Falling Leaves in Art Class

23 September 2011
Well, it's officially the first day of fall - and around here, the leaves are already changing.  Fall is my favourite season - LOVE the beautiful leaves and crisp weather!  To bring a little bit of fall into our classroom, our art this week captured the feelings of the season.  We are still studying colour and lines in visual arts.  This project was perfect!

We started with discussing warm and cool colours.  Students had to choose three of each.  I then gave them a sheet of leaf outlines (I found it here) which they had to cut out to make leaf templates.  They then traced the leaves onto their papers (I let them choose whatever leaves they wanted, and they could draw wherever they wanted on the page).  Then it was time for a quick compass lesson.  Starting with a small circle in the corner, they had to draw concentric circles.  When they couldn't stretch their compass any further, they started again on the opposite side of the page.  I had them colour the cool background first - alternating their colours in a pattern.  They then had to fill in the leaves, alternating the warm colours.  I gave students the option of using markers or pencil crayons.  If using pencil crayons, be sure to instruct the students to press quite hard - the effect looks best with brighter colours.  I really like how this student used a marker over the original lines.  Beautiful!


I love how this bulletin board brings a little of my favourite season into the classroom!











You can take a peek at my full lesson for this Falling Leaves idea here.  The lesson includes a full PDF as well as PowerPoint lesson with pictures and detailed step-by-step instructions for students, as well as a rubric for assessment and student reflection sheet.


Happy Friday (and Happy Fall)!!!

12 comments

  1. I can't wait until my son (probably your youngest blogstalker) gets home in a few minutes. He will be thrilled! I know what he will want to make tonight! Thank you! You inspire so many.

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  2. Wow! The student's artwork came out great.

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  3. Beautiful! I miss FALL the most living in TX. We just don't get the color we did when I lived in Wisconsin. Thanks for the reminder!

    Happy Autumn from the sunny south,

    Barbara

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  4. You have chosen fabulous projects that teach great art concepts and have a lot of visual impart when hung all together.

    Nannette
    THird Grade's a Charm

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  5. What a beautiful concept :) They turned out lovely. I may have to borrow that idea for my next art class.

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  6. Those are beautiful!

    I have awarded you the "Versatile Blogger" award. :)

    - Elizabeth
    http://firstyearinthe3rdgrade.blogspot.com/

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  7. I've nominated you for the Versatile blogger award. Come by my blog to check it out....AND I am loving the art projects!! I just keep pinning and pinning. Thanks for all that you share.
    Beth
    Thinking of Teaching

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  8. Wow! Thanks for this great idea. I think I can use this with all of my students, ranging in age from 5 to 13!!! No small feat!!!

    I am going to link up to your blog! LOVE IT! Came over from love2learn2day's math blog hop. :)

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  9. Wow, what an amazing project! I would love to try this. Do you have to teach your own art, or did you squeeze this in one day?

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  10. So beautiful! I love it! Wonder if my second graders could do it?

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  11. Made these today with my 5th Graders! Thanks for the amazing idea!

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  12. lovely loved it and will teach my students

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