Chalk Pastel Landscapes

Well I know I mentioned in this post, that I was wondering about the relevance of centering an entire project around one single 'element' of art, and I have come to the conclusion, that it is most definitely okay to do that with kindergarteners. They get super excited about simple things....oohing...and aaaahing...about using a black crayon, if you pitch it to them with the right sparkle in your voice.

With this project, I am able to take a simple line drawing and encourage students to create a beautiful work of art. Now, I admit, I sort of stole this idea from School Arts magazine, and made it my own.

Landscapes are such a simple concept for art lovers...but for 5-year-olds, I've  figured out that  I actually have to teach them what a landscape is. Since it is a pretty easy concept, I use this lesson to implement procedures that I will use all year. This is a very successful lesson, that I have taught nearly 100 times (have I mentioned that I have 11 classes of kindergarten and 2 classes of first grade...often I will do this 13 times in one week!)

Below, I will outline my procedures for putting on a paint shirt, using the drying rack, washing hands in the water bucket, and what to do for 'free time' for those that finish early.

To begin the lesson, I show students how to put on paint shirts for the first time. In my classroom, I have a laundry basket full of old janitors shirts, the kind the button up the front. I demonstrate (with a student model) how to put it on backwards, and have a friend put a clothespin on the back, not too high or else it could choke them, and not too low, because they could sit on it!

After observing how to put on the paint shirt, we quickly play a game! I have students play the line game to review the lines that were learned and practiced the week before. To see more about this game, read here. 

Line Landscape:

1. Say: Today we will be using chalk to create a beautiful landscape. Say that with me: Landscape! Again: Landscape. Not LAMBScape, LANDSCAPE!

2. A landscape is an 'outside scene', I explain as I point to a couple of magazine photos hanging on the board. I point out how there is a horizon line, with purple mountains meeting the sky, and there are beautiful purple flowers, a lake reflecting the sky and that the photo was probably taken in the early morning. I also point out a few other details from other landscapes, found in magazines.

3. Today, we will be using 3 simple lines to make our landscape. A zigzag, a wavy and a straight line. I draw these on the board as I say each one. Then I have students draw each line in the air with their finger.

4. Students get to choose between purple and blue paper. I say, I'm choosing purple because I want mine to be an early morning picture, just like the mountain landscape I showed them. Step One is to use a black crayon to draw a zigzag line. 'What do you think the zig zag line is for?', I ask. 'Mountains!' the class replies. 'Yes, mountains,' I say as I draw the foothills and the straight line at the bottom. Then I add a moon or a sun, clouds and a little stream or road curving from the bottom edge towards the middle.

5. To finish the landscape, we will be using chalk pastels. 'Raise your hand if you have used sidewalk chalk'...'then you know how dusty chalk can be! Well, chalk dust can be very messy and it can stir up kid's allergies, so I put my chalk in a tray with a little bit of water. It is still sort of messy, and cold, and wet, but it keeps the dust from floating up in the air and making kids cough!'

My Demo...I do one in front of every class.

6. I demonstrate how to color the landscape. I show how to layer two colors on the mountains...I explain that some colors don't show up good at first until they dry (like white!), and I explain that if they get a tiny hole in their paper, because a spot of water makes it rip, to leave it alone because I can always tape it on the back next week, after it is dry.






7. Procedure for Drying Rack: When students are finished, they will put their landscape in the drying rack. Usually, this is the first time they have used the drying rack, so I model where it is and explain that they must 'ALWAYS, ALWAYS START AT THE BOTTOM', I have them chant that with me a few times.

8. Procedure for Water Bucket: 'Once your painting is in the drying rack, you will need to wash your fingers. Over here, we have the water buckets. (I don't let my kinders use the sink, see why here). I have a GIRLS water bucket and a BOYS water bucket. There are two sponges in each bucket.....That means two girls can wash their hands at the same time...and two boys can wash their hands at the same time! If there are already two girls in the bucket, you must wait in line behind them being careful not to touch anyone or anything with your messy fingers while you wait.

9. I point out how to get a paper towel and wash hands, and where the trash cans are. 'Only after your paper is in the drying rack, and your hands are clean should you take off your paint shirt!'

10. If someone finishes early, they might have a chance to color a paper to take home today. Somewhere in the room, I have a copy of the 'Starry Night' by Vincent Van Gogh. I have students try to find it...then I show that they can color a 'coloring sheet' copy of it with crayons. Students should not use the chalk to color it, I put the copies near crayon baskets, that they can get for their table.

12. After demonstrating everything, and modeling the procedures, I am ready to distribute materials. I have 3 tables start putting on paint shirts (without my help, I've just modeled it for them, I let them try it alone.) The other three tables stay where they are as I go around and let them choose between purple and blue paper. I distribute the black crayons and then assist with putting on paint shirts, while at the same time, I'm constantly saying things like: "When you make your zig zag line, make sure it goes from one side to the other!' and "Draw three lines, zig zag, wavy and straight...then add your other details."  As the paint-shirt students start sitting down, I begin giving them their papers and letting the ones who have been drawing get up to put on their paint shirts.

13. As soon as everyone has their paint shirts on, and are finished drawing, I remind them to PUT THEIR NAMES ON THE BACK. I check each table for names, before I hand them their tray of chalk. Then I say, 'Everyone say this with me: ew, sick disgusting!' Now they have all said 'ew, sick, disgusting about the wet chalk, they are not allowed to say those words again!

Not a 'landscape'....but it is a cool line design!

14. I monitor as students work....pointing out that they don't have to color the sky, because the sky can be left the color of the paper....but they do have to color everything else. Biggie: STUDENTS MUST COLOR ALL THE WAY FROM THE ZIG ZAG TO THE WAVY LINE. Otherwise, they will leave a big patch uncolored, and the zigzag line area doesn't look like mountains.

Sometimes I use 'non' examples to encourage kids to follow directions. But, often, those are my favorites

15. Students often need help putting papers in the drying rack. I don't let them handle the chalk trays, because the water spills...so I have to pick those up from each table....and I have to monitor the water buckets so that students do not play around, or drink the water....Weird I know, but I've looked over to see those handwashing sponges hanging out of kids' mouth's before! I've also seen kids dipping their head into the water so that their hair gets wet, or using the water buckets as their own personal bath tub, washing up to their armpits! I've also had many instances of water fights and serious splashing issues!

16. When students line up at the end, I use that time to point out Vincent's painting (usually above my door) and I have them point to their own copy: the moon, the cypress tree, the church, the swirling night sky.

 Thanks for reading!!

Chalk Owl Painting

All of the examples below are from Kindergarten students. This project is very fun and I have done it two different ways...You can see the difference in the examples and I made a note in the procedures to explain the difference.







Intended Grade Level(s: K-2
Estimated Class Period(s): 2

Materials Required: black 18X12 construction paper, colored chalk/chalk pastels in a tray of water, pencils, white tempera paint, circles to trace (depending on age level), books about owls, owl pictures

Goals & Objectives: The primary goal of this lesson is for the student to use lines and shapes.
GLEs Accomplished In Lesson:
Kindergarten
PP 3. G Create an original artwork that communicates ideas about the following themes: Outdoors (seasons, nature) EP1.A Identify and use lines 1.B Identify and use shapes, Categorize large and small 1.E Identify and use color
1st Grade
PP 1.A Fill an area with solid color/value using crayon, pencil, or marker
1.B Apply paint with a dragging, not pushing motion
EP 1.B Identify and use triangle, circle, square, rectangle and oval shapes
Categorize large and small and medium

2nd Grade
PP 3.G.Create an original artwork that communicates ideas about the following themes: Nature; Places (e.g., school, home, stores, neighborhood, countryside
EP 1.B. Identify and use geometric shapes


Procedure (Guided Lesson, Instructions, etc):
This lesson is part of a unit on shapes. For older students, you could read Owl Moon, Or the book Goodnight Owl, but I recommend using the owl poem. I drew it on a poster so I can act it out and have the students say it with me (make up actions):
The Owl
There’s a wide-eyed owl
With a pointed nose.

He has pointed ears
And claws for toes.

He sits in a tree
And looks at you.

Then he flaps his wings
And says, “Tu-whit, tu-whoo”

Project (Steps, Examples, etc):
1. Read the owl poem with students. I made a poster of it and we said it out loud a few times through, acting it out. Show pics of owls. Explain how all owls look different depending on where they live, they have to blend in to their environment…..Show a few pics from magazines or books. Explain how owls are fierce hunters and cute and cuddly, that is why they are my favorite animal…
2. Quickly review the things we have learned….lines, shapes and texture….draw a few things on the board, artists use lines and shapes all the time, we will be using these all year to create art. Give students a black 12X18 paper pre-folded the hot dog way. Explain that they will draw 4 things. A straight line, nearly to the top, but not all the way. A circle, an big oval and a triangle. Demonstrate this on the board….it makes a big B….show them a tiny way…they way NOT to draw it…..

NOTE: I Have done this lesson 2 ways...the way that I described above, they are using circle tracers for the big owl and then free-handing the little owls. Another way to do it is to have them fold their paper in half the tall skinny way, paint a capital 'b' with white paint and then fold the paper in half so that it makes a print, this creates one large owl on the paper...then they can go over it to make it more even, add ears and a tree branch at the bottom and stars and moon at the top...I prefer the 'printing way' a little better...
3. While students are drawing, have them put on paint shirts.
4. Demonstrate how to paint with white paint. Go over the rules for paint: don’t paint hands, paper only, be careful not to let paint drip, wipe it gently on the edge of jar…..don’t take paint jar out of the plastic tray, we will use more colors later, but today we are starting out with one color!….. Outline each shape, fill it in. Fold over gently, rub the back of the paper (one boy threw his on the ground and stomped on it….it did make a cool texture for feathers)……open it up and see a symmetrical owl…a giant one….demo how to add a tree branch, stamp the brush for leaves, add a full or crescent ‘c’ moon, and add a few small stars. Mention that they should be careful not to totally cover the paper with white paint…it will be a snow scene and the owl won’t show up….
5. Before passing out the paint, show them a few books that are marked with owl pics: Turtle Island ABC (from CTV) Brother Wolf (MTJ) and Goodnight Owl….Students can look at the books to get ideas on how they will color their owl the next week. Quickly show them the example for next week, 2 ways, the goodnight owl and others…..Demo how to clean up and put paper in drying wrack….
6. Pass out the paint, let students work…cleanup.


Week 2
1. Read and act out the owl poem with students again.
2. Demonstrate how they will use chalk pastels to color their night owl scene. All of the white shapes need to be colored over this week. This is a great way for them to add really cool texture and details. Demonstrate how to draw the eyes, on the board first, 2 or 3 ways….then the beak….an easy triangle or the harder owl beak…..demonstrate how to put that mask of feathers around the face and then add feathers for the wings and belly….While students are drawing in pencil, have them put on paint shirts and pass out paintings from last week.
3. (Since it is on black paper, the chalk doesn’t always show up right at first if it is wet, when they color directly on the black paper. I remind them not to let their paper get too wet, and not to rub too hard in one spot because this will make their paper get a whole in it. I show them how to do the owl’s eye! This is important or else it won’t look like an owl, I make them do the eye first, a little bit of gray/black in the middle with yellow or yellow green around the outside…make sure the babies match!) When everyone is finished drawing, demonsrate how to use chalk. Explain that students shouldn’t get hands dirty on purpose!! Show how to color eyes, explain to be careful not to get paper too wet or it could rip, explain why the chalk pastels are in water…..Demo how to color and outline things….demo how to use the side of the chalk to color big areas, how to color the moon, leaves, stars, and sky with purple.
4, Demonstrate how to color the tree, leaves, moon, and stars. Remind them that they do not have to color the sky since it is already black like night, but if they want to make it more spooky, they can put purple and blue around the background like a spooky haze. Explain that students will have to wash hands and put this in the drying rack when they are done and they can look at the mini-goodnight owl book or any book in the room.

Assessment and Reflection: The students will use chalk to color a night owl scene according to a teacher constructed rubric. Students should be able to use the white paint, the chalk, draw the shapes, and color essential parts of the composition with little or no teacher assistance.