The Beginning

Can it be possible that one sweet little boy can stir up so much frustration in another that the person is left with no other words than "Go paint the fence!" Well, yes it is and yes he did, along with the playhouse, the outdoor table & chairs, the deck, the rocks and the tree. The poor tree. For years the lonely tree held onto the markings of washable paint graffitied on it's exterior. The tree is the hallmark of "What should the kids do now?" When the kids complain of being bored, I refer to the tree and it leads me to all kinds of projects. Within lies only a few pages of my Art Ready Curriculum. I hope you enjoy.

Introduction

The following lessons have been created to assist exposing children to the world of art. These activities are low cost, step-by-step, simple and fun, which include the California State Visual Arts Standards.　The curriculum can be used in conjunction with other subjects (math, science, history…) or independently resulting in fun projects for the kids. Teachers and parents can read these activities to the kids and make easy adaptations at anytime. For those who have art backgrounds, these lessons can easily be molded into his or her own comfort level or altered completely. Since art is subjective, it is simple to grade. It is based on participation, not on ability or talent. Every student is talented in his or her own unique way and should not be compared amongst peers. Therefore, children deserve to be graded on participation alone.

Art Appreciation

Objective

Students will be familiar with what art is and why it is created

Your students will enjoy discussing their views on art and all the different reasons for its creation. By the end of the discussions they will start to understand that art and artists are all around the community, and that everyone has the ability to be creative in one form or another. There is no right or wrong answer, just personal opinions from you and your students. Art is very subjective. Where one individual sees beauty, another may not. Every person has his/her own likes and dislikes. These lessons will show the students why and how to appreciate the work that is put into art, even if the art is not seen by them as “beautiful.” Enjoy the interaction with your students. Allow them to express their thoughts and experiences on all areas of art..

Art Appreciation Activity 1a

This is a time for TALKING!

Ask the kids each question & let them give you as many answers as you have time for. Let the kids talk about their Ideas and experiences in art. THEN, let the kids create a personal art journal out of a binder to store all their work.

DISCUSS
     I. Art?
         1. What is art?
                     Art is a form of personal and creative expression
           2. What is creativity?
                    It’s creating something that is original and imaginative
           3. Must art be pretty?
                    No:   a. Not everyone has the same taste, everyone has different likes/dislikes
                             b. The artist may have intended the artwork to not be pretty
           4. What materials can be used to create art?
                          Anything can be used: food, music, dance, metal, clay, paint….
           5. Can you make a mistake in your art?
                   Yes:  a. But, mistakes can be fixed
                            b. If it can’t be fixed, it can be changed into something else
                                ex. If you’re drawing of a person looks like a tree, make it a tree!
     II. The Effects of Art?
          1. Can art effect your feelings?
                   Yes: It can make you happy, sad, angry...
             2. Can art offend?
                    Yes: It can easily hurt feelings if the subject matter is not “nice”
     III. Where Can Art be Found?
           1. Where can you see art?
                            Museums, art galleries, stamps, currency, books, flags, symbols...
              2. Can you see art locally?
                     Yes: Museums, libraries, hospitals, downtown….
              3. Can art come from nature?
                     Yes: ex. Ice Hotel 
                                   Rock Balancing
                                   Snow Flakes 
              4. Can more than one person work on one art project?
                            Yes: Windmills, bridges, buildings, murals
                              The Making of a Fresco, Showing the Building of a City
                              Hearst Castle 
                              The Umbrellas 
     IV. Why Create Art?
            1. Why is art created?To make people happy, to tell a story, to send a message
               2. Can art be useful?
                             Yes: Wind chimes, windmills, bridges, buildings…
                              Cathedral Christ of Light                       
                              Guggenheim Museum, Spain 
                              Gateshead Millennium Bridge
                              Windmills of the World
      V. What are the Differences in Art?
            1. Can art styles change over the years?
                            Yes: Think of clothing styles, car/truck styles, cave drawings…
               2. Does art differ between cultures?
                            Yes: Think about art from China, Mexico, Africa…
               3. Discuss artist’s work
                     a. What mood does the art reflect? Why?
                     b. What story is the art is telling?
                     c. How does the art make you feel

          artist’s
               Mary Cassatt (ka- SAHT)
           Diego Rivera
           Paul Gauguin (go-GAN)
           Kitagawa Utamaro
           Pierre-Auguste Renoir
           Francisco de Goya (GOI-yah)     

     VI. What’s an Art Journal?
             A personal book of ideas, memories, thoughts, artwork...

CREATE

Create an ART JOURNAL!

Color Theory

Objective

　
Students will become familiar with how colors are created, how they work together & how they effect feelings.　Your students will enjoy reviewing color, color mixing as well as creating colorful art. This is a journey of exploration and discovery which can be used in conjunction with math and science!