did this lesson with 2nd graders and they loved the idea of making their snowman into an ice cream cone.  This was a very simple, successful two day lesson.

On Day 1 we drew three "snowman scoops" and a cone.  Students then watched me demonstrate how to paint in the snowman.  Students talked about how my snowman looked real and we problem solved together why it looked the way.  The answer was shadows and with that we talked a little bit about making drawings and paintings look lifelike by using value and shadow. 

To paint the scoops we used white paint first. Without rinsing paintbrushes we dipped a little bit into the light blue and painted our shadow about 1/4 of the way making a crescent shape. Using dark blue paint we went around the edges of the light blue.   Then, using a paper towel students wiped off any excess paint and dipped it in the brown  for the cone.  To add a highlight they dipped their paintbrush in the white.

On Day 2 using a combination of sharpie marker, oil pastels, and colored pencils students added all details to their snowman.  I drew on the board for them different accessories their snowman might be wearing like hats, mittens, scarves, etc.

They turned out so fun!

Teacher Sample

4th Grade Value Snowmen

I borrowed this lesson from here.  When I saw it I knew I had to try it out! Originally this was a lesson done with 2nd graders, but with my 8 day rotation this would have taken 2nd graders quite a long time to finish up so I tried it out with my 4th graders.  They took us three classes to finish.

Day 1: We discussed tints, shades, and value.  Students painted their background choosing between blue or purple. 

Day 2: Students painted the snowy ground and snowman using white, blue, and silver paints.

Day 3:  Using colored pencils students added all details to their snowmen.

Here are some of the results.  I love the simple elegance of every single one.

Basketball playing snowmen. Love it!

I had to share this one. The middle snowman is holding a taco and wearing a sombrero.  Don't you just love the way kids minds work?

Note the cougar/cheetah.