Early Childhood Lesson: Straight Lines

Lesson Submitted by: Pam Stephens -
Title of Lesson- Straight Lines
Adapted by Kathleen Arola, Foothills and Quail Run, Paradise Valley. Arizona
UNIT: Lines - Design - Collage - Warm Colors
Lesson: Construction Paper Straight Lines
Alternate Lesson: Use Primary Colors and "Mondrian" -Songs in the Key of Art" by G. Percy
Grade Level- Kindergarten - Pre School - Grade 1

Click to see larger wall display

Art from Kathleen's Arola's Students - Foothills and Quail Run, Paradise Valley, AZ

Objectives(s) Student will:

Actively identify types of line in the environment
Accurately demonstrate an understanding of how straight lines can be used in art
Learn a little about how artist get ideas
Demonstrate skill and craftsmanship in gluing (learn techniques)

Essential Questions:

What is a line? What are the types of lines?

Why do artists use straight lines? How do straight line make you feel?

Resources & Materials:

Reproductions of masterworks with obvious straight lines
Mondrian - Kandinksy - Feininger (Cubism) - Picasso (Cubism) - Frank Stella
Pre-cut strips of construction paper (lines)
Construction paper, 9” x 12” (or 12" x 18" depending on time frame)
Glue, Crayons

Motivation:

Explain that lines can be straight, curved, or zigzag. Demonstrate by drawing lines in the air and on the board. Suggestion:: Have student walk in a straight line down the hallways and look for Straight lines around them - return to room and use rulers to visually line up with straight lines around them (or use cardboard strips for the to hold up to find straight lines).

Display the art reproduction and ask individual students to identify various lines. What is the artist trying to show with line?

Activities/Sequence:

Create a line picture

Distribute lines and paper to students. Ask students to practice making a straight-line design with the pre-cut lines.
Distribute glue and demonstrate how to use glue. Ask students to glue their straight-line design to the paper. Kathleen found the tiiny dot technique worked best for her (watch out for glue "monsters" and even "baby Glue Monster" - line approach of putting down glue was too much glue for her students)
Limit the number of lines to 10 or less (for time sake -and aesthetics)
Encourage overlapping of lines.
Allow to dry.

Note: From Kathleen:

I changed it to warm colored lines (strips of paper). I told them to make the lines go "up and down", "side to side" and "across each other". Like with the starched yarn lesson, it was important for them to "play" with the strips of paper on the tables before deciding on a final design.

I also did the lesson with first grades, telling them to make their lines "come up off the paper". I said things like "fold one paper", "roll one paper", "twist one paper", "see if you can make a bridge/roller coaster/skate park." They had a blast. The first grade pictures are awesome.

Shown below - just two outstanding works.