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:

Charcoal Tree Drawings - Grade 1 & 2

 

Awesome work, 1/2B!

Lesson Background:

Our spelling Word of the Week was "tree". We read the gorgeous picture book, "Tree" by Danny Parker and Matt Ottley. We then decided to use our observational skills to make these tree drawings.

Lesson Materials (per student):

1 piece charcoal

1 sheet trimmed A4 art paper

Lesson Steps:

1.  We looked at images of charcoal tree drawings on Google Images as well as the real trees outside our classroom window and discussed the anatomy of trees- how they start thicker at the base of the trunk and branches and become thinner, how the branches go from thick to thinner braches and from those into twigs.

2. I demonstrated how to use the charcoal and show shadow and light (pointing to particular trees outside to see the shadow and light in "real life".

3.  The children went outside and each found a tree that inspired them.

4. They sketched the tree/s straight onto their paper using their charcoal.

Student Artworks:

Air-dry clay Dog Sculptures - Grade 1/2

 

Lesson Background:

Our spelling Word of the Week is "stray" and we read the gorgeous book "The Stray Dog" by Marc Simont. The children loved talking about dogs, so we had our lovely principal bring her 2 dogs in for a visit, read the fabulous picture book "100 Dogs" by Michael Whaite, and then made these dog scultpures.

Lesson Materials (per student):

A range of clay modelling tools

A chunk of air dry clay

a small pot of water (1 between 2 children is fine)

A drop sheet for the table and some baby wipes for cleaning hands and tables!

Lesson Steps:

1. We read "100 Dogs" by Michael Whaite and talked about the different types of dogs we might make a sculpture of. We also looked at photos of dog sculptures from Google Images, including some local ones. We talked about techniques such as making a dog look shaggy by using sharp tools to scrape all over the clay and how adding a muzzle rather than just a nose straight onto the head, will help it look more like a dog than a cat.

2.  We watched/read the wikihow video: https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Clay-Dog

3.  I showed the students how to break up their chunk of clay into a large section for the body, and then smaller chunks for head and legs, and even smaller chunks for tail, ears, eyes, muzzle and nose. I also modelled how to attach the pieces together, smooth the edges, and use water to help smooth & join, as well as stop the clay drying out. Most children did need some teacher help to ensure the legs were smoothly and strongly attached!

4. When completed, we put the children's initials into the base with a pen tip, and then left to dry!

Wayne Thiebaud Cupcakes - Grade 1/2

 Lesson Background:

Our spelling Word of the Week was 'cupcake'... it was a great opportunity to learn about compound words whilst decorating and describing cupcakes and exploring the sweet art of Wayne Thiebaud.

Lesson Materials (per student):

1 sheet of trimmed A4 black card

soft chalk pastels

a lead pencil and eraser

Lesson Steps:

1.  I modelled how to draw a cupcake step-by-step, suggesting and modelling ideas to personalise them such as adding cherries, leaves, cream, sprinkles, smooth or thick frosting and different types of paper cases.

2. After the children drew their cupcake/s with lead pencil, I showed them how to use the soft pastels including how to outline with the point, how to shade with them by turning them side-on so they are flat on the paper, and how to add shadows and light using white highlights and black/darker shades.

3. I backed the artworks and laminated to stop the dust spreading (the old hairspray fixative trick was a bit too stinky for me this time!)

Winter Fox Paintings Grade 1/2

 

Lesson Background:

There are many winter fox art projects online such as this one http://littledogartblog.blogspot.com/2014/05/5th-grade-winter-fox-paintings.html

I combined lots of ideas to create these foxes.

This was a directed drawing lesson. Directed drawing (i.e. modelling step-by-step) elicits great discussions, exposing students to vocabulary they encounter in art and maths. Students are hearing and putting into action phrases such as “half way down the page”, “curved line”, “straight line”, “triangle shape”, “a quarter of the way down this shape”, etc. Once students had drawn the basic fox shape, they were encouraged to be artists and make it their own. Some chose to have white paws, pink ears, pink cheeks, blue trees, birch trees, falling snow, “cute” eyes, “closed eyes”, whiskers, grass, and many other variations. I love how unique they all are.

Lesson Materials (per student):

1 thin and 1 medium paintbrush

1 sheet A3 light blue paper (trimmed ready for backing)

acrylic paint (I provided orange, red, white, blue, black, brown)

water pots

thick black sharpies or whiteboard markers

My Sample artwork:

Lesson Steps

1. We looked at photos of foxes, including the one that lived in my backyard when I was teaching in England back in 2006. We also read stories and non fiction books about foxes in winter.

2. I showed the students how to draw the fox and background, step-by-step, offering lots of chances to individualise their foxes (different eyes, whiskers, type of trees, etc.). Students followed along with their lead pencils.

3. I modelled how to paint one section at a time, offering ideas such as using dabs of paint for a more "messy" impressionistic style, or smooth blended strokes for a more realistic look. I also showed them how to add texture to the fur with little lines or dabs, how to blend a little black into the snow to show shadows, etc.

4. Once dry, the students used markers to outline. We actually found our thick black whiteboard markers worked best (particularly on paintings that had "gone out of the lines" a lot).

Student Artworks:

Grade 1 & 2 Rock Painting in the style of Bronwyn Bancroft

 

Lesson Background:

My class has been learning about weather during Science and last week we explored indigenous seasons. We read Alison Lester’s fabulous picture book, “Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo” and Katrina Germein & Bronwyn Bancroft’s stunning book “Big Rain Coming” to see what changes occur to plants and animals in each season. We then painted some rocks in the style of Bronwyn Bancroft, trying to represent one of the seasons we had learnt about.

Lesson Materials (per student):

1 smooth flat rock/pebble

Acrylic paint pens (I highly recommend these over regular acrylic paints with brushes, as they allow children to create much more intricate patterns with greater ease)

Clear spray varnish

Lesson Steps:

1. We explored the art of Bronwyn Bancroft and looked at how she uses background colours with patterns over the top. We also looked at the different types of dots she uses (different sizes, dots within dots, dots with borders, etc) and other patterns such as straight and curved lines. We talked about what colours we could use to best represent different seasons, such as warm colours for hot, dry seasons, and cool colours for wet, cold seasons.

2. The children used the pens to paint their designs.

3. I coated the rocks with varnish.

Haven't they done a brilliant job?!

Student Artworks:

My sample rock

Minnie's beautiful rock (Grade 1)

More stunning rocks from Lachie & Isabel (Grade 2)

Some spectacular offerings from Onyx, Nick, Theo and Nicholas (Grade 1)

And some more magic from Ahmed (Grade 2), Sia (x2!) (Grade 1). Mikaela and Isabel (Grade 2)

Grade 1/2 Easter Cards

Lesson Steps:

To celebrate Easter, we created these Easter cards. The idea came from http://krokotak.com/2014/04/how-to-make-an-easy-easter-postcard/

 Lesson materials:

1 sheet A4 white card with egg shapes on the bottom half

Coloured textas

1 black sharpie

Lesson Steps:

1. Fold the card.

2. Draw patterns on some of the egg shapes, and turn other egg shapes into chicks and rabbits.

3. Colour with textas.

4. Outline with black sharpie.

Artworks:

My example

Grade 1/2 3D shape artworks

 Lesson Background:

As part of our Maths unit on 3D shapes, we created these 3D shape artworks, based on those from https://iblog.dearbornschools.org/kobeissiart/2020/05/18/2d-shape-vs-3d-form/

Lesson Materials:

1 A4 sheet with the background shapes drawn in

1 A4 sheet of white art paper, folded into 6 squares

coloured textas

1 black sharpie

charcoal

scissors

glue

Lesson Steps:

1.  Colour the background starting with warm colours from the sun and working to cool colours.

2. Model step by step how to draw 3D shapes. The children follow along on the white paper, putting 1 shape in each square.

3. Use the black sharpie to outline the shapes.

4. Model how to use the charcoal to shade the 3D shapes, as the children follow along.

5. Cut the shapes out and stick them on the background.

Artworks: