Sarah Leslie
Email: sm.leslie@mail.utoronto.ca
Visual Arts Lesson Plan
Title: All the water in the world
Grade: 2
Timing: 80- 90 minutes
Overview/Big Idea:
This is an introductory art lesson to allow the students to further explore their understanding of water
and air in the environment (a connection to their science unit). The students will be guided through
the story of All the water in the world by George Ella Lyon and Katherine Tillotson as they view the
artist’s interpretation of water, and begin to form their own interpretations. They will create their own
works of water in nature through using the textures and techniques employed in the children’s book.
Specific Curriculum Expectations:
Visual Arts
Creating and Presenting
D1.1 create two- and three-dimensional works of art that express feelings and ideas inspired by
activities in their community or observations of nature
Reflecting, Responding and Analyzing
D2.2 explain how elements and principles of design are used to communicate meaning or
understanding in their own and others’ art work
Exploring Forms and Cultural Connections
D3.1 identify and describe a variety of visual art forms they see in their home, at school, in their
community, and in visual arts experiences
Science
Understanding Basic Concepts
3.4 identify sources of water in the natural and built environment
Materials & Tools:
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Book: All the water in the world by: George Ella Lyon and Katherine Tillotson
Drawing paper (one per student)
Scrap booking papers (including various colours, lines and textures) – student created through
access to a variety of materials
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Acrylic Paint (Primary & Secondary Colours)
Acrylic Paper (One for each student for final copy)
Acrylic Paper (Quarter sections for students to create textured paper)
Forks
Sponges
Toothbrush
Straws
Household materials
Artists/Artworks:
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George Ella Lyon and Katherine Tillotson c. 2011
Water by Frank Asch
Quality Art Education (what qualities have you covered?)
√ using a variety of materials and images
√ integrating the creative and critical analysis processes
√ connecting to the lives of my students through a big idea
√ creating a safe environment for creativity and risk-taking
-------------------------------------------------------------------Is it also integrated with another discipline?
Integrated with Science Curriculum as noted earlier
Delivering the Lesson
Timing Grouping
W S
10 min
I
Warm-up/Minds On
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Activate prior knowledge: Have the students share with a partner
what they already know about water in the environment. Where do
they see water? How is the water used? Why is water important?
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Share answers as a whole class. What are some common themes and
elements of water?
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Create a mind map of the lists of words they used to describe water.
Are there any common themes? Ask the students what they notice
about the words they have listed. Are there any words we should
add?
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Action: (Step-by-Step)
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20 min
40 min
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45 – 60
min
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Read the story ‘All the water in the world’ by George Ella Lyon and
Katherine Tillotson and focus on the drawings which are made by
the professional arts. For each image, ask them to describe what they
see, identify common elements and how the elements are used to
convey meaning [For instance: how lines and shapes (design
elements) and emphasis of the water (design principles) are used].
What do you think the artist’s trying to show about water? Was there
a particular page you liked best and why?
The students will be provided to use the same techniques as the
illustrator to create their own scrap booking paper. Each desk will be
provided with a variety of textured objects to create their own paper
for their artwork. (Requires modeling: how to use the materials
appropriately and where the materials go after they have been used).
The paper will dry over night and continue the next stage of the
activity the following day.
Explain that they will be using the same techniques as the illustrator
to show what they think of water in our environment. (I also read
another book entitled Water by Frank Asch, to draw out additional
ideas of how water can be represented in the environment). They will
get the opportunity to use various scrap booking papers to form a
picture which were self created. Draw the students attention to the
mind map and discuss possible ways the students can show their
initial impressions of water through artwork
Ask the class to set aside their large drawings for display on a
bulletin board.
10 – 15
min
Consolidation:
 Have a gallery walk of all the artworks the class has made. Discuss
what it felt like to use a technique of another artist. What did you like
about using textured paper to show water? Are there any similarities
or differences?
 Have them complete a self-assessment as a ‘ticket-out-the door’:
Each student will give themselves “Two stars and a Wish”
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Students will also have the opportunity to express their artwork
through a reflective piece. This will be the opportunity for the
students to describe how they see water in the environment and why
they chose to represent water the way they did.
Assessment is based on Success Criteria develop as a class:
√ I used different colours and shapes which covers SPACE of the page
√ I integrated a VARIETY of textures to create MOVEMENT on the page
√ I REFLECTED and NAMED my artwork. Guiding sentence: Water is,
Water feels, When I think of water...
Reflection (what worked/didn’t work and what changes are needed for next time):
After reflecting on the entirety of my lesson, I believe it was successful; both for the teachers and
my development as a student professional. Having limited visual art experience throughout my
schooling career, I was initially nervous teaching the students about different forms of visual art
expressions. However, finding valuable literacy texts in the library proved to be an effective way
to activate the student’s prior knowledge of the Science Air and Water in the Environment unit.
The images in the two texts I used provided a way for the students to express their initial
impressions about water and different ways it can be represented in nature. Additionally, the
students were able to comment on the common elements the illustrators used and how they were
used to convey meaning. For instance, a discussion of movement and texture allowed for the
development of success criteria to develop for their final visual art project. As the visual arts
lesson continued, the students were excited to display their artwork in the hallway and received
praise from the students within the classroom as well as colleagues throughout the school. They
signed the artwork and provided a reflection which was individualized to how they see water in
the environment.
The lesson required three separate elements; talking about professional works of art in literacy
texts, creating the textured paper and creating their final works of art with included reflection.
The lesson in its entirety took a total of ninety minutes over the span of two days, and requires
careful planning and attention to the classroom schedule to ensure period blocks are dedicated to
the art project. The organized chaos in the room can becoming overwhelming to one classroom
teacher and I would suggest coordinating with volunteers to ensure clean-up runs smoothly.
The inclusion of student reflection is a key component of the grade two classroom which allowed
for the students to discuss elements and principles of their own artwork as well as
communicating next steps. However, I believe this was the most important step of the art project.
Therefore, as students completed their art work, I continued to meet with each student
individually. I would allow the student to discuss the elements of their work and formulate a plan
to write out what they wanted to say. This ensured each student was aware of their own artwork.
Display Board