PROJECT BOOK 2011-12
FIRST GRADE
19th Century European Art
Class 1: Elements of Art and Still Life
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Still Life with Apples and Jug by Cezanne, Irises by Van Gogh
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have student draw a vase of Irises. As an alternative, the student
can create and draw their own still life. A whte vase with imitation purple irises is available from
the Learning to Look closet. Additionally boxes with other still life materials are also available in
the closet. Please keep still life materials in their original boxes.
SUPPLIES: Still life materials and various drawing materials.
Class 2: Portrait
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Don Manuel by Goya
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Using the painted Don Manuel backdrop with cut-outs available in
the Learning to Look closet,, have a child stand behind the backdrop with his head through the
designated head hole and arm through the designated arm hole. Arrange the birdcage and toys
in front of the backdrop in a manner similar to that of the painting. One of the toy birds has an
attached string which the child can hold with his exposed arm. Photograph each child and use
the photos in the year-end Learning to Look books.
SUPPLIES: Painted Don Manuel backdrop with cut-outs for a child’s head and one arm,
birdcage with toy cats and birds, and camera.
ADDITIONAL PROJECT: While children take turns having their photo taken, circulate the
texture box available in the Learning to Look closet and have children draw a fabric and
describe it using one or two words. Have them try to find these textures recreated in paint in the
artwork.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Madame Charpentier and her Children by Renoir
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have each child draw or paint a family portrait. Have them include
objects in their scene that would provide ‘clues’ about various family members.
SUPPLIES: Drawing or painting materials
Class 3: Narrative
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Death of Socrates by David
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Reenact the scene in the painting using the designated box of
materials. Have about half of the class pose at a time, using very dramatic expressions and
body poses. Use photos in the year-end Learning to Look book.
PROJECT BOOK 2011-12
SUPPLIES: A Box of costume supplies and props is available in the Learning to Look closet.
Contents of the box include sheets with a painted backdrop and cutouts for the faces of two
children, squares of cloth that can be draped around the children and sections of burlap that can
be used as belts to re-create the tunics worn in the painting, a goblet, and a length of chain that
can be used as the shackle. A camera is also needed.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Horse Fair by Bonheur
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the children color and then cut out the available horse
stencils. Then have each child arrange and glue their stencils onto a sheet of paper so that the
horses are in dramatic / active poses. An alternative group project would be to roll out a length
of builder’s paper and have the children glue their stencils onto the paper so that the horses are
running in line. The large piece of builder’s paper with attached horses can be photographed for
the Learning to Look books.
NOTE: If you choose to use the builder’s paper, have your teacher’s permission ahead of time
to use the hallway.
SUPPLIES: Coloring supplies and scissors for cutting out the horse stencils. Glue sticks for
attaching the horse pieces. White paper or a large roll of brown builder’s paper is available in
the Learning to Look closet. A camera if needed.
Class 4: Landscape
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Salisbury Cathedral by Turner, The Grand Canal by Constable
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Give students a piece of paper with diagonal lines converging to a
vanishing point. Give them stickers or cut-outs of big, little, and medium-sized objects and have
them place them in the background, foreground, and middle-ground
SUPPLIES: Stickers or cut-outs, or clip art, paper with pre-drawn vanishing point.
and scissors for items that haven’t been cut-out ahead of time.
Glue sticks
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Salisbury Cathedral by Turner, The Grand Canal by Constable
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the students work in groups of 4 and choose a setting for their
landscape (or seascape), this will determine what color the background is. Have the children
tear or cut-out objects for their scene and glue them into the picture. Consider pre-tearing some
of the construction paper before hand to make it easier for the children to create their ‘tear’
landscapes.
SUPPLIES: Construction paper in the Learning to Look closet, glue sticks, and scissors.
OTHER:
These projects relate to works no longer included in the curriculum. We left them in
because they may give you ideas that you can incorporate into a project for the works listed
above.
PROJECT BOOK 2011-12
(Sculpture):
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: 14-Year old dancer by Degas and Adam by Rodin
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Give each student some clay, as well as toothpicks and craft sticks
for shaping the clay. Have the students form either a face or a body from the clay. Photograph
the sculpture for their Learning to Look books.
SUPPLIES: Modeling clay, toothpicks, craft sticks, and a camera.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Fourteen year old dancer by Degas and Adam by Rodin
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Divide the children into groups of two. Have one child pose as the
ballerina while the second child acts as the ‘sculptor’ and adjusts the position of his partner to
mimic the Fourteen-Year-Old-Dancer as accurately as possible. The ‘sculptor’ should walk
around his partner, noticing how different the ‘sculpture’ looks from a variety of angles. Partners
should swap roles so that each child has a chance to be both ‘sculptor’ and ‘ballerina’.
Photograph the students for their Learning to Look books.
SUPPLIES: A camera.
NOTE: THE FOLLOWING PROJECT IS ONLY MEANT FOR USE WHEN THE ELEMENTS OF
ART ARE TAUGHT AS A SEPARATE CLASS AND NOT COMBINED WITH A DISCUSSION
OF THE ARTWORK
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: At the first class, students can make name tags for themselves
representing the elements of art. Students can draw or glue on various items for students to
glue onto their nametags (such as pieces of construction paper for color, stick-on shapes for
shape, fabric pieces for texture, etc.)
SUPPLIES: Folded paper for the name tag, misc. items available in the Learning to Look closet
that can represent the elements of art. I
SECOND GRADE
Impressionist & Post-Impressionist Art
Class 1: Portrait
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Monet Family in their Garden by Manet
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Using the items in the texture box, students love the opportunity to
match up materials in the bag to items in the paintings. Use the items in the texture box to
discuss the artists’ attempt to reproduce texture.
SUPPLIES: There is a texture box in the Learning to Look closet. You’ll need to check in
advance to see what items correspond to the textures in the paintings and may have to
supplement.
PROJECT BOOK 2011-12
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Monet Family in their Garden by Manet
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the children fold paper in half and draw a picture of a flower
(or other object) on one side of the page with details using colored pencils and on the other side
of the page with less details using cray-pas. Use the two drawings to illustrate the difference
between realism and impressionism
SUPPLIES: Paper, cray-pas, and colored pencils are all available in the Learning to Look
closet.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Margot in the Spring by Mary Cassatt
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have students wear a favorite hat. Either divide the students into
groups of two with each student drawing their friend wearing a hat, or have each student look in
a mirror and draw themselves wearing a hat.
SUPPLIES: Various drawing materials. Also, arrange in advance for each student to bring to
class a favorite hat. Have extra hats for children who forgot to bring one in. (For children not
using their own hat, use large coffee filters, available in the Learning to Look closet, to alleviate
any lice concerns.) Simple hats can also be made from construction paper.
Class 2: Landscape
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Boulevard Montmarte on a Winter Morning by Pissarro OR
Study for a Sunday Afternoon on La Grande Jatte by Seurat (Class 4)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Give each child one section of the black & white copy of A Sunday
Afternoon on La Grande Jatte by Seurat. (If this is a larger class, two children may need to
work together on a single section). Have the child ‘color’ the section with a marker making dots.
Encourage the children to use more than one marker to create colors, such as making purple by
first using red dots and then using blue dots. Attach all the pieces together to create the original
look of the painting. Ask the teacher in advance if the assembled project can be displayed.
SUPPLIES: Complete sets of the black & white version of the painting Sunday Afternoon on La
Grande Jatte are assembled into packets and available in the Learning to Look closet.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Boulevard Montmarte on a Winter Morning by Pissarro
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Give each child a piece of paper and a pencil. Have them fold the
paper in thirds the way they would to fit a business letter into an envelope. These thirds
become the foreground, middle ground, and background of their picture. Then instruct them to
draw two lines starting far apart at the bottom of the paper and gradually coming closer together
until they meet somewhere along the top fold of the paper. Show them that this creates a road
that disappears in the distance the way PIssaro’s does. Have the children add objects (houses,
trees, etc. that begin larger and more distinct at the bottom of the page and gradually get
smaller and less detailed as they reach the background.
PROJECT BOOK 2011-12
SUPPLIES: Cut paper to size to fit into project books before having children fold the sheets.
(White paper is available in the LTL closet.) Use pencils from the classroom.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Poplars by Monet
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the children look out the window and draw or paint a tree in
the present season and then draw or paint how they might imagine it would look in a different
season. They could also draw themselves in a winter and then a summer scene
SUPPLIES: Various drawing supplies
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Poplars by Monet
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Set up two tableaus or still lifes, each made up of 3 or 4 simple,
identical objects (e.g. two blue cups, two red books, etc.). Place one tableau inside a dark box
and place the second tableau on a table with a lamp shining on it. For a sunny day, darkening
the room will help heighten the effect. Have the children color each tableau side-by-side on a
page noticing how the light or darkness changes the perceived color of the objects. Encourage
the children to blend colors to make items appear lighter or darker.
SUPPLIES: Tableau items, a box just large enough to contain one tableau, a portable desk
lamp, crayons or cray-pas, paper that has been pre-folded in half.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Poplars by Monet
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the children draw a picture of themselves engaging in a water
activity. This could be enjoying the beach, swimming in a pool, having fun in the bathtub, etc.
SUPPLIES: Various drawing supplies.
Class 3: Narrative
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Dance Class by Degas, First Steps by Van Gogh
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the students draw themselves doing something they love.
Have them include the surroundings as well.
SUPPLIES: Various drawing supplies.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: First Steps by Van Gogh
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Copy and bring black and white versions of First Steps to class
(similar to Millet’s wood carving of the same subject). Have the children color in the drawing in
any manner that they choose.
SUPPLIES: Various coloring supplies.
PROJECT BOOK 2011-12
Class 4: Landscape and Still Life
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Vase of Roses by Van Gogh
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Set up a still life and have the students draw or paint it. A box of
materials for a flower-based still life is in the Learning to Look closet.
SUPPLIES: Various drawing supplies or watercolor paints and brushes.
OTHER: This project relates to a work no longer included in the curriculum. We left it in
because it may give you ideas that you can incorporate into a project for the works listed
above.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Terrace at Sainte-Andresse by Monet
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Project an image of the poster onto a white board and have the
students come up to it and draw a shape that they see on top of the image.
SUPPLIES: Projector, white board, dry-erase markers.
THIRD GRADE
American Art
Class 1: Narrative
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Snap the Whip by Homer
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Bring the children outside and photograph them playing snap-thewhip.
SUPPLIES: Camera.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: George Washington Crossing the Delaware by Leutze
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Divide the students into two groups, and in turn, have the children
take on the poses of the men in the painting. (Note that picking names out of a hat for who gets
to be George Washington is always a good idea!) Photograph the students and use the
photograph for their Learning to Look books.
SUPPLIES: A designated box of props is available in the Learning to Look closet. Large coffee
filters are also available in the Learning to Look closet for the children to wear under the hats
(lice protection).
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: George Washington Crossing the Delaware by Leutze
PROJECT BOOK 2011-12
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Children can a write letters home or journal entries as if they were
participating in the crossing. Dip the entries into tea to ‘age them.
SUPPLIES: Writing supplies and a container of cold tea.
Class 2: Portrait
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Muse by Morse, Madame X by Sarent
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the children pair-up and draw each other in profile.
SUPPLIES: Various drawing materials.
Class 3: Portrait
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: George Washington by Peale, George Washington by Stuart
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Show the children how the copy of George Washington’s portrait by
Stuart is found on the Dollar bill. Use copies of the Dollar bill template available in the Learning
to Look closet, have the children fill in the center with their own portrait of Washington.
SUPPLIES: Pencils, Copies of Dollar bill template in Learning to Look closet.
Class 4: Landscape and Still Life
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Rocky Mountains by Bierstadt
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the children write a postcard to describe the landscape setting
as if they were in the middle of one of those landscapes. Have them describe it for someone
who has never been there before including all the sensations.
SUPPLIES: Paper printed to resemble a postcard back is available in the Learning to Look
closet. Various writing supplies.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Rocky Mountains by Bierstadt (This project is also listed under
second grade.)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Give each child a piece of paper and a pencil. Have them fold the
paper in thirds the way they would to fit a business letter into an envelope. These thirds
become the foreground, middle ground, and background of their picture. Then instruct them to
draw two lines starting far apart at the bottom of the paper and gradually coming closer together
until they meet somewhere along the top fold of the paper Have the children add objects
(houses, trees, etc. that begin larger and more distinct at the bottom of the page and gradually
get smaller and less detailed as they reach the background.
SUPPLIES: Cut paper to size to fit into project books before having children fold the sheets.
(White paper is available in the LTL closet.) Use pencils from the classroom.
PROJECT BOOK 2011-12
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Violin and Music by Harnett
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: A box of items that includes a violin and other items related to the
painting is available in the Learning to Look closet. Set up the items on a table and have the
children draw their own version of the painting.
This project can be combined with the one below – i.e. both still lifes can be set up and the
children can decide which one to draw.
SUPPLIES: Various drawing materials, box of related props.
OTHER:
These projects relate to works no longer included in the curriculum. We left them in
because they may give you ideas that you can incorporate into a project for the works listed
above.
[Still Life]
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Still Life with Balsam Apple by Peale
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Children can draw a still life similar to the Peale painting with fruits
and vegetables or have them set up some personal items on their desk and draw them. A box
with food-related still life props is available in the Learning to Look closet.
This project can be combined with the one above – i.e. both still lifes can be set up and the
children can decide which one to draw.
SUPPLIES: Various drawing materials, box of related props.
[Sculpture]
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Bronco Buster and The Mountain Man by Remington
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Using modeling clay, have the students create an animal or figure
of their choice. Photograph the sculptures for the Learning to Look book.
SUPPLIES: Modeling clay and camera.
FOURTH GRADE
Old Masters Painting and Sculpture
Class 1: Landscape
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Harvesters by Bruegel the Elder
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Pick one person in the scene and write a short description of the
person.
PROJECT BOOK 2011-12
SUPPLIES: Lined paper and writing supplies.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: View of Toledo by El Greco
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Identify a location well known to all of the children (such as the
school playground). Have the children draw the location from their memory, but purposefully
change the location of key elements.
SUPPLIES: Various drawing materials
Class 2: Narrative
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Fortune Teller and The Penitent Magdalene by De La Tour
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The students can write a first person brief story from the
Magdalene’s perspective or write about the ‘scene of the crime’ for the Fortune Teller. If there is
time, have the students share their writing.
SUPPLIES: Lined paper and writing supplies.
Class 3: Figure Painting
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Young Woman with a Water Jug by Vermeer
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have students recreate the painting using pre-cut shapes (i.e. large
triangle for dress, small triangle for head, various shaped rectangles for window, map, table,
candle, dish, etc.)
SUPPLIES: Pre-cut construction paper shapes and glue sticks.
Class 4: Portrait and Still Life
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Aristotle with Bust of Homer by Rembrandt
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the children look into mirrors and draw their self portraits.
SUPPLIES: Drawing materials and hand mirrors that are located in the Learning to Look closet.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Aristotle with Bust of Homer by Rembrandt
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Collage a costume onto a pre-printed body shape to highlight the
use of costumes and fabric textures.
SUPPLIES: Pre-printed body shapes and fabric scraps (found in Learning to Look closet)
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Aristotle with Bust of Homer by Rembrandt
PROJECT BOOK 2011-12
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have students draw a present day self portrait and then a second
portrait next to the first of what they might look like in the future.
SUPPLIES: Pre-folded paper and drawing supplies.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Basket of Flowers by Brueghel the Younger
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Create a floral or banquet still life and have the children draw it.
SUPPLIES: Various drawing materials and still life props. There are two separate boxes of still
life props in the Learning to Look closet, one with flower related props and one with food related
props. Please do not mix items together.
OTHER [Sculpture]: This project relates to a work no longer included in the curriculum.
We left it in because it may give you an idea that you can incorporate into a project for the
works listed above.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Bacchanal: A Faun Teased by Children by Bernini
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Using modeling clay, have the students draw a figure sculpture.
Photograph the sculptures for the Learning to Look book.
SUPPLIES: Modeling clay and camera.
FIFTH GRADE
Modern Art
Class 1: Introduction
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Sleeping Gypsy by Rousseau
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The children can write a short story about what is about to happen
with the lion and the woman in the desert.
SUPPLIES: Lined paper and writing supplies.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Sleeping Gypsy by Rousseau, I and the Village by Chagall
(Class 2)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the students create a scene from one of their dreams or from
their imagination. They can include a far-away place that they have never seen.
SUPPLIES: Colored pencils and other drawing supplies.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Picasso
PROJECT BOOK 2011-12
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Make masks from paper plates (available in the Learning to Look
closet). The children can draw the faces in a manner similar to the manner in which Picasso
painted the faces in the paintings. Take individual and group photos for the Learning to Look
books.
SUPPLIES: Paper plates, coloring supplies, scissors, and a camera.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Picasso
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Cut up various body parts from magazines and bring them to class.
Let the children sort through these and glue them onto paper to create their own ’cubist’
rendering of a person.
SUPPLIES: Cut body parts from magazines (about 10 – 12 items per child), paper and gluesticks
Class 2: Surrealist Vision
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: I and the Village by Chagall
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the students draw a picture of a favorite location. Have them
change the colors of common objects into something more unusual (such as a purple house or
a red tree). Have them think about the way that they are placing complimentary colors next to
each other.
SUPPLIES: Colored pencils, crayons and other drawing supplies.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: I and the Village by Chagall, The Hunter, by Miro, The Persistence of
Memory by Dali
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the children draw a ‘portrait’ (or even a ‘self-portrait’) by
drawing various symbols of that person about a piece of paper. For example, a drawing of their
friend could depict a soccer ball, a piano, and a blue house about the page.
SUPPLIES: Paper and drawing materials..
Class 3: Abstract Art
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Broadway Boogie Woogie by Mondrian
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Cut up in advance red, blue, yellow, paper rectangles of varying
sizes. Have the children use the materials to create their own Modrian-like collages.
SUPPLIES: White paper, pre-cut construction paper, glue-sticks.
PROJECT BOOK 2011-12
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Jackson Pollock paintings
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the children do their own drip paintings. SETUP: Lay plastic
garbage bags or brown painters paper on the hallway floor for the children to work on. Mix
tempera paint with water (2 tablespoons paint to 1 teaspoon water), mix until it is ‘just dripable’
and put into plastic cups for the kids to use. Each child will receive one cup with one color of
paint. Use 4 different colors of paint so that for every group of 4 students, each student will
receive a different color of paint. Cut each piece of poster board in half. Lay out poster board
halves on plastic, one-half piece of poster board for every 4 students. PROJECT: Divide the
class into groups of 4 children and direct each group to their own piece of poster board. Give
students in each group a cup with a different color of paint and a popsicle stick and/or plastic
spoon for dripping the paint. Have the kids spend about 5 - 10 minutes dripping paint as a
group onto their poster board. Take photos of the kids working. Leave the artworks to dry.
They can be cut later into pieces for the project books.
NOTE: Secure teacher’s permission ahead of time to use the hallway for this project.
SUPPLIES: Poster board, tempera paint, popsicle sticks, plastic spoons, and plastic garbage
bags/painters paper will be in the Learning to Look closet. Bring a camera to take photos.
Class 4: Matisse and Modern Sculpture
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Lobster Trap and Fish Tail by Calder
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the children design their own mobiles. First they can create
odd-shaped cut-outs from construction paper. Then help the students punch holes through their
cut-outs for hanging. They can select pipe-cleaners for each cut-out and cut the pipe-cleaners
to varying lengths. One end of each pipe-cleaner should be threaded and twisted tight around
the hold of a cut-out. The other end of each pipe-cleaner should be wrapped around and
suspended from a wooden dowel. Once all cut-outs are dangling from the dowel, help the
children to tie a length of string around the dowel for hanging the mobile. Point out to the
children how hard it is for the artist to balance the items on the mobile so that it doesn’t tip over
when it hangs! (Hole punches, wooden dowels, string and pipe-cleaners are available in the
Learning to Look closet in a box of materials for this project). Take photos for the Learning to
Look books.
SUPPLIES: Wooden dowels, pipe-cleaners, hole-punches, construction paper, scissors, and a
camera.
OTHER: These projects relate to works no longer included in the curriculum. We left them
in because they may give you ideas that you can incorporate into a project for the works
listed above.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Morning Glory with Black by O’Keefe
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the children draw and extremely close-up detail of a flower or
do a grab-bag of other natural objects (eg. pinecones, seashells, leaves, etc.) from which the
PROJECT BOOK 2011-12
children can choose an object to draw close-up. Have them focus on the lines and shapes of
the object’s detail.
SUPPLIES: Paper and colored pencils.
[Landscape]
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: Starry Night by Van Gogh
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the students create a collage of the scene. Use sheets of
black or dark-blue construction paper as the background. The children can use additional
construction paper to cut out buildings and trees and glue them onto the background. The sky
with swirls can be filled in with cray-pas
SUPPLIES: Construction paper and cray-pas from the Learning to Look closet, scissors, and
glue-sticks.
[Interior landscape]
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Red Studio
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the children draw a favorite room from their house. Have
them change the color and location of various objects and insert a new object if they wish.
SUPPLIES: Various coloring materials.
ARTWORK DISCUSSED: The Red Studio
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have the children select a piece of construction paper in red or the
color of their choice. Have them draw a scene, outlining some objects and fully coloring others.
SUPPLIES: Construction paper and colored pencils.