Tag: elementary school

3rd Grade – Taking Inspiration from Bridget Riley’s Op Art

3rd Grade – Taking Inspiration from Bridget Riley’s Op Art

Description of the Unit – This delightful unit introduces students to optical illusion art. Students will observe and discuss different examples of optical illusion art, focusing particularly on the work of Bridget Riley. Using basic measurement skills, students will create their own two-color optical illusion design.

A photo of Op Art painter Bridget Riley in her studio, some time in the 60's.
Bridget Riley in her studio
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5th Grade – Franz Marc and his Kaleidoscopic Animal Paintings

5th Grade – Franz Marc and his Kaleidoscopic Animal Paintings

Description of the Unit – Students will explore the kaleidoscopic, expressionistic animal-centered paintings of Modern artist Franz Marc, applying the same concepts to their own compositions in oil pastel.

Deer in a Monastery Garden, 1912, Franz Marc. A very abstracted painting of a deer surrounded by a garden
Deer in a Monastery Garden, 1912, Franz Marc
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Kindergarten – Simple Watercolor Resist

Kindergarten – Simple Watercolor Resist

Description of the Unit – Students will learn about oil’s resistance to water both in nature and through the media of watercolor and crayon, and explore this resistance via playful experimentation and one finished composition.

Kindergarten watercolor & crayon resist, finished composition. This shows a blue cat with purple stripes, a flower and a sun on a blue background.
Kindergarten watercolor & crayon resist, finished composition

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5th Grade – Dot Painting inspired by Australian Aborigines

5th Grade – Dot Painting inspired by Australian Aborigines

Description of the Unit – Students will observe and discuss examples of aboriginal dot painting, from very early examples to the art produced by the culture in present day. Students will use what they learned about color, pattern and symbol in their observations to create their own dot paintings, expressing scenes from nature. 

5th grade student dot painting of a shark.
5th grade student dot painting
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3rd Grade – Mexican Amate Paintings

3rd Grade – Mexican Amate Paintings

Description of the Unit – Students will explore the fascinating Mexican folk art known as Amate bark painting. Using their observations of the art form, students will crumple brown kraft paper (a part of this project they love) to give it a bark-like texture, and paint their own painting onto it in the same bold and bright colors as used by Mexican artisans of Amate.

A Mexican artisan working on an Amate painting, depicting traditional subjects, such as birds and flowers, in vibrant colors on Amate bark paper.
Amate: Mexican Bark Painting
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4th Grade – The Mola of Panama

4th Grade – The Mola of Panama

Description of the Unit – The Mola, a traditional cloth worn by the Kuna (from the tiny San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama), are quite brightly colored, in contrasting patterns of various shapes, and in the center depicting what is typically an animal, plant or person of special interest to the Kuna. Students will explore the tradition of Molas, noting the use of contrasting colors, abstract patterns as well as noting the contrasting organic shapes of the main subject to the mostly geometric shapes of the background patterns. Students will use their understanding of these elements to create their own interpretation of the Mola in colored construction paper.

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5th Grade – Play Props and Scenery

5th Grade – Play Props and Scenery

Description of the Unit – Students will conceptualize, design and build props and set pieces for their end-of-year performance. This unit can help anyone who has some kind of event or play to put on and is looking at how students can take full control of the process.

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4th Grade – Día de los Muertos “Sugar” Skulls!

4th Grade – Día de los Muertos “Sugar” Skulls!

Description of the Unit – Students will celebrate Día de los Muertos by sculpting and designing their own “sugar” skulls (with clay) and setting them onto a colorful patterned background.

Mexican Day of the Dead sugar skulls
Sugar skulls, or “calaveritas” for Día de los Muertos
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