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: