The first art lesson I am posting here is one I used for a project involved in my masters program. I think that special educators will find it helps students think creatively and involves multiple subjects simultaneously.
Lesson: Predict What Will Happen - An Art Lesson Using Imaginations
Items Needed:
1. Picture Book - Age Appropriate (I used Crickwing By: Janell Cannon - she wrote Stellaluna)
2. Rainbow Scratch Paper (I found this at Lakeshore Learning for $9.95 for 30 sheets)
3. Extra Scratch Tools - aka Wooden BBQ Skewers (Target - $1)
4. Different Colored Construction Paper (Target - $4)
Lesson:
1. Read the story but stop just short of the end. (If you read Crickwing, you can stop right before the army ants see what is in their path blocking them from attacking the leaf-cutter ants) Prep your students to let them know that you will not be finishing the story. Also prompt them to begin thinking and predicting how the story will end. Ask lots of questions throughout the story so that your students can fully grasp the plot. Then close the book. (you can finish the book after the students have drawn what they predict the ending to be just so they can have closure)
2. Begin to ask students what they think happened at the end of the story. Tell them to use their imagination and be creative, no answer is wrong.
3. Pass out Rainbow Scratch Paper - use extra BBQ skewers since the pack will not have enough scratch tools for a class. Make sure that students know to not use these as a weapon. If you want to be extra careful you can cut off the sharper tips off of the wooden skewers.
4. Have the students use the scratch paper to create beautiful renditions of what they think happened at the end of the story. Tell students to go over their lines a couple of times to make them thick enough, smaller lines are harder to distinguish between. The rainbow color pops better when the lines are drawn thicker. Students use the skewers or scratch tools just like they would use a pencil.
5. Have students glue their artwork onto a colorful piece of construction paper to make a stunning border to their art.
6. After students finish, have them discuss and talk about what they drew and why they thought the story ended that way.
7. Finally, read the ending story of the book to tell children what really happened. How did this differ from their art?
Now you have a wonderful piece of art to hang in your classroom that helped students with reading comprehension, predicting literature, and creative thinking.
Thanks for reading - feel free to take this lesson and use it in your own classroom. After all, teachers teach sharing to our students so of course we must follow our own rules and share!
