Materials
• fluorescent markers
• gel markers
• construction paper crayons
• oil pastels
• colored pencils
• copy paper
Technology Resources
• digital camera with
memory disk
• computer
• basic picture image
software (iPhoto), a
way to get your images
to the computer
• printer
• copy machine
Olivia Cundari, grade four.
using the art vocabulary that they
have been learning over the past
four years!
Assessing the Final Product
At the end of class, students gather
in a circle and have the opportunity
to ask questions about the work
of their peers. At times they need
prompting, so I might say “Which
artist used a variety of lines in an
interesting way?” or “Which piece
of art shows a flat background? How
did the artist achieve this?” We
discuss aesthetic preferences and
how they react to one piece versus
another.
Students subsequently had the
opportunity to view the stages of
their art from beginning to end. I
created a slideshow showing the
stages of their images fading into
one another. Students were able to
compare how their work looked at
the beginning and the end. This was
a powerful illustration of the importance of considering an effective
background.
I can truthfully say that this
is one of my favorite lessons. Students have a marvelous time and
the images give an accurate picture
of student understanding. While it
is ideal for fourth grade, it can be
adapted for other grade levels, especially when experimenting with
media and techniques. I owe a special thanks to our PTO for the grant
money to purchase the camera and
peripherals.
Cynthia McKeon is an art teacher at
W. L. Foster Elementary School in Hing-ham, Massachusetts. cmckeon@hingham-schools.com
NATIONAL STANDARD
Students use different media, techniques, and processes to communicate ideas, experiences, and stories.
WEB LINK
www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/cur-rent.html
