Early Childhood Studio Lesson
Daheen, kindergarten.
Color ful
Kindergarten Mice
Byrna Bobick and Elizabeth Wheeler
Developing kindergarten
lessons can be very challenging, especially at the
beginning of the school
year when many students are just
learning to cut paper and hold crayons. My new favorite beginning unit
of the year is “mice paintings,” a
practical introduction to drawing,
color theory, and painting. This unit
also incorporates children’s literature
by using the story Mouse Paint by
Ellen Stoll Walsh to introduce color
theory. Students learn about different
kinds of lines and ways to use them
in their artwork and practice painting
and cutting skills. This lesson provides an outstanding foundation for a
successful year in art.
Defining Lines Choosing Colors
The first class begins with a discus- On the second day of class, begin by
sion of different types of lines, which reading the book, Mouse Paint, aloud.
includes questions such as: What is This book offers a fun way to intro-
a line? Where duce primary and
do you see lines Mouse paintings provide an secondary colors
around the class- opportunity for kindergarten as well as color
room? What kinds students to experiment with mixing. Students
of lines do you enjoy hearing
see on your cloth- various art materials and about the adven-
ing or shoes? As various elements of art. tures of three
students identify white mice who
a variety of lines, draw examples of fall into various paint puddles while
them on the board (straight, curved, hiding from a gray cat.
wiggly, diagonal, zigzag, etc.). Stu- After reading the story, review
dents next draw a simple step-by-step primary and secondary colors. Have
mouse with permanent markers on a students color their mouse drawings
12 x 18" piece of paper. from the previous class using primary
and secondary color oil pastels. While
students are coloring, talk to them
