November 5th Art in Action Highlights
This week the 4th and 5th Graders received instruction on the following elements
and principles of art:

Line: the path of a point moving through space.

Color: Colors all come from the three primaries and black and white. They have three
properties – hue, value, and intensity.

Shape: Shape implies spatial form and is usually perceived as two-dimensional. Form has
depth, length, and width and resides in space. It is perceived as three-dimensional

Range of Value: Value refers to relative lightness and darkness and is perceived in terms of
varying levels of contrast.

Movement: Rhythm or movement refers to the suggestion of motion through the use of
various elements
Laurie Shepherd (Miller, Bodwell, McLellan, Miller)
Mrs. Shepherd taught the 4th and 5th graders a lesson on range of value in a setting using a
watercolor wash. The lesson target was on how the use of a range of values can suggest time, place
and mood. The setting focused on the Seattle skyline using different types of lines to fill the building
skyline. Mrs. Shepherd emphasized ART IS EVERYWHERE…even in her socks. Mrs. Shepherd got the
idea of the Seattle skyline from the cool basketball socks that are so popular!
Trese Rand (Sorensen, Karaica, Miller, Young)
Trese taught a lesson on movement and mood in a setting using pastels. The lesson target was on
how to use different colors, patterns and lines to demonstrate mood in a picture. Trese spoke to the
students about the storm that occurred over the weekend and asked the students to picture what they
thought the trees looked like during the storm. This discussion was the basis of the students creating
their tree setting.
Kara Popp (Karaica, Miller, Young, Beck)
Mrs. Popp taught a lesson on using color, shapes and lines to describe the fall season.
The students
expressed their choices through a collection of seasonal pictures. Mrs. Popp talked to the students
about the various colors, sizes and sights that are seen during the fall season. The students made
choices about placement, size and shape of each item and how these items could be
displayed. Through their art, they learned they could individually convey what the fall season means
to them. Each student chose 4 items that best represented this time of year. They matched colors and
shapes and began their piece. Each student was given a paper that they divided into 4 sections. Each
section was a different size with a different seasonal item within it. They colored these items and then
chose backgrounds that would offset their original item so it would make their item pop off the page.
Karen Nieman on behalf of Kaila Russell (Sorensen, Bodwell, Beck, McLellan)
Mrs. Nieman taught a lesson on using color and shapes to demonstrate emotion and movement
through expressive collage. We discussed how different colors and shapes can demonstrate different
emotions and movement in art. We looked at some examples of collage artwork by Henri Matisse
which showed various colors and shapes and discussed the varying emotions that the students felt the
art conveyed. We talked about Henri Matisse, a famous French artist and how he is well known for his
paper cuts, carving in colored paper, scissoring out shapes, and collaging them into pictures. Matisse
understood how colors and shapes could come to life when set in context. His artwork won him
recognition as a leading figure in modern art. Each student was asked to focus on an emotion they
were feeling to create their artwork for this lesson. The students then chose 3 to 4 different colors of
paper and cut out shapes to demonstrate their emotion in their creation.
Art At Home
Shapes:
Have your child take a piece of paper and draw four squares, using a pencil. They can do this free
hand or with a ruler. Have your child fill each of their squares with geometric shapes. They can color
them in using primary colors or warm and cool colors.
You and your child can look at a different collages or paintings and consider the colors (palette) and
note the emotion inspired by the art.
Warm and Cool Colors:
Review the primary and secondary colors with your child. Talk about how these colors can also be
grouped in another way. Warm and cool.
Talk about things that make us feel warm and what colors they are. Like the sun is yellow and makes
us feel warm, fire has yellow, red and orange and also makes us feel warm. Do the same for the cool
colors (blues, greens and blue-violets).
Have your child draw a picture that makes them feel warm and cool using only the warm and cool
colors. Remind them that if they are going to use red, yellow and orange (warm colors) they must
draw something that is warm. The same with greens, blues and purple (cool colors).
Abstract drawings:
Observe an object and draw it 3 times: 1) a representational drawing, 2) a simplified drawing, and 3)
an exaggerated, abstract drawing. Compare your drawings of the same object. What did you
simplify? What parts did you exaggerate? How are your drawings the same, different?
Line:
Look at letters in the alphabet and talk about straight and curved lines that make a different
letter. You can use letters to make Art!