Primary Power Teacher GuidePrimary Power Teacher Facilitation Guide Day 1: Color Basics Objective Students will identify the three primary colors (Red, Yellow, Blue) and observe how they mix to create new colors. Materials Primary color paints Fingerpaint paper Mixing mats (Student Material) Smocks & wipes Pacing 30-40 Minutes Intro: 10m Mixing: 20m Cleanup/Review: 10m Introduction: The Big Three Start by showing three large splashes of color: Red, Yellow, and Blue. Ask students to find things in the room that match these colors. "These are the Primary Colors. They are the bosses of the rainbow because we can't make them by mixing other colors—but they can make ALL the other colors!" Demonstration: Magic Mixing Put a glob of Yellow and a glob of Blue on a plate. Ask "What will happen if they dance together?" Use a finger to swirl them. Watch for the gasps as Green appears! Student Exploration Distribute the "Mixing Magic Mat". Place small dollops of primary paint in the circles. Encourage students to use their fingers or brushes to pull colors into the "mixing zone". Discussion Sparkers "How did the yellow paint feel when it met the blue?" Encourages personification and sensory descriptions. "If you mix all three together, what happens?" Exploration of neutrals and mud tones. Extension & Troubleshooting Quick Extension Give students a "White Paint Challenge". Add a drop of white to their colors. Ask how the color changed (Lightening/Tints). Common Issues "My colors all turned brown!" This happens when all three are mixed equally. Encourage using smaller amounts or keeping one side of the paper "clean". Observation Checklist Can name Red, Yellow, and Blue correctly. Demonstrates curiosity during mixing. Can identify the new color made (e.g., Green). Manages tools with age-appropriate control.
Primary Power SlidesPrimary Power The Big Color Secret! Meet the Three Bosses Red Yellow Blue "They can make any color in the whole world!" = Orange! Red + Yellow = Orange = Green! Yellow + Blue = Green = Purple! Blue + Red = Purple Time to Mix! Grab your Mixing Mat and your paints. Let's make some magic on our paper! Mix! Swirl! Play!
Primary Power Activity MatMixing Magic Little Hands, Big Colors! Name: Date: How to play: 1. Put a drop of RED, YELLOW, or BLUE in the small circles. 2. Use your finger to pull two colors into the BIG circle. 3. Watch the magic happen! Mixing Zone Mixing Zone Mixing Zone My Masterpiece Use all your colors to paint a beautiful picture here!
Tool Time Textures SlidesTool Time Textures What ELSE can we paint with? No Brushes Allowed! Today, we are looking for secrets in our tools! The Sponge Bumpy & Soft! It makes thousands of little dots when you bounce it! The Fork Scratchy & Straight! It makes long lines like grass or whiskers! Bubble Wrap Poppy & Round! It makes rows of perfect circles like scales! Texture Mission Can you fill your Texture Passport with three different tool secrets? Let's Go Exploring!
Tool Time Textures Teacher GuideTool Time Textures Teacher Facilitation Guide Day 2: Tool Exploration Objective Students will use unconventional tools to create texture and describe the marks they make (e.g., bumpy, scratchy). The Tools Sponges (sea & dish) Plastic forks Bubble wrap Toy car wheels Vocab Texture, Pattern, Mark, Bumpy, Smooth, Scratchy, Swirl. Station Setup Instructions 1. The Bounce Station (Sponges) Provide shallow trays of paint. Demonstrate "The Bounce"—pressing down and lifting straight up to see the dots. 2. The Scratch Station (Forks) Use forks to "comb" through wet paint or dip them flat to make rake marks. Great for making "hair" or "grass". 3. The Pop Station (Bubble Wrap) Tape bubble wrap to small wood blocks to make "stamps". Show how rows of circles look like snake scales or clouds. 4. The Zoom Station (Wheels) Roll toy car wheels through paint to see tread patterns. Ask: "Are these paths straight or curvy?" 1 Look and Feel (5m) Pass around the tools BEFORE they have paint on them. Let kids feel the sponges vs. the plastic forks. Use describing words. 2 Rotation (20m) Students move from station to station with their "Texture Passport". Spend ~5 mins per tool. Ask While They Work... "Does that sound scratchy when you move the fork? What animal makes that sound?" "If your sponge was a cloud, how would it float onto the paper?"
Texture Passport ActivityTexture Passport My Exploration Journal Explorer: Travel to each station and use your secret tools to fill your passport stamps! Sponge Bounce "Bumpy & Soft" Fork Scratch "Sharp & Straight" Bubble Pop "Rows of Circles" Tread Tracks "Dashing Paths"
Shape Stamping SlidesShape Stamping Building Art with Shapes! Shapes Are Everywhere! Square A Window? Circle The Sun? Triangle A Roof? Shape Power! Artists use shapes like blocks to build giant masterpieces! "I can make a house!" Press and Lift! 1. Press 2. Lift! Don't smear! Keep the shape clean. Your Studio Secret "Can you use your Squares, Circles, and Triangles to build something from your imagination?"
Shape Stamping Teacher GuideShape Stamping Studio Teacher Facilitation Guide Day 3: Geometric Art Objective Students will recognize geometric shapes and use them as stamps to build a representational or abstract composition. Supplies Paint (Primary + White) Cork/Blocks (Circles) Cardboard strips (Rect) Sponges cut in triangles Key Concept Composition: Putting shapes together to make a whole picture. 1 Shape Recognition Walk (5m) Point to objects in the room and ask what shape they are. "Is the clock a square or a circle?" Help students see that everything is made of shapes. 2 The "Press-Lift" Technique (5m) Crucial for preschool: Demonstrate pressing the stamp into the paint tray, then pressing it firmly onto the paper and lifting straight up. Warn against "scrubbing" the stamp, which loses the shape. 3 Studio Time: Building Pictures (20m) Encourage students to use shapes to "build". A square with a triangle on top is a house. Circles in a row are a caterpillar. Teacher Tip: Provide separate paint trays for each shape to prevent immediate color mixing (mud), unless that is the goal. "My house is invisible!" If paint is too thin, the shapes won't show. Ensure paint is creamy (tempera works best). If the child is pressing too hard and smearing, sit with them and do a "1-2-3-LIFT" count together. Reflective Closing "I see a lot of squares on this paper. Can anyone tell me what those squares built?"
Shape Builder ActivityShape Builder Building World with Stamps Architect: Use your Circles, Squares, and Triangles to build a masterpiece inside the frame! My Masterpiece Frame Circles Squares Triangles
Color Moods SlidesColor Moods How does your art feel today? Colors Have Feelings Too! Happy Bright & Sunny Calm Quiet & Cool Excited Big & Loud Strong Gentle Fast! Dancing Brushes Is your brush dancing a slow waltz or a wild rock show? Try it out in the air! The Music Challenge "When the music is slow, my brush is slow. When the music is loud, my brush is big!" Today's Studio Time "Don't worry about making a 'thing'. Just paint your feelings!" Happy Calm Excited Peaceful
Color Moods Teacher GuideColor Moods Expression Teacher Facilitation Guide Day 4: SEL in Art Objective Students will explore the connection between their internal emotions and external artistic choices (color, brushstroke speed). Preparation Prepare two music tracks: one fast/upbeat (e.g., Vivaldi Summer) and one slow/calm (e.g., Satie Gymnopedie). Medium Watercolors or thin tempera. These flow easily with the music. 1 Air Painting (5m) Play the first track. Ask students to "paint in the air" with an invisible brush. "How does the music make your arm move? Is it a big sweep or a tiny wiggle?" Switch tracks and observe the change. 2 The Mood Palette (5m) Distribute the "Mood Palette" worksheet. Talk through the emotions on the page. "If you were a color right now, which one would you be?" 3 Emotional Painting Session (20m) Let students paint freely. Encourage abstract expression—dots, lines, swirls. Avoid asking "What is it?" and instead ask "How did it feel to paint those big red circles?" For "Happy/Excited" Fast, High, Bouncing, Bright, Dot-dot-dot! For "Calm/Sad" Slow, Low, Sweeping, Soft, Smooth lines. Observation Point Notice if students change their color palette based on their mood or if they gravitate towards a "safety" color. "Artists show their hearts through their brushes. You all shared your hearts today!"
Color Moods Palette ActivityMood Palette Painting My Feelings Artist: How do you feel today? Color the hearts that match your heart! Happy Calm Excited My "Happy" Art Fast and bright colors! My "Calm" Art Slow and quiet colors! Paint your heart here! "Every stroke of my brush tells a story about me!"
Masterpiece Museum SlidesThe Masterpiece Museum Starring: YOU! What is a Museum? A special place where we LOOK at art. A place where we PROTECT art. A place where we SHARE our ideas. Gallery Manners Walking Feet Safe and slow like a turtle. Looking Eyes We look, but we don't touch! YOUR ART Title: Happy Day Artist: Your Name Every Art Piece Has a Name! "What do you want to name your masterpiece? Does it have a secret name?" Grand Opening! Time to set up our Gallery! Enter the Museum
Masterpiece Museum Teacher GuideMasterpiece Museum Finale Teacher Facilitation Guide Day 5: Exhibition Objective Students will curate their work, create art labels, and practice appropriate social behaviors in an exhibition setting. Social Goals Respecting others' work, giving "art compliments," and using museum voices. Supplies Masking tape, Museum Labels (Student Material), Cardstock for mounting (optional). 1 Selection & Curation (10m) Ask students to look through their folder from the week. Have them choose 1-2 favorites they want to "hang" in the museum. "Why did you choose this one? Does it make you feel proud?" 2 Labeling (10m) Provide the "Museum Labels". Help students dictate or write the title of their piece. Glue the labels next to their art on the wall (at their eye level!). "The title is like the name of the story your painting is telling." 3 The Gallery Walk (15m) Invite another class or parents (or just do a class walk). Practice walking with "hands behind backs" or "quiet hands" to resist the urge to touch wet paint/texture. Art Compliment Starters "I like the way you used [Color] here!" Focuses on specific choices. "The texture on this part feels [Bumpy/Smooth]!" Reinforces vocabulary from Day 2. Final Reflection "How does it feel to see your art on the wall? You are all Young Masters!"
Masterpiece Museum LabelsMuseum Labels Naming My Masterpiece "Cut out your favorite label, fill it in, and tape it next to your art!" Title of Work Artist Name Date Official Young Master Label Title of Work Artist Name Date Official Young Master Label Title of Work Artist Name Date Official Young Master Label Title of Work Artist Name Date Official Young Master Label (Teacher: Cut along the black lines for individual labels)
