Tuesday 22 August 2023

Australian Endangered Bird Artworks- Grade 2



 Lesson Background:

We have been investigating change in animal life cycles and populations. We read the beautiful Australian picture books "Rusty the Rainbow Bird" by Aleesah Darlison and The Black Cockatoo with One Feather Blue by Jodie McLeod and learned more about gouldian finches and black cockatoos and why they are endangered.


Lesson Materials (per student):

1 sheet trimmed white A3 art paper

lead pencil

good quality thick acrylic paint in lots of colours

watercolour paints for background (optional)


Lesson Steps:

1. We began by looking at images of the gouldian finch and black cockatoos from the 2 picture books we had read. We discussed shapes and colours of them, and then I moved snipped images of them around on my screen showing them the impact of different sizes and positions. We looked at filling in the backgrounds with native plants and how positive and negative space are affected by different decisions we make with size and position of the things we added in.

2. I modelled how to draw the finch, branch and cockatoo step-by-step while students followed along. After that, I modelled some possible plants on the board and students chose which ones they wanted to include in their artworks and drew them in.

3.  I demonstrated how to use the acrylic paint and mix colours.

4. Students painted their artworks. They did find it tricky to paint around their drawings with the blue background acrylic paint. Some students chose to leave it white and we did agree that using watercolour for the background might be easier next time.

5. Once dry, students outlined their drawings with black sharpie to neaten up messy paint lines and make their drawings pop.


Student Artworks:











Growing Trees Art - Grade 2



 Lesson Background:

Our spelling word of the week was "grew". We investigated the /gr/ blend, the /ew/ sound and past tense words. We read the gorgeous story "The Boy who Grew a Forest" by Sophia Gholz. We learnt about the country of India where the story is set and wrote information reports, had a visiting Indian friend of mine come to answer student questions about India whilst making us masala chai tea, and we looked at how plants and forests grow. 


Lesson Materials (per student):

A3 white art paper

lead pencil

Watercolour paint


Lesson steps:

1.  We looked at photos of forests looking up into the forest canopy. We talked about perspective.

2. I demonstrated how to draw a tree looking up to show perspective and how to place them around the page. Students drew their first tree alongside me step-by-step, and then completed the rest of their page independently, using as many trees as they wanted and changing the shapes, number of branches etc. to make it their own.

3.  I demonstrated how students could use light and shade in their tree foliage by using a mix of dark and light green and yellow watercolour paint. I also demonstrated how they could create the effect of foliage by pressing their brush in different ways.

4. Students painted their trees and backgrounds.


Student Artworks:











Monday 21 August 2023

Grade 2 Character strength self-portraits


Lesson Background: 
As a part of our positive psychology program, we have been learning about the VIA character strengths. Students learned about the different strengths and then undertook a quiz to determine their own top strengths. They then created these artworks. 

Lesson Materials (per student):
1 sheet A4 white art paper
oil pastels
watercolours
a black sharpie

Lesson Steps:
1.  Students followed a directed-draw of a face, being given opportunities to make their face their own (e,g, demonstrating how to do thinner/thicker lips, narrower/wider eyes etc).
2. Students coloured in their drawings with oil pastel.
3.  Students were shown how to break their background up into a "stained glass window effect" by using straight lines to create sections with a lead pencil, and then tracing over them with a sharpie.
4.  Students painted each section.
5.  When dry, students wrote their top strengths in each section of the background.

Student Artworks:












Grade 2 Quokka Art

 

By Edith (Year 2)

Lesson Background

Our new class mascot for the year is a toy quokka the children have named Gumdrop. We did lots of research about quokkas and used it as our spelling word of the week. It was a great way to revise the "qu" digraph!


Lesson Materials (per student):

1 A4 white art paper

oil pastels


Lesson Steps:

1.  We looked at lots of photos of quokkas and talked about their features.

2. We followed a guided drawing from Art for Kids hub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4IikQm_970

3.  We coloured our drawings in with oil pastel.

4. We used watercolour to paint our own background designs based on photos of quokka habitats we had seen.


Student Artworks:










Tuesday 20 December 2022

Grade 1 & 2 Seagull with Chips Art!

Grade 1 Seagull Artwork

 Lesson Background:

Last week we had a transition morning with our new classes for next year.  I met my gorgeous new Year 2 class for 2023 and they were just delightful! We spent the morning doing some Summer-themed activities including reading Kylie Howarth's great picture book "Chip" and then creating these artworks based on the art project I saw here: https://artprojectsforkids.org/draw-a-seagull-2/ 

Lesson Materials (per student)

- 1 sheet A4 art paper

-1 lead pencil

- watercolour paints, thin brush and water

- A strip of yellow dishwashing sponge (for a chip)

- a gluestick

- A black texta or sharpie


Lesson Steps:

1. Model how to draw the seagull step-by-step while students follow along with a lead pencil on their art paper. Encourage them to draw very lightly so any mistakes are easily rubbed out and don't show through the watercolour paint (a little issue some of my students had this time).

2. Show students how to use the watercolour paints to colour in their art, including a light grey shadow down the seagull's neck and along the clouds. Encourage them to use light colours first (yellow sand, orange legs and beak) before the darker colours, so that their colours stay clean and bright.

3. When dry, outline with black texta/sharpie.

4. Use gluestick to stick the sponge between the seagull's beak.


Student Artworks:

My sample artwork

Another student artwork (before the chip was added!)

Another student artwork (before the chip was added!)


Grade 1 & 2 Bushfire Regeneration Art



 Lesson Background: 

A few weeks ago, our spelling word of the week was "burned". We had a great time learning about the Great Fire of London, bushfires here in Australia and even getting to talk to a firefighter to help answer all our questions about fires. As part of our learning, we explored how bushland can regenerate after a bushfire.


Lesson Materials: (per student)

- 1 charcoal stick (I prefer the synthetic chalky ones)

- a lead pencil

- green ink/dye

- paintbrush and water


Lesson Steps:

1.  View photos of bushland after fire and discuss the shapes and lines we see in the trees and then the shapes of the new growth.

2. Model step-by-step how to draw some basic tree shapes, while students follow along with their lead pencil, encouraging them to make theirs unique, by changing the position, number of branches etc. for each tree.

3. Model how to use the charcoal to outline over the top of their drawing and then how to use it to shade and show light/shadow.

4. Students go over their artworks with the charcoal.

5. Model how to use the paintbrush and green ink to create "fluffy" leaf regrowth on up the tree trunks and branches as well as new grasses on the ground. Students then do their own.

Student Artworks:









Grade 1 & 2 Scientific Minibeast Drawings - Art + Science Fun!

 

1/2B scientific diagram artworks

Lesson Background:

This semester we studied minibeasts with a science life cycles focus. We learnt the scientific skills of recording observations including the creation of detailed scientific diagrams. In a short series of lessons. we used Google Images as well as some minibeast books to look at scientific animal diagrams. We talked about minibeast anatomy, size, shape, scale/proportion, colour, pattern, texture and labelling. 


Lesson Materials (per student):

- insect specimens (our school has a fabulous collection of insects in perspex blocks in our science store room, but you could find real life samples or just use photographs too).

- lead pencil

- eraser (for fixing mistakes!)

- watercolour paints, brushes and water

- black sharpie/texta


Lesson Steps:

1. After modelled lessons on how to draw showing anatomy, size, shape, scale/proportion, colour, pattern, texture and labelling, students take their sample and draw their minibeast.

2.  Students use watercolour paints to paint the insect.

3.  When dry, students use sharpie to outline and label.


Student Drawings: