Wayne Thiebaud: Third Grade Popsicles

Third Graders had a mini measurement lesson during our study over artist Wayne Thiebaud. The had to measure four popsicles, two on each side, that were exactly five inches long. As a part of this lesson, we talked about symmetry and repetition. They then worked together to add white to various colors of tempera paint to make lighter tints to paint their popsicles. These were displayed as a part of Open House.

 

Grand Prairie ISD Experience

Our district is an open choice district where families and students can apply for a school of their choice. To showcase different options within our district, they hold Grand Prairie ISD Experience each year. As a part of the experience, each school was able to show one piece of student artwork. Below is work that one of my fifth graders created. He drew the landscape and painted it with colors he mixed himself. He added baking soda to the white tempera paint to add texture and a more realistic look to the snow scene.

Fifth Grade Birch Trees

To experiment with color mixing and tape resist, the fifth grade students created birch trees. They first added three strips of painters tape to white construction paper. They then started with blue tempera paint and painted the middle section of the paper horizontally. They then added white to create a tint for the lower third of the paper. They added black to the blue tempera paint to create a darker shade for the top third. They then pulled off the tape to reveal the white. They added small details in blue to the birch trees to show texture.

Kindergarten Fall Leaves and Apples

Kindergarten experimented with color mixing with shaving cream and food coloring. We added fall colored food coloring to shaving cream and stirred it in a swirling pattern. The students took turns adding their white construction paper on top of the shaving cream, transferring the color to paper, and then wiped away the shaving cream with paper towel. This left a marbling effect on the paper. The students then practiced tracing and cutting skills by tracing leaves on the paper and cutting them out. In another lesson, they practiced using watercolors and paintbrushes appropriately by painting apples. Their leaves and apples were added to the Kinder bulletin board in a fall display.

Trees in Moonlight: Fourth Grade

Fourth Grade students practiced creating tints and shades by adding white or black to blue tempera paint. Starting with the tint, they painted a full moon on construction paper. They then used the blue hue to paint a ring around it. They then used the shade to paint the rest of the paper in a circular shape. In the pictures, they outside looks more black than it really is. After painting, they cut out a tree on black paper and glued it to their moon background to create positive and negative space.