Imagine teaching art for the first time in an elementary school that has never had an art program. How do you start teaching students art when they have never had the experience? I thought about it a lot, and I found inspiration in the first record of human artistic expression, Cave Paintings. I took inspiration from the wonderful book Art In Story.
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| First grade student creating an individual "cave drawing" with crayons. |
I approached this lesson from various angles. First it would start exposing students to art and introduce the beginning of visual expression. I would also take advantage of the simplicity of the drawings to introduce students to the concepts of organic and geometric shapes in art, as well as the different kinds of lines.
Working in a brand new school we were piloting a program that let us teachers remotely control the computer using an iPad. I still use the program to this day, it's amazing being able to walk and interact with students while being in control of the computer without having to stand by my desk. I took advantage of the program, and I let students use my iPad to remotely control the computer and draw on top of my presentation using the iPad. The program doubles as a "smart board", so students drew on the iPad with their fingers and we all saw it on the projector. I was asking students to trace over shapes or lines saying things like " trace a geometric shape on the cave painting" or "trace a curved line on the cave painting". If this isn't an option because your classroom doesn't have the resources, markers on a whiteboard serve the same purpose.
I spent a whole lesson just having students look at cave paintings, identifying shapes and lines and asking questions. I also memorized and told them the the two stories(Altamira and Lascaux) from the Cave Art chapter in Art In Story. Students loved hearing the stories, specially since I was very dramatic while telling them and they involved children. I had them imagine they are those children who found the caves. Some said they would've been scared, others said they would've kept it a secret forever. The first day's lesson ended with the promise of showing them a virtual tour of the Lascaux cave the next day they came to art.
The next day I showed them where the caves were located in Europe. I explained about the pigments and how the cave men made and used their paint. Telling them sometimes they mixed pigment with urin both grossed them out and fascinated them. I gave them more information about the caves and, add promised have them the virtual tour of Lascaux.
Interactive 3D tour of the Lascaux cave
The virtual tour was like magic and took their cave painting experience full circle. They were shocked at the size of the drawings and the fact that kids their age wondered alone in the cave.
Now it was time for them to create their cave art. I tried different things with different groups. Some worked individually, while others worked in groups. I gave some groups oil pastels, others used crayons, fourth and fifth graders used liquid temperas.
During the first two weeks of school I had no tables in my room, so the kiddos got down on the floor to work. I guess it made it more authentic!
Happy art making!
Lesson objectives:
Working in a brand new school we were piloting a program that let us teachers remotely control the computer using an iPad. I still use the program to this day, it's amazing being able to walk and interact with students while being in control of the computer without having to stand by my desk. I took advantage of the program, and I let students use my iPad to remotely control the computer and draw on top of my presentation using the iPad. The program doubles as a "smart board", so students drew on the iPad with their fingers and we all saw it on the projector. I was asking students to trace over shapes or lines saying things like " trace a geometric shape on the cave painting" or "trace a curved line on the cave painting". If this isn't an option because your classroom doesn't have the resources, markers on a whiteboard serve the same purpose.
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| Kindergarteners working on a group" cave painting " using oil pastels. |
The next day I showed them where the caves were located in Europe. I explained about the pigments and how the cave men made and used their paint. Telling them sometimes they mixed pigment with urin both grossed them out and fascinated them. I gave them more information about the caves and, add promised have them the virtual tour of Lascaux.
Interactive 3D tour of the Lascaux cave
The virtual tour was like magic and took their cave painting experience full circle. They were shocked at the size of the drawings and the fact that kids their age wondered alone in the cave.
Now it was time for them to create their cave art. I tried different things with different groups. Some worked individually, while others worked in groups. I gave some groups oil pastels, others used crayons, fourth and fifth graders used liquid temperas.
 |
| Fifth grade students creating their individual cave paintings, drawing first with oil pastels then painting with tempera paints. |
During the first two weeks of school I had no tables in my room, so the kiddos got down on the floor to work. I guess it made it more authentic!
Happy art making!
Lesson objectives:
- Identify the characteristics of line and shape in cave paintings.
- Compare and contrast prehistoric art and modern art.
- Create a cave drawing
Vocabulary:
- Cave Painting, line, shape, organic shape, geometric shape, contour line
You will need:
- Computer
- Projector
optional: Doceri program and iPad with the Doceri app or SMART Board
Through an interactive presentation using an iPad, the students will identify lines and shapes in cave paintings and compare and contrast cave art and modern art.
Cave paintings from CaramelBun
They will learn about the history and
location of the caves in Altamira and Lascaux, and have an opportunity to take
an interactive virtual tour through the cave in Lascaux.
Using oil pastels, tempera and craft
paper the students will draw their own cave paintings.
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