ART EXPERIMENTS
Lesson Overview
Big Idea: Change
Content Statement: Students will experiment with various art supplies to see how they affect and change each other.
Objectives/Expected Learner Outcomes
Students will understand the crossovers between artists and scientists. They follow the steps of the “art experiment” and be able to explain what they observe.
Standards of Education
Art
K.3 The student will follow a sequence of steps used in creating works of art.
K.7 The student will identify and use the following in works of art:
Color—red, blue, yellow, green, orange, violet, brown, black, white
Line—straight/curved, thick/thin, long/short, up/down/across
Shape—circle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval
K.12 The student will identify people who make art as “artists.”
Science
K.10 The student will investigate and understand that change occurs over time and rates
may be fast or slow. Key concepts include:
Changes can be observed and measured.
Student Group Targeted
Kindergarten
Time Required
1, 30 minute session
Materials and Resources- white watercolor paper, white oil pastels, watercolors, water cups, paintbrushes, "magic ingredient" (salt), resources: Tony Reason
Itinerary and Instructional Strategies
Key Terms
1. change
2. experiment
3. observe
Discussion/Questioning Strategies
What is an artist? What is a scientist? How is an artist like a scientist? What is an experiment? What does change mean? What does observe mean? How can change be observed?
Demonstration
Demonstrate how to properly use watercolors, emphasizing the use of one color at a time and cleaning out the brush in between color changes. Also emphasize the importance of following the directions.
Student Independent Practice
Students will follow the following steps:
1. Use crayons to draw different lines and shapes. (5 minutes)
2. Fill page with watercolor. Observe how crayon affects the watercolor. (7 minutes)
3. Sprinkle salt over areas of wet watercolor. Observe how salt affects the watercolor and crayon. (3 minutes)
Closure
Clean up. Students will discuss what they observed during the activity.
Time Flow
10 minutes- Discussion/Questioning Strategies
15 minutes- Student Independent Practice
5 minutes- Closure
Evaluation Strategies
- Before moving from discussion to independent practice, student will be asked questions reviews concepts, vocabulary and assignment.
- Students will review critical thinking strategies on tables after clean up.
- Students should demonstrate in their work:
- The ability to follow the directions given.
- The ability to observe and explain the changes occurring in their art experiments.