deasel

ON-GOING EASEL ART PROJECT:
Evergreen Bough Painting On Stars Creative Abstract Paintings

Paint Colors: Red Yellow + Blue To Get Green

From Stormie:

Painting With Evergreen Boughs on Paper Stars:

Provide yellow and blue paints at the easel and hang a bag of short-branched, but bushy, evergreen boughs nearby. Children dip the boughs into the paints and then paint on white paper star shapes. Encourage them to create a new color on their stars as well. You can ask, "What is the new color you've made from yellow and blue?" (The paints are easier to get at with the branches if they are poured in rectangular containers that fit into the easel tray, rather than into round containers.) It has been my experience that children try to paint with the branches as they would a paintbrush, so I like to paint my own star first and talk about "light easy strokes and swirls" as I'm painting, and perhaps show what happens when I try to use the branch like a paintbrush. I like making this a "following directions" activity in that I'm asking the children to paint differently than they would with a paintbrush.

Alternative: Some children may be more successful at this activity if it's set up on a table rather than attempting it from a vertical position. Or, you could give them a choice -- easel or table?

Science Extension: Place evergreen boughs in the Science Center for children to feel, smell, and look at under a magnifying glass. Discuss the differences between evergreens and other trees.

Creative Abstract Red Paintings:

Going From Abstract to Concrete: Allow children to paint a large sheet of rectangular or square paper using their usual paintbrushes (I prefer manilla paper). Once the papers are dry, ask the children if they would like their papers cut into a special Christmas shape. You can offer suggestions to choose from if needed (candle shape, candy cane shape, ornament shape, etc). Once you've cut a shape from their papers, allow them to do with it as they please in the Art Center. (Some children may prefer to work on their large red paintings without having them cut into shapes. Some may decide they want shapes cut from their paintings but they don't want to do anything to them in the Art Center but rather take them home as they are. How important is all this? To us, it's very trivial I suppose, but through this process, we're giving the children practice in "decision making."

You're welcome to share your favorite December easel projects too.

--------------------------------
Reminder from Stormie: If you would like to begin collecting ALL my current classroom ideas (each on a 4 x 6" index card), as well as new ones that I create, you can do so by ordering my "Activity Cards." Click here to check them out.

CONTINUE ON

OR

REVIEW DEC CURRICULUM CURRICULUMS INDEX WEBSITE INDEX HOME

My website address: http://www.preschoolbystormie.com