Third Grade Art Kits - Descriptions
a year ago
Ainu Symmetry
Ainu Symmetry
Students are given the opportunity to learn about the Ainu culture and find commonalities and differences between the Ainu and our local Northwest Coast Native cultures. In this activity students learn to cut folded paper and spirals to create a symmetrical Ainu style design, with one or two lines of symmetry.
Alaskan Animals and Franz Marc
Alaskan Animals and Franz Marc
Students study the animal paintings of Franz Marc, a German painter. They look for simple shapes in the animals that he painted, and also in the Alaskan animals that they will draw. Each student makes one animal pattern and traces it to make a group of animals. They design their art using overlapping animals and warm, cool and neutral colors schemes.
Arctic Circle Prints
Arctic Circle Prints
Students are inspired by prints made by Northern Canadian artists living in the arctic community of Cape Dorset. Students draw an arctic animal in the Cape Dorset style and transfer it to a styrofoam “printing plate,” color the plate with markers, and make several prints by pressing the colored plate on dampened paper.
Battles of Sitka
Battles of Sitka
With the publishing of a new book, Anóoshi Lingít Aaní Ká / Russians in Tlingit America, the stories of the 1802 and 1804 “Battles of Sitka” between the Tlingit and the Russian fur traders are told from both the Russian and Tlingit perspective. Students are presented with this history so that they may begin to understand the complexities of life in Southeast Alaska.
Students are given information about Tlingit warriors and armor. They make their own 3-D model of a helmet to help inspire them to work towards characteristics taught to young warriors in the past, such as “Reach for the hand of your fellow man and pick him up.”
Bionic Bugs
Bionic Bugs
Students learn about the amazing technology developing around live insects with computer chips placed on them. They create their own cyborg insect, in 3-dimensional paper collage, complete with a computer chip illustrated with “micro art.”
Brushstroke Trees: Huna Tribal House
Brushstroke Trees: Huna Tribal House
Students watch a brief video of the art specialist “painting” the story of the Huna Tribal House and history in Glacier Bay. They practice different brushstrokes with watercolor, then paint a picture of a Southeast Alaska tree, connecting their tree to the story and the Tlingit value of showing appreciation of the land and resources.
Building Relationships with 3-D Alaskan Animals
Building Relationships with 3-D Alaskan Animals
Day 1: Students make 3-D Alaskan animals out of tag board.
Day 2: Each table group creates a 3-D environment and arranges their animals in a realistic scene, thinking about animal relationships in the wild. Students also learn about perspective: foreground, middle ground and background. They conclude by making a small scene of their own.
Building with Texture
Building with Texture
Students explore and discuss different textures as they look at shelters built around the world with resources available in different areas. Students create a texture collage about shelter or “forts” on a piece of construction paper with various materials such as sandpaper.
Celebrating the Elements
Celebrating the Elements
Students discuss art made by the famous American Pop artist, Roy Lichtenstein. They look for the elements of art, using the art vocabulary, Then they use these elements to develop a drawing/painting/collage.
Chilkat Robe; Fringe Around the Body
Chilkat Robe; Fringe Around the Body
Students study different design styles of Chilkat robes and learn about the materials used to weave these robes. They then assemble a paper puzzle robe, piece by piece using a pattern board as a guide, just as weavers have done for centuries.
Clay Figures-Art in Public Places
Clay Figures-Art in Public Places
After hearing the story of Leonardo da Vinci’s giant horse sculpture, students will imagine the role of an artist creating a sculpture for a public place, like a park, school or airport. They will learn techniques for hand-building with clay and make a small model of a sculpture they would like to make for the community.
Clay Pots with Maria Martinez
Clay Pots with Maria Martinez
Students learn about pueblo potter, Maria Martinez. Students make a “pinch pot” and add “coils,” learning proper techniques. Students design a “motif” which represents something from our natural environment and paint it on the pot in a repeating pattern with underglaze. Pots are fired by teacher in a kiln, or with assistance from the art specialist.
Deep Space
Deep Space
Students learn how to use a light source to create a sphere from a circle. Students create planets using oil pastels and learn a blending technique to give the impression of form. By arranging the planets and accenting the composition with stars and shooting stars, the finished product creates the illusion of Deep Space.
Dog Mushing: Printing and Sprinting
Dog Mushing: Printing and Sprinting
Students learn about the different distances of dog mushing races in the Arctic Winter Games and compare and contrast them with the longer distance races of interior Alaska. Students design an abstract printmaking plate with a sprinting dog team and athlete. They hand color their print.
Drawing from Observation: Antlers (Sitka Blacktail)
Students observe and draw the shapes and details of individual local deer antlers (class set provided in the kit.) Students use an antler age chart to determine the deer's age.
Drawing from Observation: Antlers (Sitka Blacktail)
Students observe and draw the shapes and details of individual local deer antlers (class set provided in the kit.) Students use an antler age chart to determine the deer's age.
Drawing from Observation: Jánwu (Mountain Goat)
This drawing lesson uses the mountain goat materials provided by Fish and Game to build curiosity and understanding around the local mountain goat and how it's unique adaptations help it to survive in rugged high ranges in Southeast Alaska.
Drawing from Observation: Jánwu (Mountain Goat)
This drawing lesson uses the mountain goat materials provided by Fish and Game to build curiosity and understanding around the local mountain goat and how it's unique adaptations help it to survive in rugged high ranges in Southeast Alaska.
Expressionist Environment
Expressionist Environment
Students look at 2D and 3D art and artists. They create their own 3D environment using paper folding and cutting techniques. Embellishments are added with color and pattern.
Faith Ringgold Memory Quilt
Faith Ringgold Memory Quilt
This lesson is designed to be taught in two sessions. Students study the work of artist, teacher, author and illustrator Faith Ringgold. They create a story quilt with a well-developed drawing based on a personal memory. Finished work includes a written memory sentence and a colorful pieced border.
Flower Parts
Flower Parts
Students are introduced to flower anatomy, after learning about the life and work of botanist Elizabeth Britton. They use oil pastels and shading techniques to create flower parts and assemble these parts to make a flower relief. Includes writing lesson!
Frog in Monet's Pond
Frog in Monet's Pond
Share two children’s books about Monet (included). Monet’s lily pad paintings are discussed before students draw lily pads with oil pastels. Wet-on-wet is experienced as students paint their pond. Finally, students are taught to draw frogs, which are cut out and added to the pond.
Keith Haring Action Figures
Keith Haring Action Figures
Students work in the style of Keith Haring as they draw and then cut out brightly colored action figures. Embellishment with oil pastels shows movement. Includes writing lesson!
Lines and Textures of the Sea
Lines and Textures of the Sea
Students look at photos of the sea for the lines and textures found in nature. They refer to Dale DeArmond’s prints for inspiration, then create a sea-themed design of lines and textures. This is inscribed into Styrofoam then printed as an edition of three blockprints.
Magic Machines
Magic Machines
Students learn about simple machines and how they work by looking at and discussing examples. They invent their own machine using colored markers and ingenuity. Includes writing lesson!
Me in Motion
Me in Motion
Students use construction paper and telephone wire to create a balanced mobile that represents themselves and things they like.
Moon Moods
Moon Moods
Students create a Tlingit style cut out paper moon to use in making rubbings with crayons. In their rubbings students depict the moon in different phases to show different emotions that they may be feeling or have felt.
Murals of Our Towns and Villages
Murals of Our Towns and Villages
Students learn about muralist Diego Rivera and how he used perspective to show near and far. A mural of their own town or village is drawn after planning the important resources, buildings, animals and landmarks that need to be included. Includes writing lesson!
Nightscapes Scratch Art
Nightscapes Scratch Art
This lesson highlights the art of Caldecott award winning artist, Beth Krommes, the illustrator of The House in the Night. Students create a scratch art card in her style, showing perspective and a focal point. Several copies of each student’s original can be made on the copier, thus creating a set of cards, including an “original” and “reproductions.”
One Liners
One Liners
Students use Picasso’s technique of one-line sketching to draw their classmate's ideas. The subject of the drawings can be directed by current curricular subjects.
Optical Illusions
Optical Illusions
Students observe the graphic art of M.C. Escher. They reproduce simple optical illusions, which require measuring and awareness of parallel and perpendicular lines. Students add creative drawings and texture rubbings, then finish the piece by writing a sentence about the optical illusion.
Parts to Whole Shoe Drawings
Parts to Whole Shoe Drawings
In this lesson, students use a magnifying glass to carefully study the different parts of their shoe. They record the “parts” and the “whole” in careful line drawings. Acting as “scientific engineers,” they add a new part which they think would improve the shoe. Students consider that things are made of many parts which come together to make a whole.
Pendulum Painting
Pendulum Painting
Partner STEAM lesson to Science Kit Prediction Motions. In this lesson the classroom is transformed into a STEAM lab, with pendulum stations for every three students. In a very successfully structured process students each make a pendulum painting, which shows the beautiful patterns of a swinging cup of paint
Picasso Portraits
Picasso Portraits
Students look at 6 Picasso portraits to see the difference between realistic and abstract styles, and the characteristics of the Cubist style. They learn how to draw facial features and the correct placement on a face. A portrait collage is made from their practice pieces, along with embellished clothing.
Poetry Animation: Flip-its!
Poetry Animation: Flip-its!
“Flip-its” are a fun way to learn about the art of animation and how it works. Students create an original character from a shape, giving it personality and movement. Students write a short poem about their flip-it using “opposite” words.
Private Eye: Fingerprint Analogies
Private Eye: Fingerprint Analogies
Students observe carefully, seeing the patterns and shapes of fingerprints through a magnifying “jewelers loupe,” then draw and paint a colorful large scale version of the fingerprint. They think of “analogies;” what else does their fingerprint remind them of? Creative writing is a natural extension of this lesson. Includes writing lesson!
Quilting with Fractions and Symmetry
Quilting with Fractions and Symmetry
Students learn about the extensive and interesting history of quilt making. They then cut shapes from paper squares, and, using equivalent fractions they design center and border squares with vertical, horizontal and diagonal symmetry.
Scientific Drawing: Feathers
Scientific Drawing: Feathers
Students are inspired by the work of local scientific artist, Kathy Hocker. Using a feather (included) as a model, they create a "scientific notebook page" which includes a detailed drawing, close-up view, and written scientific comments which include observations, inferences and questions about the feather.
Shadow Puppet Workshop
Shadow Puppet Workshop
Students create a class collection of a variety of shadow puppet characters that can be adapted for use in dramatizing many stories. This kit uses characters found in the 3rd grade Reading Wonders anthology and can be adapted for use with many stories. Students learn specific skills to create a successful shadow puppet.
Shadow Puppetry (Drama kit)
Shadow Puppetry (Drama kit)
This drama lesson explores the use of shadow puppets and shadow play to enrich writing literacy and storytelling. In pairs or small groups, students are inspired by shadow puppets to collaboratively write dialogue for the plot of a short scene. Students then present the original drama with the shadow puppets while practicing prosody in dramatic reading and exploring the technical and expressive aspects of puppeteering.
Spectrum of Constellations
Spectrum of Constellations
Students create a colorful piece of artwork depicting a constellation found in the northern sky. Students paint the full spectrum of colors found in light for the background. They learn their order as found in nature (rainbows): red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. Metallic marker and star stickers are added to create a stellar effect!
Turkish Tiles
Turkish Tiles
Students are inspired by the 16th century Iznik Tiles that cover the interior walls of many public buildings in Turkey. Students design a tile incorporating symbolic flowers and symbols to show symmetry or asymmetry. The tiles are then connected by common points to show unity, as a class display.
Unity Block Party: Woocheen
Unity Block Party: Woocheen
This lesson is intended to be done by all the third grade classes in the school (at least 2) Students learn about the concept of "unity" in art and create small paper designs that all join together to make a large paper mural, showing unity in it's many common elements.
Warm and Cool Leaf Colors
Warm and Cool Leaf Colors
This lesson teaches students about warm and cool colors and how we are affected by color. Students draw and cut a stencil of a local leaf shape and print a series of prints. Two banners of student prints are created to emphasize warm and cool colors. Students trade a print with another student to discover the effect of combining warm and cool colors.
Watercolor: Poetry as Inspiration
Watercolor: Poetry as Inspiration
Students learn watercolor techniques. Class reads poems inspired by the night sky. Each student visualizes their favorite line in the poem and illustrates it in watercolor.
Weaving Code
Weaving Code
Students explore how writing a pattern for a paper weaving can be like coding. They design their own original pattern and create it with paper weaving.
Weaving Tree
Weaving Tree
Students learn about the world-wide "fiber art" of weaving. They learn weaving vocabulary and make a weaving sample, with yarn on a paper plate, where the "warp" forms the trunk and branches, and the "weft" are the colors of a tree.
Window to Raven and Eagle
Window to Raven and Eagle
Students learn about raven and eagle moiety in Tlingit culture and create a tissue paper collage that can be displayed in the window. Student?s artwork includes an eagle or a raven silhouette, tissue in traditional colors, and a frame which includes the shapes “ovoid,” “u-shape” and “s-shape.”
Winter Geometry
Winter Geometry
Students find geometric shapes in artwork of cityscapes and photos of real snowflakes. Using pattern block stamps they design and cut out six-sided snow-flakes, discovering radial symmetry. The arrangement of snowflakes on construction paper becomes a collage.
Zoom-in on Southeast Alaska
Zoom-in on Southeast Alaska
Students trace portions of Southeast Alaska maps (included), then locate an imaginary “special place” on this map. They name their place with a Tlingit-style place name. A small detailed watercolor painting shows a “zoom-in” view of this special place.