First Grade Art
Curriculum Focus: Intro to Mediums, Supplies, & Techniques
The first grade artist is enthusiastic, absorbent, and acutely aware of the creative process. They continue to develop their motor skills, and broaden their conceptual knowledge of artistic technique. Their art tends to exude imagination, creativity, and originality that is not limited by reality or what "should be."
The first grade curriculum seeks to foster this uninhibited creativity and fun in art, yet introduce students to the basic supplies, mediums, and techniques used in art. Students will explore the use of mixed media.
The first grade curriculum seeks to foster this uninhibited creativity and fun in art, yet introduce students to the basic supplies, mediums, and techniques used in art. Students will explore the use of mixed media.
Welcome to Art Class
On the first day of art class, students will listen to a read aloud of Not a Box which is about a bunny with a clever imagination who sees a box as anything but a box. This story fosters the idea that there are no limitations to the imagination, and we are able to paint entire pictures in our minds just with a tiny bit of inspiration.
Student Activity: Students will listen to the text of the story and alter their own drawings of a simple box to create something creative and original.
Student Activity: Students will listen to the text of the story and alter their own drawings of a simple box to create something creative and original.
Project 1: Abstract Line Sculptures
Technique: sculpture
Medium: paper strips
Elements: form, line, color
Concepts: abstract art
Artist study: Frank Stella
Description: Students will review the element of line to create a sculpture out of construction paper. The abstract sculptures will incorporate a variety of three dimensional lines, and a mix of colors creating an interesting composition.
Medium: paper strips
Elements: form, line, color
Concepts: abstract art
Artist study: Frank Stella
Description: Students will review the element of line to create a sculpture out of construction paper. The abstract sculptures will incorporate a variety of three dimensional lines, and a mix of colors creating an interesting composition.
Sesame Street Sculpture Video
Click the link above to watch the video our first graders watched as they were introduced to the topic of sculpture and the various mediums used to create these 3D forms of art!
Project 2: Ceramic Leaves
Technique: sculpture
Medium: clay
Elements: shape, form, color, texture
Concepts: fall foliage
Art Study: Earth Art
Vocabulary: ephemeral; ceramics, kiln, fire, mold
Description: Students will use leaves as imprints for their clay leaf sculpture.
Medium: clay
Elements: shape, form, color, texture
Concepts: fall foliage
Art Study: Earth Art
Vocabulary: ephemeral; ceramics, kiln, fire, mold
Description: Students will use leaves as imprints for their clay leaf sculpture.
Project 3: Cityscape Reflections
Medium: washable marker
Elements:line, shape, color Concepts: cityscapes; symmetry Artist Study: Romare Bearden Literature Connection: Wow, City by Robert Neubecker Vocabulary: permanent, symmetry, architecture Description: Students will create their own cityscape and use a washable marker technique to create a reflection of their city |
Project 4: Winter Cardinal
Medium: bleeding tissue paper; tempera; oil pastel
Elements:line, shape, color Concepts: foreground, middleground, background Artist Study: Charley Harper wildlife artist Description: Students will create a winter cardinal painting using tissue paper to create a colorful background, tempera for overlapping branches of a middleground, and oil pastel to draw a winter cardinal for the foreground |
Project 5: Chengdu in Chalk
Medium: chalk pastel on black construction paper
Elements:line, shape, color Concepts: foreground, middleground, background AIllustrator Study: Barney Saltzberg Description: Students will recreate Saltzberg's loveable character, Chengdu. Following a step by step tutorial on how to draw Chengdu, the students will start with a contour drawing, and use smudging, blending, and fading techniques with chalk pastels |