Unit 1: Kindergarten
Day 1
Art All Around Me (Line and Shape)
Objective: In this unit will students will learn about lines and shapes
and use them in their artworks.
Resources: “Art Everywhere: K”, Harcourt Publishers, Art Print 1:
“Watermelons” by Rufino Tamayo, Song: “Action Song”
Start with an Action Song
We will learn the song about farmers to the tune of “Here We Go
‘Round the Mulberry Bush.” They will sing and act it out once or twice.
First the farmers plow the ground,
[Teacher guides plow down rows]
Plow the ground, plow the ground.
First the farmers plow the ground,
Then they plant the seeds.
This is the way they plant the seeds…..
[Teacher plants seeds.]
So that they will grow.
[Children crouch as seeds.]
The rain and shine will help them grow…….
[Children begin to rise.]
Right up through the ground.
Now the farmer picks the fruit……
And we have fruit to eat.
[Teacher begins to “pick” children.]
Ask: “What does this action song tell about?”
STEP INTO THE ART
Art Print 1: “Watermelons” Ask: “What do you see?” Encourage them
to name of the fruits in the painting. Share some fruit with the
children. Explain that artist observe things around them to make art.
Ask: “Why do you think the artist painted these fruits?”
Reading Skill: Same and Different
Objective: Students will be able to identify same and different in an
artwork.
Resources: Art Print 2:”Two Sisters (On the Terrace)”
Auguste Renoir.
by Pierre-
DISCUSS THE SKILL
Access Prior Knowledge Explore the concepts of same and different
by having children play a modified game of “Simon Says”. As they
respond, point out that everyone is doing the same thing. Now tell
them that you will touch your knees but they are to do something
different.
APPLY TO ART
Note Same and Different Display Art Print 2, read aloud title and
artist. Ask: “What did the artist paint in his painting?” Tell them
Renoir is known for his painting of people. Model on telling how the
“two sisters” are alike, or the same. Both girls have brown hair. That
is the same. Ask: “Who can tell me something else that is the same
about the two girls?” The Ask: “How are the two sisters different?”
APPLY THE CONCEPT
Describe Same and Different Play a game where pairs of students
come up and the others try to figure out what is the same about them.
It could be the same color shirt, same color hair, etc.
Day 2:
Lesson 1: Lines All Around
Objective: Students will identify lines in the environment. Students will create an
artwork using different kinds of lines.
Resources: Art Print 2: “Two Sisters (On the Terrace) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Vocabulary: lines
Materials: 8x11 #50 drawing paper, crayons (teacher: glue sticks, 9x12 black
construction paper)
Teach: Display Art Print 2. Read the title and Artist. Explain that there are many
kinds of lines in the painting. Have volunteers come and trace over the lines they
find. Tell students that lines are everywhere and to find line in the room.
ThinkCritically
1. Look at the sisters’ hats. How are they the same? How are they
different?
2. What lines can you find in the classroom that are like the lines in the
painting?
Artist’s Workshop: My Outside Drawing
Plan: Have students brainstorm things they play on, on the playground. Have them
think about the lines on the equipment.
Create: Students will use lines to make a picture of themselves doing something
outside. Model for the students how lines can be thick and thin. Students will use
crayons to color in their drawing. (Teacher will frame their picture later)
Reflect: Ask: “How did looking at “Two Sisters and doing your picture of your
outside drawing help you learn about lines?” “Tell about the different lines you
used. How did using different kinds of lines help you make your picture?”
Day 3:
Lesson 2: All Kinds of Lines
Objective: Students will identify types of lines.
Resources: Art Print 1: “Watermelons” by Rufino Tamayo, Book: “Harold and the
Purple Crayon” by Crockett Johnson
Vocabulary: straight, curved, zig zag
Warm-Up: Play a Movement Game- The students will play a stop and go game
where they will bend their arms and legs until you say “freeze”. Once they stop
moving, point out different lines their bodies make.
Teach: Display Art Print 1. Read aloud the title. Have students name the fruit
they see. Tell students that the artist lived in Mexico. Model how to identify lines
in the painting as straight curved, short or long. Draw straight, curved and zig zag
on the board and have the students identify them.
ThinkCritically
1. Where in the painting do you see lines that are the same? How are the
fruits different?
2. Do you think that the artist made the fruits look good? Tell why.
Read: “Harold and the Purple Crayon”
Ask questing about the different lines the artist used in his book.
Day 4:
Artist’s Workshop: Finger Painting
Objective: Students will create an artwork using a variety of lines.
Materials: finger-paint paper, finger paints, newspaper, washcloths (for clean-up)
Plan: Have the students think about the different kinds of lines they have learned
about.
Create: Place a spoonful of finger paint on the glossy side of the paper and have
the students spread it over the paper. Encourage the students to experiment in
making the different kinds of lines with their hands and fingers. Model how to
make different widths by using different numbers of fingers. As they paint have
students use lines to show their feelings.
Reflect: “How do the lines in your artwork show feelings? What feelings do they
show?” Look at a classmate’s finger painting. “What part do you like best? Why?”
Clean-Up: Place all work on the drying rack. Pass out wet wash cloths to wash
hands.
Day 5:
Lesson 3: Lines Make Shapes
Objective: Students will identify shapes in art and in their environment.
Resources: Art Transparency 1: “Untitled” by Romare Breaden, Book: “My World:
Shapes” by Dr. Alvin Granowsky
Vocabulary: shape, triangle, rectangle, square, circle, oval
Warm-Up: Make Body Shapes- Provide small groups of students with a
different cutout shape: square, triangle, circle, rectangle, and oval. Groups take
turns using their bodies to make the shape.
Teach: Display Art Transparency 1. Ask students what the picture shows. Tell
them the artist is Romare Breaden. Ask a volunteer to trace around the door.
Tell them that the shape is a rectangle. Have them air draw a rectangle. Do the
same with a circle and a triangle. Draw and oval and repeat the process. Have
volunteers find shapes in the artwork.
ThinkCritically
1. How are the people in the artwork the same? How are they different?
2. How did the artist use shapes in his art?
3. WRITE: Have children imagine being in the picture and complete the
following sentence.
I can hear __________________________.
Read: “My World:Shapes”
Ask questions about the different shapes in the book.
Day 6:
Artist’s Workshop: Shape Collage
Objective: Students will create an artwork using various shapes.
Materials: 9x12 manila paper, construction paper shapes, glue tubs, wet
washcloths (for clean-up)
Plan: Have students name you the different shapes. Tell students that they will
be creating a collage by gluing the shapes down to their paper. Have them think
about pictures they could make using the shapes.
Create: Place a box of shapes at each table. Show students how to use the glue
tubs. Students will glue the shapes to their paper to make a picture.
Reflect: How are the shapes in your artwork the same as the shapes in Romare
Brearden’s artwork? How are they different?
What do you like best about your artwork? Why?
Clean-Up: Place all work on the drying rack. Pass out wet wash cloths to wash
hands.
Day 7:
Lesson 4: Shapes of Living Things
Objective: Students will recognize free-form shapes.
Resources: Art Print 2: “Two Sisters (On the Terrace) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir,
Book: “Shape of Me and Other Stuff” by Dr. Seuss
Vocabulary: portrait
Warm-Up: Sing and Action Song- Sing “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” with
children pointing to each body part as it is mentioned in the song. Repeat.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
And eyes, and ears, and mouth, and nose,
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Teach: Display Art Print 2. Ask students what living thing they see. Explain that
people and plants can have shapes that are different than circles, squares, and
triangles. Ask what the painting shows. Tell the students that a picture of one or
more people is called a portrait.
ThinkCritically
1. Look at the living things in the Art Print. How are their shapes like
circles, rectangles and triangles? How are the shapes different from
rectangles and triangles?
2. How do you think the artist felt about this painting? Why?
Read: “Shape of Me and Other Stuff”
Day 8:
Artist’s Workshop: A Portrait of Me
Objective: Students will create a self-portrait.
Materials: 9x12 #50 drawing paper, pencils, crayons, unbreakable mirrors
Plan: Tell students that they will draw a portrait of themselves. Students will look
in a mirror to study their face before drawing.
Create: Students will look in a mirror and sketch their whole face in pencil,
pressing softly to make light lines. They will draw their faces large to fill in the
whole paper. Students will color over their sketches with crayon.
Reflect: How are the shapes in your portrait like the shapes in Two Sisters ?
What do you like about your portrait? What would you change? Why?