7 sessions; 50 minutes per session

SWBAT use a variety of water color techniques.
SWBAT identify contour edges.
SWBAT use symbols to represent ideas.

tag board, scissors, liquid watercolor, atomizer bottles, paintbrushes, pen and ink or sharpies

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1. First we discussed creativity as an ability to connect unrelated items. Then we looked at a painting from Miro's Constellation series. Then we discussed other cycles in nature. The tides, water cycle, cycles of the moon, seasons, the water cycle etc..

2. The students picked one cycle of nature and drew at least three simple images that could represent different parts of the cycle. They needed to take an idea and turn it into a symbol. (1 50 minute period)

3. Student continued with the drawing and began to redraw onto tag board. The goal was to create three stencils both and use both the positive and negative image.( 1 50 min. period)

4. On the third day we used the watercolor in the atomizer bottles and sprayed watercolor over the stencils we had created. I had water to the colors so they would not be dark. Students moved the stencils while they were wet and repeated them across the page. The paper was 18 x 24. Later we cut it in half.(we printed a different project on the other half) There were no rules as to how many colors they could use or which colors they could use they were simply asked to consider what might fit best with theme they choose. (1 or 2 50 min. class periods)

4. Next students had various options as to what to try next. I set the tables up as stations. One was the still need to spray table, another had watercolor with paintbrushes, another had straws to blow the paint, the last group could use gravity to drip paint down the picture. They are asked to follow the contours of what was already created and accent what they already had.(one 50 minute class period)

5. Finally the students used sharpies to draw lines around and connecting the pieces of their cycle. They were asked to vary the width of the lines and consider adding other simple shapes. Adding colored pencils was another detail that some students used. (2 50 minute class periods)

Students wrote a statement explaining the theme of their picture and their use of symbolism. They were asked to describe the most successful part of their picture and what they would change or improve if they could do it again.

Some students have trouble with the complexity of the lesson. It can be easily simplified by limiting the choice of cycles and possibly only using one stencil. Students who need a challenge can make as many stencil as they want with in he time provided or more complicated stencils.

Joan Miro

Abstract Art

Color/Value, Line

Ink, Watercolor

Science