Kindergarten
Week 2:
Introductions.
Crayon Color Wheel
For this first activity, we focus on the color wheel, an important idea in art. Using crayons, we mix the primary colors to create the secondary colors. The primary colors and secondary colors form triangles within the color wheel. As we do this activity, we talk about how the primary colors are mixed to create the secondary colors and we mix crayon colors by blending them.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.1.a Experiment and explore ideas and materials.
FA 2.2.1.c Explore and experience the properties of various art media (glossary) through senses and emotions.
FA 2.2.1.f Demonstrate respect for accepted procedures regarding responsible care of equipment and materials (glossary).
Week 3:
Collaborative Drawing
For this piece, we explore the idea of collaboration (teamwork) in art. Artists will sometimes need to work with others in order to develop and create a work of art. As we create our pieces, we will need to talk with one another in order to decide what lines, shapes, and colors are going to go into the spaces on our paper. This piece focuses on the elements of line, shape, and color while talking about patterns and textures.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.1.a Experiment and explore ideas and materials.
FA 2.2.1.c Explore and experience the properties of various art media (glossary) through senses and emotions.
FA 2.2.1.d Explore elements of art and principles (glossary) of design to brainstorm visual possibilities. (e.g., use color and shape to create pattern).
FA 2.2.1.e Explore various techniques, skills, and the importance of craftsmanship/workmanship (glossary) (e.g., properly hold scissors, while turning paper, to create a well-defined shape).
FA 2.2.1.f Demonstrate respect for accepted procedures regarding responsible care of equipment and materials (glossary).
FA 2.2.3.b Identify use of elements and principles (glossary) in works of art (e.g., recognize use of pattern, symmetry).
Week 5:
A Colorful Shape Train: Using Shapes to Represent Ideas
For this piece, we explore shapes (geometric and organic) as well as ideas of symbolism in art. As we develop our ideas for this piece, we will talk about trains and how they carry goods across the country, and we will talk about fruits and how they are moved from one place to another. We will also talk about how we might separate shapes into geometric (the shapes of the train cars) and organic (the shapes of fruit).
As we create this piece, we will work with watercolors or tempera cakes, pencil, oil pastels, scissors, and glue. In a similar style to Eric Carle, the illustrator of books such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, we will use watercolors to create a variety of colorful shapes for our trains.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.1.a Experiment and explore ideas and materials.
FA 2.2.1.c Explore and experience the properties of various art media (glossary) through senses and emotions.
FA 2.2.1.d Explore elements of art and principles (glossary) of design to brainstorm visual possibilities. (e.g., use color and shape to create pattern).
FA 2.2.1.e Explore various techniques, skills, and the importance of craftsmanship/workmanship (glossary) (e.g., properly hold scissors, while turning paper, to create a well-defined shape).
FA 2.2.1.f Demonstrate respect for accepted procedures regarding responsible care of equipment and materials (glossary).
FA 2.2.2.b Select a work of art for display.
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Week 6:
A Colorful Shape Train: Using Shapes to Represent Ideas
We will talk about shapes, particularly two categories of shapes: Geometric and Organic. Using pencil and oil pastels, we will create simple images of fruit that will fit on some of our colorful train cars. We will carefully cut out our fruit, and we will compose our trains and fruit on a long (4" x 18") piece of paper.
Week 7:
A Colorful Shape Train: Using Shapes to Represent Ideas
We read read Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar and talk about the shapes that Carle created for his illustrations. We will continue working on our colorful trains by cutting out our train cars and train wheels.
Week 8:
A Colorful Shape Train: Using Shapes to Represent Ideas
Using pencil and oil pastels, we will continue to create simple images of fruit that will fit on some of our colorful train cars.
Week 9:
A Colorful Shape Train: Using Shapes to Represent Ideas
We will continue working on our colorful trains by finishing our fruit and by composing our pieces before gluing them down.
Week 10:
A Colorful Shape Train: Using Shapes to Represent Ideas
We will finish our pieces so that they are ready to be displayed.
Art History: Jan van Eyck, Andrea Mantegna, and Raphael.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.3.a Identify and describe a piece of art (e.g., subject matter (glossary), use of color).
FA 2.2.3.b Identify use of elements and principles (glossary) in works of art (e.g., recognize use of pattern, symmetry).
FA 2.2.3.c Interpret mood or feeling in a work of art.
FA 2.2.3.d Articulate personal artistic choice and ideas
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Week 12:
Autumn Leaves
We will look at Fall-colored leaves and draw our own leaves with colored pencils, focusing on the colors that we see.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.1.a Experiment and explore ideas and materials.
FA 2.2.1.c Explore and experience the properties of various art media (glossary) through senses and emotions.
FA 2.2.1.e Explore various techniques, skills, and the importance of craftsmanship/workmanship (glossary) (e.g., properly hold scissors, while turning paper, to create a well-defined shape).
FA 2.2.1.f Demonstrate respect for accepted procedures regarding responsible care of equipment and materials (glossary).
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Art History: Sofonisba Anguissola
Week 13:
Fall Is in the Air
We will create Fall-inspired trees with colored pencils, paper colored with watercolors or tempera paints, scissors, and glue.
For this piece, we will draw a tree on a 6" x 9" piece of paper, coloring the tree with different tones of brown, coloring the ground with different tones of green, and coloring the sky with blue.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.1.a Experiment and explore ideas and materials.
FA 2.2.1.c Explore and experience the properties of various art media (glossary) through senses and emotions.
FA 2.2.1.e Explore various techniques, skills, and the importance of craftsmanship/workmanship (glossary) (e.g., properly hold scissors, while turning paper, to create a well-defined shape).
FA 2.2.1.f Demonstrate respect for accepted procedures regarding responsible care of equipment and materials (glossary).
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Art History: Caravaggio and Rembrandt.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.3.a Identify and describe a piece of art (e.g., subject matter (glossary), use of color).
FA 2.2.3.b Identify use of elements and principles (glossary) in works of art (e.g., recognize use of pattern, symmetry).
FA 2.2.3.c Interpret mood or feeling in a work of art.
FA 2.2.3.d Articulate personal artistic choice and ideas
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Week 14:
Fall Is in the Air
We will create Fall-inspired trees with colored pencils, paper colored with watercolors or tempera paints, scissors, and glue.
Continuing our piece, we will cut and glue small pieces of paper colored with yellows, oranges, and red to imitate the colorful leaves found on tree during the Fall season.
Art History: Diego Velazquez and Jan Vermeer.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.3.a Identify and describe a piece of art (e.g., subject matter (glossary), use of color).
FA 2.2.3.b Identify use of elements and principles (glossary) in works of art (e.g., recognize use of pattern, symmetry).
FA 2.2.3.c Interpret mood or feeling in a work of art.
FA 2.2.3.d Articulate personal artistic choice and ideas
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Week 15:
Fall Is in the Air
We will create Fall-inspired trees with colored pencils, paper colored with watercolors or tempera paints, scissors, and glue.
Art History: Jean-Honore Fragonard.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.3.a Identify and describe a piece of art (e.g., subject matter (glossary), use of color).
FA 2.2.3.b Identify use of elements and principles (glossary) in works of art (e.g., recognize use of pattern, symmetry).
FA 2.2.3.c Interpret mood or feeling in a work of art.
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Week 16:
Fall Is in the Air
We will create Fall-inspired trees with colored pencils, paper colored with watercolors or tempera paints, scissors, and glue.
Week 17:
Fall Is in the Air
We will finish our Fall-inspired trees.
Art History: Rosa Bonheur, Edgar Degas, and Mary Cassatt.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.3.a Identify and describe a piece of art (e.g., subject matter (glossary), use of color).
FA 2.2.3.b Identify use of elements and principles (glossary) in works of art (e.g., recognize use of pattern, symmetry).
FA 2.2.3.c Interpret mood or feeling in a work of art.
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Week 18:
A Table in a Room
Using a pencil (and eraser) and 1-point perspective, we will draw the top of a table on a 6" x 9" piece of paper. We will then use our own imaginations to decide what room this table is in. What will be on top of this table? What will be on the wall around the table? With our drawings, we can create a space and even tell a story.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.1.a Experiment and explore ideas and materials.
FA 2.2.1.c Explore and experience the properties of various art media (glossary) through senses and emotions.
FA 2.2.1.e Explore various techniques, skills, and the importance of craftsmanship/workmanship (glossary) (e.g., properly hold scissors, while turning paper, to create a well-defined shape).
FA 2.2.1.f Demonstrate respect for accepted procedures regarding responsible care of equipment and materials (glossary).
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Week 19:
A Table in a Room
Using a pencil (and eraser) and 1-point perspective, we will draw the top of a table on a 6" x 9" piece of paper. We will then use our own imaginations to decide what room this table is in. What will be on top of this table? What will be on the wall around the table? With our drawings, we can create a space and even tell a story.
Art History: James McNeill Whistler and John Singer Sargent.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.3.a Identify and describe a piece of art (e.g., subject matter (glossary), use of color).
FA 2.2.3.b Identify use of elements and principles (glossary) in works of art (e.g., recognize use of pattern, symmetry).
FA 2.2.3.c Interpret mood or feeling in a work of art.
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Week 5:
A Portrait
We will draw a simple portrait of a person with a pencil while talking about facial features and where those facial features might go.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.1.a Experiment and explore ideas and materials.
FA 2.2.1.c Explore and experience the properties of various art media (glossary) through senses and emotions.
FA 2.2.1.e Explore various techniques, skills, and the importance of craftsmanship/workmanship (glossary) (e.g., properly hold scissors, while turning paper, to create a well-defined shape).
FA 2.2.1.f Demonstrate respect for accepted procedures regarding responsible care of equipment and materials (glossary).
Week 6:
A Portrait with a Story
We will look at a variety of portraits and self-portraits. Then we will add to our portraits that we drew with pencils by using color to convey emotions, communicate an idea, or tell a story. We will use colored pencils for our colors.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.1.a Experiment and explore ideas and materials.
FA 2.2.1.b Create artworks that express unique student interpretation.
FA 2.2.1.c Explore and experience the properties of various art media (glossary) through senses and emotions.
FA 2.2.1.e Explore various techniques, skills, and the importance of craftsmanship/workmanship (glossary) (e.g., properly hold scissors, while turning paper, to create a well-defined shape).
FA 2.2.1.f Demonstrate respect for accepted procedures regarding responsible care of equipment and materials (glossary).
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Week 7:
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.3.a Identify and describe a piece of art (e.g., subject matter (glossary), use of color).
FA 2.2.3.b Identify use of elements and principles (glossary) in works of art (e.g., recognize use of pattern, symmetry).
FA 2.2.3.c Interpret mood or feeling in a work of art.
FA 2.2.3.d Articulate personal artistic choice and ideas
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Week 8:
Linear Perspective
For this activity, we will begin to learn 2-point perspective as we draw a box to look three dimensional and then we add a roof to that box.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.1.a Experiment and explore ideas and materials.
FA 2.2.1.e Explore various techniques, skills, and the importance of craftsmanship/workmanship (glossary) (e.g., properly hold scissors, while turning paper, to create a well-defined shape).
FA 2.2.1.f Demonstrate respect for accepted procedures regarding responsible care of equipment and materials (glossary).
Week 9:
Sunset with Silhouette
Using watercolors, we will paint a sunset and then add a silhouette of a tree to look like it is overlapping the sunset. We will talk about the colors that we would see in the sky during a sunset and then try to create those colors using a wet-on-wet technique. Then, we will add the ground with black as the colors of the sky dry. Finally, we will add our tree using a wet-on-dry technique as well as a dry brush technique to imitate leaves on branches.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.1.a Experiment and explore ideas and materials.
FA 2.2.1.c Explore and experience the properties of various art media (glossary) through senses and emotions.
FA 2.2.1.e Explore various techniques, skills, and the importance of craftsmanship/workmanship (glossary) (e.g., properly hold scissors, while turning paper, to create a well-defined shape).
FA 2.2.1.f Demonstrate respect for accepted procedures regarding responsible care of equipment and materials (glossary).
Week 10:
Sunset with Silhouette
Using watercolors, we will add our tree using a wet-on-dry technique as well as a dry brush technique to imitate leaves on branches.
Art History: Early Modern Art
Pablo Picasso
Piet Mondrian
Georgia O'Keeffe
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.3.a Identify and describe a piece of art (e.g., subject matter (glossary), use of color).
FA 2.2.3.b Identify use of elements and principles (glossary) in works of art (e.g., recognize use of pattern, symmetry).
FA 2.2.3.c Interpret mood or feeling in a work of art.
FA 2.2.3.d Articulate personal artistic choice and ideas
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Week 11:
Watercolor Flower
Using a pencil, we will draw a flower with petals in way similar to Georgia O'Keeffe: The edges of the flower will go off of the sides of the paper. We will then use watercolors to add colors and values to our flowers.
Week 12:
Watercolor Resist Flower
For this piece, we will use crayons as a wax. We will draw the outline of a flower with a stem and leaves with violet and green crayons. We will then draw a series of curved lines in the background or negative space with yellow crayons. Once our crayon lines are done, we will use watercolors to add color to flower, stem, and background. The crayon will resist - push away the watercolor - so that it is still visible alongside the watercolor.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.1.a Experiment and explore ideas and materials.
FA 2.2.1.c Explore and experience the properties of various art media (glossary) through senses and emotions.
FA 2.2.1.e Explore various techniques, skills, and the importance of craftsmanship/workmanship (glossary) (e.g., properly hold scissors, while turning paper, to create a well-defined shape).
FA 2.2.1.f Demonstrate respect for accepted procedures regarding responsible care of equipment and materials (glossary).
Week 13:
Watercolor Resist Flower
Week 15:
Architecture and
Art History: Modern Art
Rene Magritte
Salvador Dali
Frida Kahlo
Grant Wood
Andrew Wyeth
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.3.a Identify and describe a piece of art (e.g., subject matter (glossary), use of color).
FA 2.2.3.b Identify use of elements and principles (glossary) in works of art (e.g., recognize use of pattern, symmetry).
FA 2.2.3.c Interpret mood or feeling in a work of art.
FA 2.2.3.d Articulate personal artistic choice and ideas
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Week 16:
Writing an Artist Statement
Using appropriate words and sentence structure, we will write an artist statement. In our statements, we will try to express who we are as artists. What subject do we prefer to work with in our artwork? What medium (or media) do we prefer to use? What ideas or stories or emotions do we prefer to express?
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.2.a Present an artist statement (glossary) through formal or informal communication (e.g., written, verbal).
Week 17:
Earth Day:
We will look at four Land Art pieces by Andy Goldsworthy.
Art History: Modern and Contemporary Art
Jackson Pollock
Andy Warhol
Chuck Close
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.3.a Identify and describe a piece of art (e.g., subject matter (glossary), use of color).
FA 2.2.3.b Identify use of elements and principles (glossary) in works of art (e.g., recognize use of pattern, symmetry).
FA 2.2.3.c Interpret mood or feeling in a work of art.
FA 2.2.3.d Articulate personal artistic choice and ideas
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Week 18:
Soft Pastel Flower
For this piece, we will draw a simple flower up close (similar to what Georgia O'Keeffe did) with a pencil. Then we will use soft pastels to add color to our flowers, choosing our own colors for the center and for the petals.
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.1.a Experiment and explore ideas and materials.
FA 2.2.1.b Create artworks that express unique student interpretation.
FA 2.2.1.c Explore and experience the properties of various art media (glossary) through senses and emotions.
FA 2.2.1.d Explore elements of art and principles (glossary) of design to brainstorm visual possibilities. (e.g., use color and shape to create pattern).
FA 2.2.1.f Demonstrate respect for accepted procedures regarding responsible care of equipment and materials (glossary).
Week 19:
Art History: Modern and Contemporary Art
Audrey Flack
Judy Chicago
Cindy Sherman
Marina Abramovic
Nebraska Visual Arts Standards:
FA 2.2.3.a Identify and describe a piece of art (e.g., subject matter (glossary), use of color).
FA 2.2.3.b Identify use of elements and principles (glossary) in works of art (e.g., recognize use of pattern, symmetry).
FA 2.2.3.c Interpret mood or feeling in a work of art.
FA 2.2.3.d Articulate personal artistic choice and ideas
FA 2.2.4.d Identify how images and objects are used to convey a story, familiar experience, or connection to the world.
Week 20: