Elementary art students used markers and crayons to create artwork with big, medium and small shapes.

Supplies:

• 9″ x 12″ white paper
• Markers
• Crayons
• Pencils, erasers

Downloadable PowerPoint: Shapes and Sizes

The beginning of the year with second graders is always a little crazy. My class is the first time they have ever gone to Art Class! (Before, their homeroom teachers would do art and crafts projects with them.) So, we have a lot of procedures and expectations to learn and practice.

We started off the first day with a drawing game, which gave them a chance to practice some procedures and also got them thinking about composition and creativity. For our first multi-day art project, I wanted to build on those ideas.

At first, I was nervous that the prompt of drawing big, medium and small shapes would be too simple or boring. But, wow – did they get into it! I told them they could draw any kind of shape anywhere on their paper. I made a big deal about how they could make completely different choices with their drawing than I had made in my unfinished teacher example.

Their imaginations took over! I loved seeing how unique each piece of artwork was. When it was time for them to trace and add color, I had them circle up around my demonstration table while I showed them a couple tricks about using the markers and crayons.

I like to frame them as “tricks” instead of “the right way to use the supplies” because it makes them feel confident to experiment with the supplies in the art room. I showed them how to trace the shapes with marker by turning their paper so that their hand stays comfortable. I also demonstrated how to color the shapes by coloring the outline first and then filling in the middle.

When we got to the background, I told them they could color it in a solid color or use a lot of different colors. Background was definitely a new word for some of them! On the second day, I reviewed with them that the background was the space around their shapes, not the back of their paper.

This year, I’m trying to give my students more ownership of their art. One of the most powerful ways I’ve discovered is to give them the control of saying when the art is finished. In the past, I would insist that every kid color in every part of their paper.

This year, student tells me why they want to leave the background blank (and it can’t be “because I don’t feel like coloring!”) and then they turn it in. I can see a big difference in the confidence and pride they feel as artists!