Overviews of Art Lessons
Click on blue links to view images of completed artwork
Week One
1st and 2nd grade class - mixed media self-portrait as a masked hero
As a class we discussed what it means to be a hero by looking at superhero images and reading a book about a young student who stands up to a school bully. The students began the class period with drawing a picture to complete the phrase “A hero is…” and then after discussion they made their own self-portrait as a hero using cut paper, markers, and tempera paint.
3rd, 4th and 5th grade class - Portrait of a Hero
For this lesson, students were introduced to “The Call to Adventure” from Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. They thought about what a hero is. They also learned about Picasso’s style of Cubism and created a portrait of a hero in this style by collaging and drawing. A dice game was used to motivate students for creating their cubist portrait.
Week Two
1st and 2nd grade class -
As students walked in, they completed the phrase “A hero solves problems by…” using markers. Afterwards we had a discussion about problems that heroes have by looking at batman and his symbol in the sky. We talked about landscapes found in the batman city skyline and read the book Swimmy. Afterwards, Students made a nighttime city skyline with their superhero symbol in the sky like batman using tissue paper, cut paper, marker, and acrylic paint.
3rd, 4th and 5th grade class - Comic Crisis
For this lesson, students continued to learn about Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. Last week they learned about “The Call to Adventure,” for this week they learned about “Crossing the Threshold.” They also learned about Pop Art and created a portrait of a hero faced with a comical problem using collage and Ben-Day dot printmaking. The question students thought about was “what problems do heroes solve?” Last week’s question was “what is a hero?”
Week Three
1st and 2nd grade class -
Students began class by drawing with marker in their sketchbooks to answer the phrase “Heroes help others by…” Afterwards we had a class discussion on the sketchbooks and then talked about comic strips and Roy Lichtenstein and the onomatopoeias they use. Students then created a piece of artwork that used an onomatopoeia word of choice. They depicted it on a sheet of construction paper using markers and then made a printmaking border that showed pattern to match the word.
3rd, 4th and 5th grade class - Hero Emblem
The students learned about how they can demonstrate characteristics of a hero and how heroes help others. They also learned what graphic design, logos, and other art terms are and their importance to real life. They ere introduced to the contemporary freelance artists Shunsuke Satake and Nithin Rao Kumblekar. They made a cape with their own hero emblem on it and then were photographed in front of a chalk scene.
Week Four
1st and 2nd grade class -
Students answered the question how do heroes overcome challenges by drawing a picture in their sketchbooks that answers the phrase “Heroes overcome challenges by…” Afterwards we had a class discussion in which we discussed the question and everyday heroes. Students created an artwork based off of Wayne Theibaud with a repetition of three hero objects out of construction paper adding detail with oil pastels.
3rd, 4th and 5th grade class - Stop Motion
The students learned about how to overcome challenges, especially when working on a project with other students. They continued learning about Joseph Campbell’s Hero Journey by looking at the “Inmost Cave”. They learned about the stop motion artists Suzie Templeton and Tim Burton. They made a short storyboard and a stop motion film with the use of the app, STOMO Stop Motion and Time Lapse Camera on iPads.
Week Five
1st and 2nd grade class -
Students arrived to class and answered their sketchbook sheet that said “Heroes show bravery by…” Afterwards we had a class discussion on how heroes are brave and talked about how animals can also be heroes and show bravery. Students created an animal portrait using watercolor resist. When they finished they put a cape or mask on their animals using construction paper.
3rd, 4th and 5th grade class - Linear Perspective Ordeal
Students continued to learn about Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey by looking at examples of “The Ordeal” that heroes face. They considered the question of “how do heroes show bravery?” Students also learned about how one-point perspective began being used in art in the Renaissance and is seen in current-day life and art. They constructed their own one-point perspective city scenes depicting a hero facing an “ordeal.”
Week Six
1st and 2nd grade class -
As students arrive they drew in their sketchbooks to complete the phrase: “A hero can be…” When they finished their sketchbooks, we shared ideas and went over the symbols that heroes have. We looked at a child artist who can be a hero for many of them and talked about abstract art and analogous colors. Finally, students created masks and cuffs using abstract art and symbols.
3rd, 4th and 5th grade class - Split Portraits
Students continued to learn about Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey by looking at examples of “The Return with the Elixir”. They considered the questions “Who are heroes in our community?” and “Can anyone become a hero?” They watched a video from Kid President about how everyone can be a hero. Students made a symmetrical split portrait of a hero from their community, family, or of their self and the hero’s secret identity. They drew their hero and his/her secret identity in proportion by making measurements and drawing guiding lines.
1st and 2nd grade class - mixed media self-portrait as a masked hero
As a class we discussed what it means to be a hero by looking at superhero images and reading a book about a young student who stands up to a school bully. The students began the class period with drawing a picture to complete the phrase “A hero is…” and then after discussion they made their own self-portrait as a hero using cut paper, markers, and tempera paint.
3rd, 4th and 5th grade class - Portrait of a Hero
For this lesson, students were introduced to “The Call to Adventure” from Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. They thought about what a hero is. They also learned about Picasso’s style of Cubism and created a portrait of a hero in this style by collaging and drawing. A dice game was used to motivate students for creating their cubist portrait.
Week Two
1st and 2nd grade class -
As students walked in, they completed the phrase “A hero solves problems by…” using markers. Afterwards we had a discussion about problems that heroes have by looking at batman and his symbol in the sky. We talked about landscapes found in the batman city skyline and read the book Swimmy. Afterwards, Students made a nighttime city skyline with their superhero symbol in the sky like batman using tissue paper, cut paper, marker, and acrylic paint.
3rd, 4th and 5th grade class - Comic Crisis
For this lesson, students continued to learn about Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. Last week they learned about “The Call to Adventure,” for this week they learned about “Crossing the Threshold.” They also learned about Pop Art and created a portrait of a hero faced with a comical problem using collage and Ben-Day dot printmaking. The question students thought about was “what problems do heroes solve?” Last week’s question was “what is a hero?”
Week Three
1st and 2nd grade class -
Students began class by drawing with marker in their sketchbooks to answer the phrase “Heroes help others by…” Afterwards we had a class discussion on the sketchbooks and then talked about comic strips and Roy Lichtenstein and the onomatopoeias they use. Students then created a piece of artwork that used an onomatopoeia word of choice. They depicted it on a sheet of construction paper using markers and then made a printmaking border that showed pattern to match the word.
3rd, 4th and 5th grade class - Hero Emblem
The students learned about how they can demonstrate characteristics of a hero and how heroes help others. They also learned what graphic design, logos, and other art terms are and their importance to real life. They ere introduced to the contemporary freelance artists Shunsuke Satake and Nithin Rao Kumblekar. They made a cape with their own hero emblem on it and then were photographed in front of a chalk scene.
Week Four
1st and 2nd grade class -
Students answered the question how do heroes overcome challenges by drawing a picture in their sketchbooks that answers the phrase “Heroes overcome challenges by…” Afterwards we had a class discussion in which we discussed the question and everyday heroes. Students created an artwork based off of Wayne Theibaud with a repetition of three hero objects out of construction paper adding detail with oil pastels.
3rd, 4th and 5th grade class - Stop Motion
The students learned about how to overcome challenges, especially when working on a project with other students. They continued learning about Joseph Campbell’s Hero Journey by looking at the “Inmost Cave”. They learned about the stop motion artists Suzie Templeton and Tim Burton. They made a short storyboard and a stop motion film with the use of the app, STOMO Stop Motion and Time Lapse Camera on iPads.
Week Five
1st and 2nd grade class -
Students arrived to class and answered their sketchbook sheet that said “Heroes show bravery by…” Afterwards we had a class discussion on how heroes are brave and talked about how animals can also be heroes and show bravery. Students created an animal portrait using watercolor resist. When they finished they put a cape or mask on their animals using construction paper.
3rd, 4th and 5th grade class - Linear Perspective Ordeal
Students continued to learn about Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey by looking at examples of “The Ordeal” that heroes face. They considered the question of “how do heroes show bravery?” Students also learned about how one-point perspective began being used in art in the Renaissance and is seen in current-day life and art. They constructed their own one-point perspective city scenes depicting a hero facing an “ordeal.”
Week Six
1st and 2nd grade class -
As students arrive they drew in their sketchbooks to complete the phrase: “A hero can be…” When they finished their sketchbooks, we shared ideas and went over the symbols that heroes have. We looked at a child artist who can be a hero for many of them and talked about abstract art and analogous colors. Finally, students created masks and cuffs using abstract art and symbols.
3rd, 4th and 5th grade class - Split Portraits
Students continued to learn about Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey by looking at examples of “The Return with the Elixir”. They considered the questions “Who are heroes in our community?” and “Can anyone become a hero?” They watched a video from Kid President about how everyone can be a hero. Students made a symmetrical split portrait of a hero from their community, family, or of their self and the hero’s secret identity. They drew their hero and his/her secret identity in proportion by making measurements and drawing guiding lines.