Kindergarten
#3: "All About Lines"- Rotating Centers
Now it is time to start building their "Tool Kit of Strategies". To understand Art, we need to break it down to the fundamentals. The Elements of Art (line, shape, color, texture, value, space) are considered the building blocks. I like to think of them as the ingredients that we use to cook. In starting with lines, we spend one class rotating through centers that focus on different characteristics of lines. I try to give the students a range of experiences and opportunities to move. Each student works in a booklet to record what they are learning about lines.
1. A line is a dot that goes for a walk. Students used dot markers to stamp connected dots to make lines.
2. A line can have different styles. Students manipulated long pieces of yarn at the carpet and then drew what they made.
3. A line shows movement. Students used texture rubbing plates, images of an island and treasure chest, and a red dotted line to show how to find their buried treasure. Boy, they really made the hunt challenging with some complex lines.
4. Lines connect to make shapes. Students used popsicle sticks to make shapes and then drew their creations.
1. A line is a dot that goes for a walk. Students used dot markers to stamp connected dots to make lines.
2. A line can have different styles. Students manipulated long pieces of yarn at the carpet and then drew what they made.
3. A line shows movement. Students used texture rubbing plates, images of an island and treasure chest, and a red dotted line to show how to find their buried treasure. Boy, they really made the hunt challenging with some complex lines.
4. Lines connect to make shapes. Students used popsicle sticks to make shapes and then drew their creations.
#2: Racing Rollercoasters
Now that we have become acquainted with our Artist Eyes, it is time to put them to work. We typically begin each lesson at the carpet for a team meeting. I like to get these youngsters moving, so I find opportunities for them to approach the artwork to point out special areas, or even act out what they are seeing. Pointer fingers were zooming through the air as we "rode the lines", complete with sound effects, or course! After viewing, Frank Stella's large scale metal relief sculpture titled Hockenheim, the student learned that the artist was trying to convey his love for the race track without including recognizable images like race cars, wheels, lanes, or fans. He tried to capture the blur of the colors, the speed and intensity through line and color. Students were then challenged to use paper lines to create their own fast-moving rollercoasters. This is a great lesson to work on paper manipulation, experimentation, and the use of glue. It is such a pleasure to hear the children excitedly describe how their paper zooms, flips, and even twists.
#1: Artist Eyes
We begin the Kindergarten year with a very important concept- "Artist Eyes". I explain to the students that what they think are just eyes are oh-so-much more than that. Every person has what I call Artist Eyes, and it is what enables us to see the world in our own unique way. This is what allows us to create art that is unique. In fact, they are so special, it is almost like a super power. To celebrate this idea, students color superhero inspired masks to honor their Artist Eyes. Since just about every kid loves superheroes, this is a great project to get over those first-class jitters.
