Lesson 3: Modern Self-Portrait Contour Line Drawing (Part 1)
Duration:  1 class period
     
Standard 1: Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. 
Standard 2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard 3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history.
Enduring Understanding:  People and cultures communicate through visual arts. Visual arts tell stories with mood and emotion through images.
Essential Questions:  How can I communicate my ideas thoughts and feelings effectively through art?
Assessment:   Kindergarten grading RUBRIC
Materials Needed:  Bent wire, sketch book, pencil, mirror,  9"x12" or 12"x18" white drawing paper, black construction paper for mounting
Vocabulary:  contour line, modern art, mood
Activities

1. Begin with a 5 minute drawing warm up in your sketchbook called a Drawing Ritual- use the instructions for the Wire Drawing. (No blinder card is necessary for this age.) Use thick wire bent into an odd shape. Pretend an ant is sitting on the wire. First, draw the wire in the air. Use your finger to follow the ant SLOWLY around the wire until he reaches the starting point. Next, fix your eyes on the ant on the wire and position your pencil on the sketchbook. As your eyes follow the ant, your pencil follows your eye movements exactly. DO NOT look down on your paper while drawing.  Put a date in the sketchbook.
    

2. This self-portrait will be drawn differently than the previous one. 
    

3. Here are more Self-Portraits to look at. Some are very realistic and some are very unusual.  Some are painted from the late 1400's and some are modern.  Can you tell which ones are more modern?  What makes you think so?  Modern art tends to be less realistic and more unusual. Look at the facial expressions.  Look at the colors of the portraits.  Some are darker than others.  One is particularly green in color.  Colors give off a certain mood.  Do some portraits seem a little more joyful than others?  Why? Some portraits are in three quarter view.  This means that the person is not looking directly at you but has moved his or her head over to one side a bit. Which ones are in three quarter view?
   These next paintings are all Modern Paintings (except for the Leonardo DaVinci drawings): Brett Whiteley's portrait is very funny! These paintings are quite unusual!
    

4. For an overview of Modern Art visit The Modern Art Museum. New or Modern art styles began in the second half of the 19th century with the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. New art styles and movements appeared at an increasingly fast pace reflecting the growing rate of changes in our society.
    

5. You will be drawing another self-portrait a little differently than your first one. You will need to really study the lines in and around your face and body.  Don't worry!  Art can be unusual. Remember the modern portraits you just looked at.
    

6. And now for the drawing...You can use your sketchbook or drawing paper. Look in your mirror and carefully observe your face shape and features that make you unique before drawing.  How are you special? You are completely different form anyone else in this world!  Your drawing will be very different as well.
    

7. Pose your face in three quarter view or tilt your head to one side and look in your mirror. One girl tilted her head back so far in her drawing that you could see up her nose!  Express an emotion: happy; sad, surprise, etc. Observe the outlines of your face and head.  Do a finger drawing on the mirror and follow the contour lines of your head, neck and shoulders on the mirror.
    

8. Your self-portrait drawing will be drawn like the wire drawing. On your drawing paper, use your finger to the draw contour lines of your head and shoulders while looking into your mirror. What is a contour line?  It is an outline or edge of an object.
    

9. Now draw the contour lines in pencil, beginning with largest lines around face, hair, neck and shoulders. You can pretend there is an ant sitting on top of your head.  Make sure you follow the ant walking around your head with your eyes carefully and your pencil will follow.  Finish your contour lines of your head, neck and shoulders. Look down on your paper when you loose your place in the drawing, reposition your pencil and continue. Make sure your head is not too small, neck is not too thin and your shoulders extend past your head.  Draw what you see as best you can and don't worry too much!
    

10. Add facial features.  With your finger, trace the contour lines of your eyes. What shape are they?  Do you see your eyelids? Eyebrows?  Trace them with your finger in the mirror and draw them with your finger on your paper while looking at the mirror.  Now draw them on your paper.  Where should they go?  Observe and following the contour lines with your eyes and draw the lines that you see with your pencil..  Do the same with the rest of your facial features. Don't worry!  Have some fun with this!
     

11. When you are satisfied, take thick black permanent marker and trace over all of your lines. Write your name on the lower right corner of your drawing. Is your drawing unusual?  Can you see the emotion you are expressing?
     

12. We will add color to this contour line drawing next art class.

Differentiation
Support:  When children have trouble following lines from mirror to paper, have them practice a finger drawing on the mirror and on paper a few more times.  Ask questions: If you look in the mirror, how big is your head? How big should it be on your paper?  What basic shape is your head? How high should you make the top of your head?  Where does your hair begin?   That's fine! There is NO WRONG or BAD drawing at this age. Drawings can be bizarre!  No background is necessary. Read Stages of Development in Children for a better understanding of developmental stages in children's art.
Extension: For a drawing resource look at Observation Drawing Information.
Here is another kindergarten lesson: Self PortI rait with a Twist and also Kindergarten Self Portraits website.
If you'd like you may watch the 14 minute video of art instructor, Peter Sanders, of Hackney, East London, demonstrating to young children How to Draw Self-Portraits.

Lesson 4: Modern Self-Portrait- Loads of Color! (Part 2)
Duration:  1 class period
     
Standard 1: Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. 
Standard 2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard 3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history.
Enduring Understanding:  People and cultures communicate through visual arts. Visual arts tell stories with mood and emotion through images.
Essential Questions:  How can I communicate my ideas thoughts and feelings effectively through art?
Assessment:  Kindergarten grading RUBRIC    Does the student: Have control with tempera paint? Understand the concept of MOOD and describe how a color makes him/her feel? Use colors to describe MOOD in the painting? Understand what is MODERN ART?
Materials Needed:  Bent wire, sketch book, pencil, mirror, drawing from last class, tempera paint, egg carton, large and small brushes, water container, newspaper, paper towels, black construction paper for mounting
Vocabulary:  contour line, modern art, mood, cool colors, warm colors
Activities

1. Begin with a 5 minute drawing warm up in your sketchbook called a Drawing Ritual- use the instructions for the Wire Drawing. (No blinder card is necessary for this age.) Use thick wire bent into an odd shape. Pretend an ant is sitting on the wire. First, draw the wire in the air. Use your finger to follow the ant SLOWLY around the wire until he reaches the starting point. Next, fix your eyes on the ant on the wire and position your pencil on the sketchbook. As your eyes follow the ant, your pencil follows your eye movements exactly. DO NOT look down on your paper while drawing.  Put a date in the sketchbook.
    

2. View the Matisse, van Gogh and Picasso self-portraits from the assortment of  Modern Paintings. Notice the colors. Are they realistic? The colors express a certain feeling or mood. What kinds of feelings do you think the artists were expressing in these three paintings?  Will you be painting mostly cool blue colors like van Gogh or warm reds and browns like Picasso?  How do COOL blue and green colors make you feel?  How do WARM red and brown colors make you feel?  There is no wrong answer!
   This portrait of Henri Matisse's wife, The Green Stripe, shocked viewers when it was first shown in 1905. Are the colors realistic?  What is unusual about the colors of this painting?
    

3. The teacher will demonstrate tempera painting techniques. When changing colors, make sure to wipe your dirty brush on a paper towel BEFORE rinsing in the water to keep your rinse water as clean as possible. Dry the brush after rinsing and continue painting. 
    

4. Set up your painting area with newspaper under your drawing, water container and brushes, paper towels and an egg carton with tempera colors.
    

5. Use colors that you'd like to paint your feeling or mood- like The Green Stripe, your colors do not have to be realistic! Use the pure colors or two colors mixed together.  Try not to cover your black contour lines with your paint. Paint with THICK colors. Do not mix more than TWO colors at one time! Have fun using your bright, bold colors!
    

6. When you are finished put your wet painting away to dry. Your teacher will mount this on black paper when it is dry.
   Does this look like modern art?  How So?  Does it look realistic?  How does it differ from the first self-portrait?  How is it similar?
   Hang this finished Modern Self-Portrait outside the art room for all to enjoy! Great job!

Differentiation
Support: When children have trouble following lines from mirror to paper, have them practice a finger drawing on the mirror and on paper a few more times.  Ask questions: If you look in the mirror, how big is your head? How big should it be on your paper?  What basic shape is your head? How high should you make the top of your head?  Where does your hair begin?   That's fine! There is NO WRONG or BAD drawing at this age. Drawings can be bizarre!  No background is necessary. Read Stages of Development in Children for a better understanding of developmental stages in children's art.
Extension: For a drawing resource look at Observation Drawing Information.
Here is another kindergarten lesson: Self Portrait with a Twist and also Kindergarten Self Portraits website.
If you'd like you may watch the 14 minute video of art instructor, Peter Sanders, of Hackney, East London, demonstrating to young children How to Draw Self-Portraits.

Lesson 5: Cut Paper Mood Self-Portraits
Duration:  1 class period
     
Standard 1:.Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. 
Standard 2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard 3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history.
Enduring Understanding:  People and cultures communicate through visual arts. Visual arts tell stories with mood and emotion through images.
Essential Questions:  How can I communicate my ideas thoughts and feelings effectively through art?
Assessment:  Kindergarten grading RUBRIC  
Materials Needed: Bent wire, sketch book, pencil, mirrors, 10"x16" colored construction paper for background, 10"x16" contrasting colored construction paper for head, neck and shoulders, scissors, glue
Vocabulary:  contour line, modern art, mood, contrast
Activities

1. Begin with a 5 minute drawing warm up in your sketchbook called a Drawing Ritual- use the instructions for the Wire Drawing. (No blinder card is necessary for this age.) Use thick wire bent into an odd shape. Pretend an ant is sitting on the wire. First, draw the wire in the air. Use your finger to follow the ant SLOWLY around the wire until he reaches the starting point. Next, fix your eyes on the ant on the wire and position your pencil on the sketchbook. As your eyes follow the ant, your pencil follows your eye movements exactly. DO NOT look down on your paper while drawing.  Put a date in the sketchbook.
    

2. You have created a self-portrait with colors that described your MOOD or feeling. Remember the Modern Self-Portraits?  Let's look at these again. Let's look at the colors.  They give us a certain feeling or describe a MOOD. Some use only two or three colors. Pick one and describe the colors used and how it makes you FEEL.
    

3. Here are a number of Vincent van Gogh self-portraits. Look at the colors.  Pick one self-portrait and tell us how it makes you FEEL...happy, sad...Some use very few colors. Some are mostly blue, some are yellow.  His colors give us a great sense of emotion. The colors help us FEEL a certain way.
    

4. This time you will be creating a MOOD self-portrait out of colored cut paper.
   TIP: We will simplify this lesson. 

6. Watch the video on Colors That Create Mood. You may pause the video and discuss how the colors make you feel. Your answers may be very different from another!
    

7. You will choose only two colors for your head and body: red (sometimes passion, violence, intense), black (sometimes depressed, intense), yellow (happy, warm), blue (sometimes sad, depressed, calm), green...etc. to best describe your mood. One color can express a very different emotion to one person and another. Will you be using two similar colors or two very different colors? You may even use black. Draw a simple head, neck and shoulder shapes onto your first color of choice. Use your mirror to help you draw the shapes.  You may use a large oval shape for your head to begin, but remember, your head and jaw area do not actually look like a perfect oval.  Look in the mirror and change the oval as necessary. Your neck should not be too thin and your shoulders should extend beyond the head. Do not put in too many details just the outside shape of your head, neck and shoulders.
    

8. Choose your second color and cut out your eyes, nose and mouth shapes and add detail to your hair using cut paper.  Glue all shapes onto your head shape. You can even add detail to your clothing using cut shapes.
    

9. When you are finished, glue your head and body onto your third color of choice. The lesson plan above used gray for the background but use whatever color you like, even black, as long as your background color CONTRASTS with your other colors. That means that your final color has to stand out from the others.
    

10. If you'd like to add more detail, use similar colored oil pastels on top of your cut shapes, such as light and darker blue oil pastels on top of the cut blue paper.
     

11. Glue your finished mood pictures onto black paper (or a different color if you are using a black background) as a frame. Put your name on the lower right corner of the picture. Great work!
     

12. Clean Up: Throw away all scrap paper.  Make sure you look under your chair as well. Put away all your materials where they should go.
     

13. Hang up your completed Mood Self-Portraits outside the art room for all to enjoy!
     

14. View the ART GALLERY of Mood Self-Portraits.

Differentiation
Support: Have a precut oval shape ready for the student to glue onto background paper.  Other shapes can be precut for the student to glue if necessary.
Extension:

Lesson 6: My Home-Outside and Inside Views (Part 1)
Duration: 1 class period
     
Standard 1: Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. 
Standard 2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard 3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history.
Enduring Understanding:  People and cultures communicate through visual arts. Visual arts tell stories with mood and emotion through images.
Essential Questions:  How can I communicate my ideas thoughts and feelings effectively through art?
Assessment:  Kindergarten grading RUBRIC  
Materials:  Bent wire, sketch book, pencil, 18"x24" white paper OR two 18"x24" white papers with the 24" edges taped together,  black marker, crayons, oil pastels or other color materials
Vocabulary:  rectangle, triangle, contour line, background
Activities

1. Begin with a 5 minute drawing warm up in your sketchbook called a Drawing Ritual- use the instructions for the Wire Drawing. (No blinder card is necessary for this age.) Use thick wire bent into an odd shape. Pretend an ant is sitting on the wire. First, draw the wire in the air. Use your finger to follow the ant SLOWLY around the wire until he reaches the starting point. Next, fix your eyes on the ant on the wire and position your pencil on the sketchbook. As your eyes follow the ant, your pencil follows your eye movements exactly. DO NOT look down on your paper while drawing.  Put a date in the sketchbook.
    
2. One activity is to use an 18"x24" white paper and fold it widthwise (or use the two sheets of paper taped together for ambitious students).  FRONT COVER: On the front cover, draw your large home using large simple shapes.  Is your home tall and thin like an apartment, or long and wide? Does it have two stories or is it a ranch?  Use large RECTANGLES and  TRIANGLES first to fill much of the space. (You may go to the board and draw large shapes that the students can look at.  The kids may use scrap paper to practice their shapes before drawing them on the large white paper.)
    
3. Add details on your home such as doors, roof shingles, window panes, etc. In the BACKGROUND area (the white space around your house), add things around your home, such as trees, other buildings,  whatever is around your home.  Use outlines (CONTOUR lines) only.
    
4. Take a black marker and trace over all the pencil lines neatly. More detail in marker can be added. Do not fill in areas with your black marker.  Keep everything in contour lines.
    
5. Using whatever materials you'd like, and color in all areas with either oil pastels, watercolors, crayons, or markers.

Differentiation
Support: Guide the child to draw one large rectangle to begin the home drawing.  Is it tall and thin like an apartment, or long and wide? The child can follow your finger drawing of a rectangle on paper with a black marker OR begin with a large rectangle template for the child to trace. Does your home need a roof shape or not? If so the child can trace another shape on top of the rectangle.  Then allow the child to add details on the home. 
Extension: Here is a variation to the My Home theme:  Inside the Outside: an X-Ray View of my House 
These are other activities to explore in the My Home theme. 

Lesson 7: My Home-Outside and Inside Views (Part 2)
Duration: 1 class period
     
Standard 1: Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. 
Standard 2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard 3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history.
Enduring Understanding:  People and cultures communicate through visual arts. Visual arts tell stories with mood and emotion through images.
Essential Questions:  How can I communicate my ideas thoughts and feelings effectively through art?
Assessment:  Kindergarten grading RUBRIC  
Materials:  Bent wire, sketch book, pencil, paper from last class, black marker, crayons, oil pastels or other color materials
Vocabulary:  rectangle, triangle, contour line, background, overlap 
Activities

1. Begin with a 5 minute drawing warm up in your sketchbook called a Drawing Ritual- use the instructions for the Wire Drawing. (No blinder card is necessary for this age.) Use thick wire bent into an odd shape. Pretend an ant is sitting on the wire. First, draw the wire in the air. Use your finger to follow the ant SLOWLY around the wire until he reaches the starting point. Next, fix your eyes on the ant on the wire and position your pencil on the sketchbook. As your eyes follow the ant, your pencil follows your eye movements exactly. DO NOT look down on your paper while drawing.  Put a date in the sketchbook.
    
2. Pass out papers from the last class. Open the paper so that the blank side is facing up. Hold it vertically.  Children can use the bottom area to draw a special room in their home, or use the entire 18x24 side to make two floors of the home (the fold line separates the two floors nicely).  Draw large shapes of furniture, then add details.  Follow the same procedure as above:  outline in pencil, go over your lines in black marker, then add details. 
   If  two large papers were used, open it up like a storybook and draw a floor on either side or two favorite rooms.
    
3. Use a black marker to outline your pencil lines. Color in all the areas using your desired materials. When you color in your areas, you may OVERLAP color on top of color to create a mixture of the two or three colors.
    
4. Write your name and grade on the front of the home drawing on the lower right corner.
   Now you have Your Home finished with outside and inside views. Bravo!
    
5. Discuss some similarities and differences between the children's artwork. Display the My Home Drawings outside the art room for all to enjoy!
   TIP:  When displaying art, adhere the back panel to the wall only. Let admirers be able to open the front flap to see the inside as well as outside of the home.

Differentiation
Support: The student can begin his or her drawing with shape templates to trace.
Extension: Here is a variation to the My Home theme:  Inside the Outside: an X-Ray View of my House 
Explore the other activities for My Home theme.

Lesson 8: Our Neighborhood-Working Together (Part 1)
Duration:  1 class period
     
Standard 1:. Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. 
Standard 2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard 3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history.
Enduring Understanding:  People and cultures communicate through visual arts. Visual arts tell stories with mood and emotion through images.
Essential Questions:  How can I communicate my ideas thoughts and feelings effectively through art?
Assessment:  Kindergarten grading RUBRIC  
Materials Needed: Sketchbook, pencil, found object for the Drawing Ritual, roll of white or tan paper 6' long (approx. one sheet for every 4 children).  Paper must have one simple outline of street going from one end to the other so that when papers are taped together this forms ONE continuous street. Street should be outlined with black marker on each piece of paper.
Vocabulary: 
Activities

1. Begin with a Drawing Ritual in your sketchbook - use the instructions for the Drawing Ritual. This is a 5 minute drawing time using a small found object. Pretend an ant is sitting on the object. Use your finger to follow the ant SLOWLY around the object until he reaches the starting point. Next, fix your eyes on the ant on the object and position your pencil on the sketchbook. As your eyes follow the ant, your pencil follows your eye movements exactly. Look down only to reposition your pencil.  Put a date in the sketchbook and put it away.
    
2. Have all the papers taped to the floor with one street drawn in black marker, ready for the children (see Materials).
    
3. Have children get into groups of  4 and sit around one of the large papers. Give each group a piece of writing paper and a pencil for the list. The groups will discuss and list what favorite things are in their neighborhoods-park, library, sports fields, school,  houses...etc.  Encourage good listening and working together.
    
4. Use items in the list for the neighborhood drawing. Use pencils to add the most important and largest shapes (structures) first. Additional streets and trails should be included later.
    
5. Once the large structures are drawn, kids can add details like street signs, trees, cars, buses, details to buildings, etc.
    
6. Outline all pencil lines in black marker .
    
7. Clean Up: Roll up paper with a rubberband and write the names on the outside of  the roll. Put all materials away in the proper place.

Differentiation
Support: The support student can join a group of nicer children with an adult helper who can encourage the sharing of ideas and cooperation.  Designate a building or small section that the child can complete and the child can use large precut shape templates to trace if necessary.  OR the child can work independently using 12"x18" paper. Use precut shapes to begin the drawing.
Extension:  

Lesson 9: Our Neighborhood-Working Together (Part 2)
Duration: 1 class period
     
Standard 1: Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. 
Standard 2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard 3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history.
Enduring Understanding:  People and cultures communicate through visual arts. Visual arts tell stories with mood and emotion through images.
Essential Questions:  How can I communicate my ideas thoughts and feelings effectively through art?
Assessment:  Kindergarten grading RUBRIC  
Materials Needed: Sketchbook, pencil, found object for the Drawing Ritual,  neighborhood drawing from last class taped to floor, markers, crayons, oil pastels.

Activities

1. Drawing Ritual in Sketchbook - use the instructions for the Drawing Ritual. This is a 5 minute drawing time using a small found object like a stick or pebble. Pretend an ant is sitting on the object. Use your finger to follow ant SLOWLY around the object until he reaches the starting point. Next, fix your eyes on the ant on the object and position your pencil on the sketchbook. As your eyes follow the ant, your pencil follows your eye movements exactly. Look down only to reposition your pencil.  Put a date in the sketchbook and put it away.
    
2. Roll out all the large neighborhood drawings in progress. Tape them to the floor. Children should get into their groups around their art.
3. Discuss what things can be found in their neighborhoods. 
    
4. Continue drawing and adding details to their neighborhood. Outline everything in black marker.
    
5. Demonstrate how to color large areas with crayons or oil pastels: focus on a different direction of strokes for each area instead of random coloring. You may use a criss-cross motion, vertical strokes, horizontal, diagonal, and any other stroke you can think of. Use assorted materials to color including buildings, birds, ground and sky.  Encourage OVERLAPPING of colors to create mixtures of colors. TIP: Do not use markers to fill in very large areas. Use crayons and oil pastels.  The side of a crayon works well for large spaces.
    
6. When finished, the children can get up and look at the other neighborhoods.  What is unique? What is similar?  Which neighborhood would you like to visit?  Why?
    
7. Students should put their names on lower right corner of their neighborhood.
    
8. Clean Up:  Roll up paper with a rubber band and put it where designated. Put away all materials.
    
9. When ready to display, you may connect one neighborhood to another using a long hallway in your school (the main street will connect all the papers together to look like one long neighborhood). Onlookers will surely be pleased!

Differentiation
Support: The support student can join a group of nicer children with an adult helper who can encourage the sharing of ideas and cooperation.  Designate a building or small section that the child can complete and the child can use large precut shape templates to trace if necessary.  OR the child can work independently using 12"x18" paper. Use precut shapes to begin the drawing.
Extension:

Lesson 10: I am Special/You are Special, Too- Full Body Portraits (Part 1)
Duration:  1 class period
     
Standard 1:. Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. 
Standard 2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard 3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history.
Enduring Understanding:  People and cultures communicate through visual arts. Visual arts tell stories with mood and emotion through images.
Essential Questions:  How can I communicate my ideas thoughts and feelings effectively through art?
Assessment:  Kindergarten grading RUBRIC  
Materials Needed:   sketchbook, pencil, small found object for the drawing ritual,  I Am Special!  by Karen Beaumond  or a similar book, markers, approximately 12' roll of paper per 6 students

Activities

1. Drawing Ritual in Sketchbook - use the instructions for the Drawing Ritual. This is a 5 minute drawing using something small like a rock, a leaf, or a stick. Pretend an ant is sitting on the object. First, draw the object in the air. Use your finger to follow ant SLOWLY around the object until he reaches the starting point. Next, fix your eyes on the ant on the object and position your pencil on the sketchbook. As your eyes follow the ant, your pencil follows your eye movements exactly. Look down only to reposition your pencil. Put a date in the sketchbook and put it away.
    
2. What makes you special?  What makes you different from everyone else?  Read I Am Special!  by Karen Beaumond   or a similar book. I Am Special! is a very funny rhyming book about the importance of liking who you are. It offers an outstanding opportunity for children to understand this concept,  The children will really enjoy the rhyme, funny story lines and illustrations. Discuss the character. What are some similarities between the main character and you?  Differences?  What message is the author sending to YOU?  What makes you different and special?
    
3. Roll out at least a 12'  long sheet of mural paper (light in color) on the floor and tape it down for every 6 students.  Have students group into pairs.  Three pairs of students will each work on one sheet of paper.  Using half the paper, three kids will lie on the paper in different positions and their partners will trace around their bodies as neatly as possible.  Be creative with positions!
    
4. The partners will lie on the other half and their partners will trace around their bodies.  How creative are your positions?  Did some of you recline?  Jump?  Sit?
    
5. Outline your name with pencil anywhere you'd like inside your body shape. 
    
6. What are your favorite foods, songs, movies, sports...Do you own a pet?  Would you like to include your family members in your drawing?  You may use a pencil to lightly outline inside your body frame whatever describes YOU. Be sure to fill in your body shape from head to toe with things that describe you. Trace over your pencil lines with your markers.
    
7. We will finish this up next class period. 

Differentiation
Support:  
Extension:  

Lesson 11: I am Special/You are Special, Too- Full Body Portraits (Part 2)
Duration:  1 class period
     
Standard 1:. Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. 
Standard 2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard 3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history.
Enduring Understanding:  People and cultures communicate through visual arts. Visual arts tell stories with mood and emotion through images.
Essential Questions:  How can I communicate my ideas thoughts and feelings effectively through art?
Assessment:  Kindergarten grading RUBRIC  
Materials Needed:   sketchbook, pencil, small found object for drawing ritual, butcher paper from last class,  I Am Special!  by Karen Beaumond  or a similar book, markers, long colored roll of paper to hold body outlines of students (optional), scissors, glue
 
Activities

1. Drawing Ritual in Sketchbook - use the instructions for the Drawing Ritual. This is a 5 minute drawing using something small like a rock, a leaf, or a stick. Pretend an ant is sitting on the object. First, draw the object in the air. Use your finger to follow ant SLOWLY around the object until he reaches the starting point. Next, fix your eyes on the ant on the object and position your pencil on the sketchbook. As your eyes follow the ant, your pencil follows your eye movements exactly. Look down only to reposition your pencil. Put a date in the sketchbook and put it away.
    
2. Continue your drawing. Do you need to add anymore favorite things in blank areas?  What makes you special?  What makes you different from everyone else? 
    
3. Use markers to outline your favorite things inside your body shape and color in with markers. 
    
4. When you are finished, you may cut out your body and glue this onto a very long sheet of colored paper along with the rest of the class, or leave it as is on the butcher paper.
    
5. Display this long roll of paper on a large wall outside the art room for all to see and admire!

Differentiation
Support: You may need to help your student cut out the body shape.
Extension:  

Lesson 12: Name Creatures in Symmetry (Part 1)
Duration: 1 class period
     
Standard 1: Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. 
Standard 2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard 3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history.
Enduring Understanding:  People and cultures communicate through visual arts. Visual arts tell stories with mood and emotion through images.
Essential Questions:  How can I communicate my ideas thoughts and feelings effectively through art?
Assessment:  Kindergarten grading RUBRIC  
Materials Needed:  sketchbook, pencil, found object for drawing ritual,  examples of symmetry: pictures of butterflies, geometric shapes...etc, 12"x18" white watercolor paper folded lengthwise,  tempera paints, painting tins,  paper towels, assorted brushes, water containers, newspaper 
Vocabulary:  symmetry
Activities

1. Drawing Ritual in Sketchbook - use the instructions for the Drawing Ritual. This is a 5 minute drawing time using a small found object. Pretend an ant is sitting on the object. Use your finger to follow ant SLOWLY around the object until he reaches the starting point. Next, fix your eyes on the ant on the object and position your pencil on your sketchbook.  As your  eyes follow the ant, your pencil follows your eye movements exactly. Look down only to reposition your pencil.  Put a date in the sketchbook and put it away.
    
2. Take a look at a kindergarten class of Symmetry Drawings. What is so special about these drawings?  One side of each drawing is the mirror image of the other. (You may use other reference materials or examples to discuss symmetry.)  When we looked in our mirrors to draw ourselves, what did we see?  Our faces are symmetrical- one side is opposite the other.  Can you think of anything else that has symmetry?  Can you think of some letters of the alphabet that have symmetry?  What about shapes? 
    
3. Begin the Symmetry demonstration: Put assorted tempera colors in painting tins, have water container and assorted brushes and paper towels ready. Open up the folded paper and hold it lengthwise. On the top half write one letter of your first name lightly and large on the middle line. The top of your letter can come close or touch the top of the paper.  Fit all the letters of your name on the paper. (Sometimes students begin their letters too large and cannot fit the last letter.)  Adjust the letters so all of them fit nicely on the paper if needed.  You can use upper and/or lower case letters-anything goes.
    
4. Using one tempera color at a time, paint the first letter thickly. Fold the paper over and rub so the image appears on the other side when the paper is opened.   If you need to repaint the letter, do so.
    
5. When switching colors, make sure the paintbrush is wiped with a paper towel first before rinsing. Rinse, wipe again with a towel and proceed to next letter and color.
    
6. Pass out all materials, newspapers down on the table first. Each table can share tins of paints. 
    
7. Children will write their names on papers. Adjust letter positions so all letters fit, then proceed to paint and fold. 
    
8. Clean up:  Put paintings in the proper place to dry. Make sure brushes are rinsed, dried, and put away. Watercolor containers can be dumped in the sink or a bucket. Paint tins should be stored where directed, dirty newspapers need to be thrown out.
    
9. We will continue next time and turn your names into creatures!
   
   View the ART GALLERY for student examples of Name Creatures.

Differentiation
Support: You may guide the student in writing  his or her name on the paper using your finger with him following with his pencil. Do not write on the child's paper.
Extension: Here is GREAT variation that requires markers only. Children can explore line and pattern symmetry using their names.
Fold a 12x18 paper in half lengthwise.  Write your name along the folded bottom edge of the paper. Slip two sheets of graphite or carbon paper inside the folded paper with the ink side against the inner two sides like a sandwich.  Trace over your name carefully. Open your paper, remove the carbon paper and you should see your name in symmetry on both halves. Outline in black marker and add thick and thin colored markers inside your name creature with one side a mirror image of the other.
 

Lesson 13: Name Creatures in Symmetry (Part 2)
Duration:  1 class period
     
Standard 1:. Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. 
Standard 2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard 3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history.
Enduring Understanding:  People and cultures communicate through visual arts. Visual arts tell stories with mood and emotion through images.
Essential Questions:  How can I communicate my ideas thoughts and feelings effectively through art?
Assessment:  Kindergarten grading RUBRIC  
Materials Needed:   sketchbook, pencil, examples of symmetry: pictures of butterflies, geometric shapes...etc, projects from last class, thick and thin markers, glue sticks, 12x18 black construction paper, scissors
Vocabulary:  symmetry, contour lines, background
Activities

1. Drawing Ritual in Sketchbook - use the instructions for the Drawing Ritual. This is a 5 minute drawing using something small like a rock, a leaf, or a stick. Pretend an ant is sitting on the object. First, draw the object in the air. Use your finger to follow ant SLOWLY around the object until he reaches the starting point. Next, fix your eyes on the ant on the object and position your pencil on the sketchbook. As your eyes follow the ant, your pencil follows your eye movements exactly. Look down only to reposition your pencil.  Put a date in the sketchbook and put it away.
    
2. Look at some projects from the last class.  What do they have in common?  What is symmetry?  Where else can we find symmetry?
    
3. Pass out the paintings and thick and thin markers.  Hold your painting upright.  What do you see?  Do you see a bug or creature emerging?  Begin with thick black marker and outline your symmetrical name and  adding any appendages you desire. Do you want to add ears or antennas?  You may add details to the inside of your creature as well.  One side MUST be the opposite of the other.  Keep it symmetrical. Use CONTOUR lines (or outlines) only.
    
4. With markers, children may add any other colors in their creature designs; they may create PATTERNS (or repeating lines and designs), switching colors and filling in shapes. The BACKGROUND (the area behind your creature) should not be colored in.
    
5. The Name Creatures should be cut out carefully. Turn pictures over and glue around the edges and middle with a glue stick. Flip onto black paper and press. Well there you have it-a Name Creature in Symmetry!
    
6. Write your name somewhere on your creature.
    
7. Clean Up:  Throw away any scrap paper and put all materials away where they belong.
    
8. Display the Name Creatures in Symmetry. Great job!
   
   View the ART GALLERY for student examples of Name Creatures.

Differentiation
Support: You may need to guide student to place symmetrical lines and shapes on the opposite side of the paper and help with cutting the creature out.  Help place the cut out creature in the middle of the black paper if needed.
Extension:  Here is GREAT variation that requires markers only. Children can explore line and pattern symmetry using their names.
Fold a 12x18 paper in half lengthwise.  Write your name along the folded bottom edge of the paper. Slip two sheets of graphite or carbon paper inside the folded paper with the ink side against the inner two sides like a sandwich.  Trace over your name carefully. Open your paper, remove the carbon paper and you should see your name in symmetry on both halves. Outline in black marker and add thick and thin colored markers inside your name creature with one side a mirror image of the other.