Kaleidoscope-Primary and Secondary Colors (K-1)

This project is great to teach primary and secondary colors.

You Will Need The Following:

• toilet paper roll or paper towel roll cut in two
• squares of tissue paper
• wax paper cut into 4" squares
• rubber bands

Discuss with the children the difference between primary and secondary colors. Explain that secondary colors are made by combining primary colors. As an example, hold up two primary colored squares of tissue paper and overlap them. Hold it up to the light and show the students how this creates a new color.

Have the students decorate the paper tubes while you pass out the tissue squares and wax paper.

Have the students glue squares tissue paper all over the wax paper. Stress that it is important to overlap, but not to stack the squares. You need to have the entire wax paper covered so that you have options when it comes to what section you will use for the kaleidoscope.

Hold the covered wax paper up to the light and see what section will give the best effect. Then place the paper roll so that the hole covers the section you want. Then simply wrap the wax paper around the end of the tube and secure with the rubber band.

Paper Portraits- Details (3-5)

You will need:

• Construction Paper
• Scissors
• Glue

Explain to the students what a portrait is. Also, talk about the differences between portraits and self-portraits. What makes a portrait realistic? What makes a portrait surreal? What are details? Why are they important when creating a portrait?

Have the students create a portrait entirely out of construction paper. Every single detail and feature must be a separate piece of paper. Suggest how to curl hair and eyelashes, make teeth, clothes, etc.

This would also be a good lesson to introduce Picasso and how his famous portraits distort the human face by putting the features in different places.

Crayon Resist- Barriers and Absorption (3-5)

You Will Need the Following:

• Drawing Paper
• Crayons
• Watered-Down Tempra
• Brushes

Instruct the students to press hard on the paper with their crayon. They will need a good layer of wax on their paper to make this project work. Explain to them that the watered down paint will bead up on the crayon, but will be absorbed into the paper. Stress that every place where the paper shows through, will be covered by paint.

This is a great project to experiment with abstract art and geometric design. The more colorful, the better.

Weaving- Opposites and Patterns (K-1)

This is a great project to teach younger students the concept of patterns and "opposites". Opposites are everywhere in weaving. The weaver has to go over and then under in each row, and then do the opposite in the next row.

You Will Need the Following:

• Tag Board
• Yarn
• Strips of Construction Paper

I took a ruler and made a mark at every inch on the short lengths of the tag board. Then I used scissors to cut notches at each mark. Finally, I strung string around the tag board, making sure that it got in each notch.

Here is the front:
Here is the back:

Be sure to knot the yarn before you slide it in the first notch, to keep it from slipping out. Then, after the last notch is filled, tie a slip knot with the tail of the yarn.

I cut the paper into about 1 inch strips. Then, when I passed them out to the students, I told them they needed to make them thinner. This really increased the quality of the work, and allowed the students to make the weaving their own.

Print Making (3-5)

This a fast and messy project, but the kids love it.

You Will Need the Following:

• Tag board
• Tempra
• Brushes
• Cotton Swabs, or dull pencil
• Drawing paper

Have the students spread a thick layer of paint on oaktag. Then, using a cotton swab, paintbrush handle, pencil, etc, have them etch a design in the wet paint.

Then have the students place a piece of regular paper over the oaktag and rub gently on the back of the paper. When they lift the paper up, the print will have transferred onto the paper.

It is very important that the students work quickly. They must etch while the paint is wet. So, it may be best to have them design work on a piece of scrap paper first.

The great thing about this project is that the oaktag can be painted over a second time, and an entirely new design can be etched into the paint to create another print.

Silhouettes (3-5)

You Will Need the Following:

• Drawing Paper
• Water color
• Paint brushes
• Black construction paper

This project will take about two 40 minute periods.

Explain what a silhouette is and that it is created when an object is lit from behind. The viewer does not see any details in a silhouette. Because of the lack of details, artists will use silhouettes when they want to draw attention to other parts of a piece of art. Or in contrast, silhouettes can be used to create drama in a piece.

Have the students fill a piece of white paper with water color. Stress that they are drawing a background only. They should not be painting any actual objects.

The second step is to have the students cut out small, medium and large objects. Explain that artist use size and placement in objects to create distance. If an object is close to the viewer it will be placed on the bottom of the page and will be rather large. If an object is meant to appear far away, it will be placed on the top of the page and will be smaller.

Encourage the students to do objects from nature, landforms, or architectural elements. And point out to them that the more complex their forms are, the more interesting their piece will be.

Class Quilt- (K-1)

This is a great group project for younger students. It really shows them what they can accomplish and create when everyone contributes.

You Will Need the Following:

• Construction paper- several colors
• Yarn
• Hole punch

Pass out a square of construction paper to each child. Have them cut and shapes from other construction paper and glue on. Once all the shapes have been glued on, punch holes into the squares and "sew" the squares together with yarn. Be sure to have the children put their names on the front of the "quilt"