2nd Grade Art with Mrs. Brown

2nd Grade Art Lessons

Tape Resist Birch Tree Painting

Students created fall New England landscapes using a masking tape resist technique. The kids rip the tape into lots of "trees and branches" and I have them stick the tape to their pantleg until their pantlegs are full. Then they start sticking ...the tape to their paper. I like to do that project on sturdy watercolor paper so that the tape does not rip the paper when we peel it off. Also, by sticking the tape to their pant legs it helps make it a little less sticky, and less likely to tear the paper. Also, when they paint make sure all their trees are "planted" in the ground and none floating in the sky! After the painting is done we are done for Day 1.

Day 2 involves peeling off the tape. We peel it off, then I demonstrate how to create a "birch tree texture" using horizontal marks with a crayon or colored pencil. Then we talk about what other things would be found in this environment. They add smaller branches, leaves, small animals... etc...

For Art vocabulary, we discuss background/middle ground/foreground. I always start talking about background because that term is the most familiar to them. Then I show them an example of the project and they try to point out trees in the "background". We talk about what makes a tree look like it is in the background... (being up high from the bottom of the paper). Then we move onto middle ground and foreground, and by that time they have a better understanding of their art vocabulary words.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
12"x18" watercolor paper
masking tape
watercolor paint
pencils
colored pencils

Learning Objectives:
Teach students three new Art vocabulary words: "foreground", "middleground", and "background"

Show students a new way of using materials, in this case using masking tape to block the paint from sticking to the paper

Create a connection to students learning about habitats in their science class

Pennsylvania Dutch Rotational Hex Design

2nd grade students discussed the difference between rotational symmetry and mirror symmetry. They also learned about the Pennsylvania Dutch who created large Hex Designs that they hung on their barns. The talked about the meaning of the word "Hex" and realized that Hex designs have six sections, just like hexagons have six sides! They then created their own Rotational Hex Designs using pencils and markers.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: one 60 min class

Materials:
12"x18" white paper
pencils
Sharpie markers

Learning Objectives:
To introduce students to the concept of rotational symmetry

To teach students a brief history of the Pennsylvania Dutch farmers, and their use of Hex designs

To discuss the meaning of the word "hex"

Clay Turtles

First grade students use the "pinch and pull" method to shape turtles out of clay. They started with a ball of clay, then they pinched and pulled out the head, arms and tail. To ensure they did not forget any important parts they learned the basic anatomy of a turtle. The finishing touch was adding details and designs to the shells of their turtles. After they were dried and fired the students were given the opportunity to paint them with creative colors.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
Clay
Tempera paints

Learning Objectives:
To give students the opportunity to use a new material, clay, and create a three-dimensional form.

To teach students about the different methods of molding clay, in this case, pinch-and-pull.

Under the Sea

Students created underwater seascapes with fish, sea animals, coral, and seaweed. They learned about how the size relationships of their fish can help to show distance. They tried to create a large variety of sea creatures in their paintings. They also explored the technique of using crayon and watercolor resist.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
12"x18" white paper
pencils
Sharpie markers
oil pastels
Tempera cake paints

Learning Objectives:
To teach students about the properties of oil pastels and water based paints and how the process of resist paintings work.

To give students the opportunity to create and invent fish and other sea creatures from their imagination

Winter Season Cubes

Students create 6 sided season cubes using paper and glue. They draw small pictures representing seasons on the squares. This is a challenging project, but it gives the students a chance to turn a 2D piece of artwork into a 3D piece of artwork, which is very rewarding for them.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
12"x18" white paper
pencils
Sharpie markers
crayons
scissors
Elmers glue
circle tracers (margarine lids)
square tracers

Learning Objectives:
To create a seasonal connection

To show students that Art can take many forms, and can be both two-dimensional and three-dimensional

To give students the opportunity to practice their cutting skills

To practice using liquid glue bottles. (Not too much, not too little, just right)

Name Design

Students practiced writing their name and then filled in the space around their name using a variety of lines and shapes. Mrs. Brown challenged the students to fill in their whole paper.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: one-two 60 min classes

Materials:
9"x12" white paper
pencils
colored markers

Learning Objectives:
To encourage students to try many, many different types of patterns to fill their drawings with lots of interesting colors and designs.

To give students the opportunity to practice "neat" coloring techniques. (No spaghetti coloring)

To help the teacher learn the names of new kindergarten students, and also to gauge the motorskills of new students.

Shading Pumpkin

Students used pastels to create drawings of pumpkins during the fall season. They were encouraged to look at the way the light landed on the pumpkin. They experimented with blending the pastels to make shadows.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: one 60 min class

Materials:
12"x18" light green paper
pastels, shades of yellow, orange, red
smudging tool, like a Q-tip

Learning Objectives:
To teach students how to shade a sphere

To teach students how to use pastels and the appropriate times to smudge or not smudge

To create a seasonal connection

Sun Expressions

Second grade students created images of several "suns" each with a different facial expression. We discussed the difference between warm and cool colors. The warm colors include red, yellow, orange, pink, and brown. The cool colors include blue, green, purple, turquoise, and gray. They used warm colored oil pastels to color their suns, then painted a wash over the entire image using cool colored tempera paints.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
12"x18" white paper
pencils
Sharpie markers
oil pastels
tempera cake paints

Learning Objectives:
To give students an opportunity to try drawing several different facial expressions, experimenting with eyes, eyebrows, and mouth to create different feelings

To teach students about the properties of oil pastels and water based paints and how the process of resist paintings work.

Snowman Portraits

Snowman are typically drawn using the old formula of three circles stacked one on top of the other. For this project students were challenged to zoom in closer. They were only allowed to draw two circles, and they were encouraged to add details to the snowman and to the background. We used pencils, sharpies, and construction paper crayons for coloring.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: one 60 min class

Materials:
12"x18" blue construction paper
pencils
Sharpie markers
construction paper crayons

Learning Objectives:
To teach students to look at things in a different way. For example, snowmen do not always have to be draw from top to bottom showing all three circles

To discuss the meaning of the word "portrait"

Barnyard Collage

Students reviewed landscape artwork of American folk artists and the lifestyle of the Pennsylvania Dutch farmers. This was the second time the second graders talked about the Pennsylvania Dutch and they had a lot to say! Based on their discussions, they created a barnyard landscape collage that included a red barn, animals, and objects that might be found on a farm.

To encourage them to do lots of small details, we start off with the big stuff first, such as the barn, the grass, and a silo... I demonstrate how to make the large structures (like how to make barndoors that open, ...etc).. Then after a few minutes of everyone making those items I call the kids back over to the rug and we brainstorm a list of things you might see on a farm. I try to make it a "challenge" for them to use as many different kinds of paper as they can for each animal. I tell them I want to see who can have the most tiny details cut from separate papers! I make it sound all exciting. It seems to work! Then week two, I remind them of all this. About halfway through week two I put markers out on the table so that can color on top of their collage. :)

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
12"x18" blue construction paper
9"x12" red construction paper
assorted colors of small construction paper
pencils
Sharpie markers
construction paper crayons

Learning Objectives:
To encourage students to use 95% collage to create an image, with small detail, instead of instantly reaching for drawing materials

To give students the opportunity to practice their cutting skills

To practice using liquid glue bottles. (Not too much, not too little, just right)

To review a brief history of the Pennsylvania Dutch farmers

Hot Air Balloons - Tints and Shades

Second grade students learned how to change the way a color looks by adding either black or white to the color. The color variations are called tints and shades. This is the students first introduction to this concept so they were encouraged to do a lot of experimenting. Each student tried to several examples of tints in their painting of hot air balloons.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
12"x18" white paper
pencils
Sharpie markers
tempera cake paints, or watercolor paints

Learning Objectives:
To teach students the Art vocabulary words "tints" and "shades"

To show students different painting techniques that they can use to create different colors

To encourage students to try many, many different types of patterns to fill their hot air balloons with lots of interesting colors and designs.

Stitching Animals

Students learned how the basics of stitching. They practiced threading their own needle and they learned a simple running stitch. We practiced by saying "In, out, and pull. In, out and pull," while they stitched. Using pieces of burlap and yarn they stitch the shape of an animal. When they were done we added eyes for the final touch.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
Colored burlap
Variety of yarn
large student needles
scissors
Sharpie markers (to write initials on burlap)

Learning Objectives:
To reintroduce students to the techniques of stitching, such as threading a needle, "in-out-pull", and not pulling the yarn too tight. They should be able to build off the techniques that they learned in 1st grade.

Op Art Shapes

Students will view examples of "Op Art" (The art of optical illusions) and become familiar with the artist M.C. Escher. They will discuss the different ways that art can "fool the eye" and "play tricks with your eyes". They will create their own Op Artwork by using markers, rulers, and geometric shapes. They will also learn about color contrast, and will choose colors that are either high or low contrast. This project challenges students to create a complex pattern of colors that alternates from shape to shape. It also gives students a chance to practice their fine motor skills by coloring within the lines.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
9"x12" white paper
pencils
Sharpie markers
colored markers

Learning Objectives:
To introduce students to "Op Art" and the artwork of famous artist M.C. Escher.

To give students practice using rulers to draw straight lines

To give students the opportunity to practice "neat" coloring techniques. (No spaghetti coloring)

To practice tracing

Paper Weaving with Small Strips

This project is an extension of the large scale paper weaving done in first grade. For this project we start off with a simple over under weaving using strips of paper one inch wide. Before cutting their strips many students will decorate their paper with lines and shapes to create a more interesting design when the weaving is put together.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: one 60 min class

Materials:
9"x12" white paper
9"x12" colored paper
crayons
scissors

Learning Objectives:
To reintroduce students with the technique of weaving. They only weave 9-10 strips, but this lesson is an introduction to help prepare them for more complex weaving when they get older.

Black Glue Stained Glass Flowers (lesson from Mr. E)

This lesson is inspired by the story of "Beauty and Beast". Students use pencils, black glue, and watercolor paint to create a stained glass image with a flower as the centerpiece. During this lesson students are given the opportunity to practice their straight line skills with a ruler, and also their painting skills. Salt is added to some sections of watercolor to create a textured look.

Grade: 4th grade

Time: three 60 min classes

Materials:
12"x18" white paper
pencils
rulers
black-glue (Elmers mixed with black paint)
watercolor paint
salt

Learning Objectives:
To practice using liquid glue bottles. (Not too much, not too little, just right)

To give students the chance to practice painting within clear lines, and experiment with colors, tints, and shadings

To give students practice using rulers to draw straight lines

Shelf of Toys

This project works well when students have completed their other projects early. They are told to draw a line across the bottom of their paper and make it into a "shelf". On that shelf they should draw some of their favorite items and keepsakes. If someone was to look at their picture the goal would be that that person would be able to tell a lot about the artist.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: one 60 min class

Materials:
9"x18" white paper
pencils
Sharpie markers
crayons

Learning Objectives:
To give students to the opportunity to draw items from memory and from their imagination.

To give students the opportunity to draw things to scale, comparing one object to another

Mondrian/Not Mondrian

Students explored the artwork of Piet Mondrian. They analyzed his style and came up with a list of criteria for what could be considered a "Mondrian style picture". Their lists consisted of "primary colors, white background, black lines, geometric shapes, horizontal and vertical shapes, no diagonals." They then created one collage in the style of Mondrian, and a second collage in the style they called "Not Mondrian". The results were literally exploding off the pages!!

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two-three 60 min classes

Materials:
9"x12" white paper
9"x12" black paper
scissors
Elmers glue

Learning Objectives:
To introduce students to the artwork of Piet Mondrian

To give students the opportunity to practice their cutting skills

To practice using liquid glue bottles. (Not too much, not too little, just right)

To review the three primary colors

To introduce students to abstract, and non-representational art

City Collage

Students learned the difference between a landscape and a cityscape. They created a cityscape collage using textured paper and colored construction paper, with at least three buildings created from geometric shapes. Most of the objects in their picture are made from collaged paper and glue, rather than just simply drawing the objects. They were encouraged to think interesting things to put in their cityscape that would make their city unique.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two-three 60 min class

Materials:
9"x18" black paper
assorted smaller colored paper
pencils
scissors
Elmers glue
construction paper crayons
Sharpie markers

Learning Objectives:
To introduce students to the artwork of Charles Sheerer

To give students the opportunity to practice their cutting skills

To practice using liquid glue bottles. (Not too much, not too little, just right)

Self Portraits

Students in all grades at Hemenway School create Self Portraits in Mrs. Brown's art class. Self Portraits are a great drawing project because it can teach students to draw beyond just what they think they see... but to draw what is really there. All students were given a mirror to observe their facial features and look for small details. As children grow older they progress through the 5 stages of artistic development (named by Viktor Lowenfeld). Kindergarteners are usually somewhere between the "Scribble Stage" and the "Pre-schematic Stage". As the students grow older they work their way through the artistic stages of "Schematic", "Dawning-Realism" and "Pseudo Realistic." Though it can sometimes be tempting, it is very important not to rush young children through the early stages of artistic development. Students in Grade K, 1 and 2 are full of creativity, and it is important to let students take their time so they can nurture their creative development. There is plenty of time in grades 3 and above to begin teaching them about the more technical aspects of drawing.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: one 60 min class

Materials:
9"x12" white paper
pencils
Sharpie markers
crayons

Learning Objectives:
To teach students about observational drawing by using a mirror, and not just drawing what they "think" they see.

Stained Glass Painting

Students created an abstract painting using a ruler to create many straight lines. It reminded many students of stained glass. We talked about color relationships and what happens when you put certain colors next to each other. When the students were finished drawing their lines with pencil and oil pastel they used tempera cakes to paint inside the shapes with a variety of colors. Many students were challenged to chose only 4 colors and try to create an interesting color relationship with only those four colors.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
12"x18" white paper
pencils
oil pastels
tempera cake paints

Learning Objectives:
To teach students about the properties of oil pastels and water based paints and how the process of resist paintings work.

To give students the chance to practice painting within clear lines, and experiment with colors, tints, and shadings

4 Square / 4 Color Design

Students reviewed the word "collage" and what it meant before beginning their talk about their new project. They were allowed to choose four colors of paper and were encouraged to chose colors that they felt created a mood, or went well together. Using only torn paper and glue they created an abstract design.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: one 60 min class

Materials:
assorted colors of construction paper
scissors
Elmers glue

Learning Objectives:
To give students the opportunity to practice their ripping skills

To practice using liquid glue bottles. (Not too much, not too little, just right)

To introduce students to abstract, and non-representational art

Insect Anatomy

Students learn about the anatomy of an insect in their classrooms so as an interdisciplinary connection they had to create an insect in Art class. They could be as creative as they wanted to be with their insect as long as it contained the three main parts of an insects body. They did the drawing in pencil and sharpie marker, then used watercolor paints to add color.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
12"x18" white paper
pencils
Sharpie markers
tempera paint cakes

Learning Objectives:
To reinforce the second grade curriculum where the students are learning about insects

To give students the chance to practice painting within clear lines, and experiment with colors, tints, and shadings

Hide 'n' Seek Animals

Students looked at the artwork of Henri Rousseau and noted the large variety of textures, pattern and repetition. They created their own picture using patterns and repetition. Their goal was to hide an animal pattern in the jungle, similar to the way Rousseau does in his art work.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time:two 60 min classes

Materials:
12"x18" white paper
pencils
Sharpie markers
tempera cake paints

Learning Objectives:
To introduce students to the artwork of Henri Rousseau

To give students the chance to practice painting within clear lines, and experiment with colors, tints, and shadings

Pointillism Butterfly

Students created their first pointillism picture using the subject of butterflies as their inspiration. They used a butterfly tracer to map out the shape of the butterfly, then they filled in the wings and body with patterns and color. They also need to think about mirror symmetry since the patterns on a butterfly's wings are always the same. The challenge to their project is that the entire thing must be done only using "dots", much like the artist George Seurat. From a distance the colors come together to form the patterns, lines and shapes. It is a time consuming project that helps teach students patience and discipline. When they are complete the students are always very proud of the work they did!

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
9"x12" white paper
pencils
skinny colored markers

Learning Objectives:
To introduce students to the artwork technique of pointillism

To give students more practice with their fine motorskills and the repetitive dot-dot-dot

Above and Below Veggies

Students were able to look at some real vegetables that had been pulled from the ground. We discussed the difference between a vegetable garden and a flower garden. Students noticed that even though sometimes vegetables are grown below the ground you can still tell what it is by looking at the leaves. They used this knowledge when they created their vegetable garden paintings. They started with pencil and sharpie, then colored the veggies with oil pastels, then painting the remaining areas either brown or blue.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
12"x18" white paper
pencils
Sharpie markers
oil pastels
watercolor paints

Learning Objectives:
To teach students about the properties of oil pastels and water based paints and how the process of resist paintings work.

Pattern Fish

We talked about patterns and gave examples of AB,AB,AB patterns, ABB,ABB,ABB patterns, ABC,ABC,ABC patterns etc. Students drew the shape of a fish and filled it in with patterns. For some classes this was done using markers and crayons, and for other classes it was done using pieces of ripped paper.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: one 60 min class

Materials:
9"x12"
pencils
Sharpie markers
colored markers
crayons
colored construction paper

Learning Objectives:
To review the concept of patterns with students, such as ABAB, or ABB, ABB.

To give students practice with colored, ripping, and gluing

Pattern Rainforest (Lesson from Mr. E)

We talked about how rainforests are colorful & full of life. We also talked about how things in the rainforest overlap! The first step was to have the students draw their trees. I made sure that they placed the trees at different levels on their page & that the branches overlapped at the top. Then students drew a variety of patterns in their trees. Next the students traced everything with Sharpie, did a watercolor wash over the whole page, then color over the trees with marker.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
12"x18" white paper
pencil
Sharpie markers
color markers

Learning Objectives:
To review pattern and designs with students.

To give students more practice drawing things from their imaginations

Glue Pastel Clown

Second grade students did a creative project where they got to invent their own clown. They drew their picture with pencil first, then traced their pencil lines with Elmer's glue. After the glue dried it created little barriers that divided the sections of the drawing. They filled in their clown with color using oil pastels.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
18"x24" black construction paper
pencils
Elmers glue
oil pastels

Learning Objectives:
To practice using liquid glue bottles. (Not too much, not too little, just right)

To give students the chance to practice coloring within clear lines

To give students more practice drawing things from their imaginations

Pop Art Self Portrait

Students viewed artwork by the artist Roy Lichtenstein. They looked at the way words could be used in conjunction with an image. They also looked at his use of the primary colors. Before they created their self portraits students each wrote their name at the top of a piece of paper. All the papers were passed around the room and each student had to write one positive words about each other student as the papers were passed. By the end the students had a paper with 24 positive words that their classmates had written about them. They chose their favorite word and used that when creating their Pop Art self portrait.

Grade: 2nd grade

Time: two 60 min classes

Materials:
12"x18" white paper
pencils
Sharpie markers
watercolor paints

Learning Objectives:
To introduce the students to the genre of Pop Art and the artist Roy Lichtenstein.

The give students experience combining text and images.

To give students experience using expressive colors.

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