Dancing Brushes Presentation DANCING BRUSHES
Let's explore lines through paint!
What is a line?
Straight lines stand tall.
Wavy lines dance like water.
Zig-zag lines are sharp!
"A line is a dot that went for a walk."
— Paul Klee
Meet the Master
Piet Mondrian loved straight lines.
Up, down, and across!
Meet the Master
Wassily Kandinsky loved curvy lines.
They dance to the music!
STUDIO TIME
1 Pick your favorite line style.
2 Dip your brush in the "paint pool."
3 Let your brush go for a walk!
Line Parade Guide Line Parade Guide
Teacher Facilitation • Lesson 1
THE BIG GOAL
Students will identify and create three types of lines (Straight, Wavy, Zig-Zag ) through painting, using famous artists as inspiration to understand that lines can have different "personalities."
SETUP
Large white paper (12x18)
Primary tempera paint (Red, Blue, Yellow)
Brushes of different sizes
Smocks & Water cups
KEY WORDS
Mondrian: Straight, sturdy lines.
Kandinsky: Wavy, dancing lines.
Artist: Someone who makes art!
THE PROCESS
1
Finger Dancing
Before picking up brushes, have students "draw" lines in the air. "Let's make a Mondrian line—tall and straight! Now let's make a Kandinsky line—wavy like a snake!"
2
The Paint Pool
Model how to dip just the "toes" of the brush in the paint. "We don't want our brushes to go swimming, just a quick dip!"
3
Line Parade
Invite students to create their own line parade. Encourage them to switch colors for different line types.
WHAT TO ASK & SAY
Notice & Affirm
"I notice you used a blue wavy line that looks like it's swimming across the page!"
"Look at those straight lines meeting! They look like a Mondrian box."
Inquiry
"How does your brush feel when it makes a zig-zag? Does it feel fast or slow?"
"If this line was a sound, what would it sound like?"
Line Trail Practice ARTIST:
DATE:
Line Trail Practice
Lesson 1 Activity
Use your finger or a brush to follow the trails!
Mondrian's Straight Line
Kandinsky's Wavy Line
Zig-Zag Line
Your Turn! Draw some dancing lines: Shape Shapers Presentation SHAPE SHAPERS
From flat shapes to standing tall!
Flat vs. Fat!
2D (Flat)
Like a drawing on a piece of paper.
?
3D (FAT)
Something you can hold and touch!
Master Sculptor
Barbara Hepworth loved smooth, curvy shapes.
Her shapes have "windows" you can peek through!
Master Sculptor
Alexander Calder made shapes that move.
They float in the air like a circus!
BUILD IT!
1 Squeeze your clay—warm it up!
2 Roll it, poke it, shape it.
3 Can you make it stand up?
Clay Wonders Guide 3D Clay Wonders Guide
Teacher Facilitation • Lesson 2
THE BIG GOAL
Students will transform "flat" thinking into "3D" thinking by manipulating clay to create spheres, cubes, and cylinders , understanding that sculpture can be viewed from all sides.
Tool Box
Air-dry clay or Playdough
Cardboard bases (4x4 squares)
Plastic forks for texture
Pipe cleaners (optional for Calder style)
Art Words
Sphere: Like a ball.
Cylinder: Like a tube or log.
Sculpture: Art you can walk around.
Small Group Steps
1
The "Magic Roll"
Show students how to roll a ball (sphere) in their palms. "Roll it round and round until it's smooth like Hepworth's stones!"
2
The "Flat Tap"
Model tapping a sphere on the table to make a flat side (starting a cube). "Tap, tap, tap. Now it has a flat floor to sit on!"
3
Build Up!
Challenge students to stack two shapes or poke a "window" through their shape with their finger.
STUDIO PROMPTS
Observe
"I see you made a very tall cylinder! How did you make it stand without falling?"
"You poked a hole in your clay. Who might live inside that cave?"
Connect
"Pick up your sculpture. Can you see it from the top? How about the bottom?"
"Is your sculpture smooth like Hepworth's or bumpy?"
Shape Seekers Hunt ARTIST:
DATE:
Shape Seekers
Lesson 2 Hunt
Look for 3D Shapes!
Find them in our classroom or in your clay. Check the box when you find one!
SPHERE
Like a ball or a grape!
CUBE
Like a block or a box!
CYLINDER
Like a can or a log!
PYRAMID
Like a tent or a mountain!
Draw a shape you made with clay:
Artist Space
Sticky Stories Presentation STICKY STORIES
Making magic with paper and glue!
What is a Collage?
SNIP! STICK! STORY!
A collage is a "layered" picture made by gluing different shapes together.
Meet the Master
Henri Matisse used "scissors as a brush."
His shapes look like flowers and stars!
Two Kinds of Shapes
Geometric
Lines and corners that are straight and perfect.
Organic
Curvy and wiggly shapes found in nature.
MAKE A STORY!
1 Pick your shapes (Organic or Geometric).
2 Slide them around to tell a story.
3 A dot of glue to make them stay!
Matisse Garden Guide Matisse Garden Guide
Teacher Facilitation • Lesson 3
THE BIG GOAL
Students will differentiate between Geometric (perfect) and Organic (nature-inspired) shapes while creating a layered story collage inspired by Henri Matisse's "The Cut-Outs."
PREP
Pre-cut shapes (circles, stars, squiggles)
Glue sticks & "Dot" glue
Colorful construction paper bases
"Scrap" bin for extra colors
KEY VOCAB
Organic: Wiggly, like a leaf or cloud.
Geometric: Perfect shapes, like a square.
Overlap: Putting one shape on top of another.
Small Group Steps
1
Sorting Shapes
Spread the cut-outs on the table. Ask students to pick one "pointy" shape (geometric) and one "wiggly" shape (organic).
2
Slide and Tell
Ask students to move their shapes around without glue first . "Where is the square's friend, the squiggle? Can they give each other a hug?" (Modeling overlapping)
3
Dot of Glue
Model "Just a dot, not a lot!" Help students stick their favorite shapes down to finalize their story.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
Storytelling
"If this blue squiggle is water, what is that red triangle doing near it?"
"Tell me about the shapes that are hiding behind the big yellow one."
Art Critique
"Matisse would love your garden! Which shape is the most wiggly?"
"How did you decide which color to put on top of the other?"
Shape Story Collage Base Artist:
My Story Title:
My Shape Story
Lesson 3 Collage
How to build your story:
Pick a shape, slide it around, then stick it down!
Geometric
Organic
STUDIO SPACE
"Every child is an artist." — Pablo Picasso
