Heather Michelle Graham – 3rd Grade Art Class
Lesson Title: “The Color of Me”
Central focus: To teach students that colors are more than just a visual concept but an
emotional concept as well by presenting information about what color and design does to the
mind and allowing students to paint a self portrait using whatever colors they would like
according to how they feel about those colors rather than the colors they see.
Essential Standards/Common Core Objectives:
3.V.1.2 Understand that artists use their art to express personal ideas
3.V.2.2 Use personal point of view and experiences as sources for creating art
3.CX.1.1 Exemplify how visual arts are used by various groups for artistic expression within the
local community.
3.CR.1.2 Evaluate the compositional and expressive qualities of personal works of art
3.TT.1.1 Use a variety of technology tools to gather data and information (e.g., Web-based
resources, e-books, online communication tools, etc.)
Visual Arts Concept: The art we are making today is about expressing everything you can in the
form of an image. This does not have to be a realistic expression but it can be an expession of
emotions through the use of colors of paint. In order to express this, the students are painting
self portraits that use colors of expressions rather than realistic colors seen.
Daily lesson objective: To step out of the mindset of visual perfection and to step into the
mindset of expressionism in identification of oneself.
21st Century Skills: Have the children begin their assignment by researching the psychological
effects of color using a search engine on the computer. This may be done as a class by students
suggesting a color and the teacher searching its effects and projecting it on a smartboard or
computer projector.
Academic Language: Teach children about Expressionism - a manner of creating art in
which forms are distorted or exaggerated and colors are intensified for emotive or expressive
purposes. Suggest that they define how to express themselves in their own way at the beginning
of class. Also define monochromatic – a color scheme that uses only one color, yet many
variations of tones and values to imply lines and shapes. Explain how this color scheme concept
could benefit the intensity of the effect an image can have on emotion. The students will use
this new vocabulary throughout the class by learning the ability to recognize different color
schemes and painting styles when studying art history and learning about how the artistic world
works and can be manipulated.
Product and Psychomotor skills: Give students a minimal amount of time for this project. (Only
one or two class periods- about 45 minutes of work time) The less time you give them the more
they will have to create off of their immediate feelings and there will be less thought process on
color schemes.
Links to Prior Knowledge: Refer to previous lessons where the students may have been required
to draw or paint what they see. Compare the changes in that literal translation of art to what
they are creating now.
Focus and Review: Spend time after kids have completed their projects having them talk to the
the class about why they chose the colors they chose. If there is time have them write a 4 to 5
sentence paragraph about their self portrait.
Statement of Objective for Learner: Go over other artists who have displayed emotions using
color even if it meant making images that seemed unnatural. (e.g., Picasso, Van Gogh, etc.)
Teacher Input: Most of input given should be examples of work and meanings of color. Provide
the students with exotic colors so that they have little to no temptation to use realstic ones.
Guided Practice: Be certain that the class fully grasps the concept of visual expression and is not
just making their face purple because their favorite color is purple. Do this by asking why they
are chosing their colors and if they seem off remind them of the examples given on the
computer at the beginning of class.
Independant Practice: Require that the kids show some form of knowing why they chose the
colors they chose in either sharing with the class or writing a paragraph about it. This will help to
insure that the students understand the concept.
Cleanup and closure: Have the students place their paintings on a drying rack as they finish
sharing them by standing up for the class (if time is given) or by table if there is no time to share
(in which case they will have written paragraphs about their work). The teacher will collect
paragraphs that have been written by table if necessary. Have the students put used paint
brushes in a tray that the teacher will wash after class.
Assessment Methods of all objective/skills: Be certain that students fully grasp the concept. Do
this by asking questions that may be unanswered within their presentation. These questions
should include: How do the colors that you used here make you feel? Was this your intention
when you began this painting? Do you feel that your piece is successful? Make sure that each
student shares with vocal or written presentation at some point in the class.
Directed Questions for Discussion: Why did you choose the color(s) you chose? What other
colors do you think would have portrayed the same emotion? Do you feel that you
accomplished portraying that emotion? Did you do anything aside from altering the colors to
give your self portrait the feeling you intended?
Modifications to Support Varied Learning Needs: Help students that do not understand by
making a teacher example and explain the emotion within it. If students struggle because they
feel that their work is not sufficient show them examples of famous artwork tht does not look
realistic at all but still made an impact on the artistic world because of its artistic value.
Materials/Technology/References: Various colors of paint (not natural colors), paint brushes,
water, paper, newspaper to avoid mess, computer, examples from other artisits, information
about psychological effects of color
Reflection on Lesson: