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!

Color Theory Activity 1a

Ask the kids each question & let them give you as many answers as you have time for. Then, have them color in correct sections of a color wheel.

DISCUSS
         1. What is COLOR?
               The reflection of light from a surface
          2. What is a COLOR WHEEL?
               An organization of colors in a circle
          3. What are PRIMARY COLORS?
               Blue, Yellow and Red
          4. Can colors be mixed together to create PRIMARY COLORS?
               No. They must be made from pigments
          5. What is a PIGMENT?
               A finely ground powder that determines the color
          6. What is a MEDIUM?
               A material used to make art: paint, pencil, crayons, clay, paper…
          7. What is MEDIA?
               More than one medium - the plural of medium

CREATE


      Color in a PRIMARY COLOR WHEEL!
           a. Decide which medium to use: crayons or colored pencils or markers
           b. Have students take out only the blue, yellow & red of decided
               medium
           c. Pass out color wheel handout to each student
           d. Have students color in correct section of the color wheel using the
               correct colors
                   ex. The section having “blue” written in it should only be colored
                        blue

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Primary Color Wheel

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Elements of Art

Objective

Students will become familiar with the elements of art.

Your students will enjoy discussing the basic components of art and how art is all around.

Elements of Art Activity 1a

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.

DISCUSS
        1. What is ELEMENTS of ART?
                 It’s what is seen in a work of art
                            a. What are some ELEMENTS of ART?
                                      Color: The reflection of light from a surface
                                      Hue: The name of a color
                                      Intensity: The brightness of a color
                                      Line: Straight, wavy, zig-zag...
                                      Pattern: Anything repeated in a predictable combination
                                      Shade: Color with black added - the amount of black
                                                   determines the shade
                                      Shapes: The outline of things that can be found in nature
                                                    or human made
                                      Space: The empty areas of a picture
                                      Texture: The surface of materials, visual and tactile
                                      Value: The lightness and darkness of a color

                   2. What is our environment?
                        It’s the world around us
                        (A animals, automobiles, architectural, food, plants, signs…)

                   3. Which ELEMENTS of ART can be seen in our
                       environment?
                       (Lines, Colors, Shapes/Forms, Textures, Values, Patterns)　

Art History

Objective

Students will become familiar with artists, cultures, periods.

Your students will find art more personal and meaningful when learning of the artists and arts past. There are fun facts to be shared that can easily be used in conjunction with other teachings in the classroom.

Art History Activiy 1a

Ask the kids each question & get as many answers as you can and along with their personal opinions on the art.


DISCUSS
               
                  Go to: Garden of Praise
                                                                                                                                                               
                This site has a great list of artists to learn about and view slideshows
                of artworks. There is also on-line activities for each artist!

                          1. Discuss what elements are seen
                          2. What type of mood does the artwork reflect?
                          3. What media was used?
                          4. Student’s feelings on artwork?


CREATE
          If looking for a fun, easy activity to go all with learning about each artist,
                  have the students create art in the style of the artist. It is not to be used
                  to duplicate the work.

*Examples:
Mrs. Reyes’ Brains on Art
Mrs. Kimbel’s Creative Artists 　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Art Criticism

Objective

　Students will become familiar with analyzing artwork & making personal judgments on artwork.　
　
Students will be familiar with what art is & why it is created; cultural art differences; responsibilities of artists; elements of art; how colors are created, how they work together, & how they effect feelings; and be introduced to artists, periods, cultures, movements, & analyzing art.

Art Criticism Activity 1a

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 to store all their work.


DISCUSS

         Have kids put on an art show. Have them discuss their art to the
                class using appropriate terms.
       
              Things to be discussed:
                 * Have students discuss artwork focusing on selected elements of art 
                    Shape/Form, Texture, Line, Color...

                         1. What it is they made?
                         2. Why they chose to do what they did?
                         3. How did they make it?
                         4. What medium they use?
                         5. Select something they like about their artwork & something they would
                             change