Art Lesson 3: Pattern Snakes
This is an art integrated lesson designed for a kindergarten classroom. It integrates art into math as students look at how patterns can be not only linear but concentric. The arts are integrated through sponge painting. For a reflection of my teaching, see ART LESSON 3 REFLECTION
Lesson Plan
Standard/Benchmark
HCPS III:
Strand: Visual Arts
Standard 1: VISUAL ARTS: Understand and apply art materials, techniques, and processes in the creation of works of art and understand how the visual arts communicate a variety of ideas, feelings, and experiences
Topic: How the Arts are Organized
Benchmark FA.K.1.2: Use developmentally appropriate art media, tools, and processes
Strand: Patterns, Functions, and Algebra
Standard 9: Patterns, Functions, and Algebra: PATTERNS AND FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS: Understand various types of patterns and functional relationships
Topic: Patterns
Benchmark MA.K.9.1:Demonstrate repeating patterns involving shapes, objects, sounds, and movements
Assessment
Students will be able to: identify patterns in the artist Thaneeya McArdle’s painting Mandala.
Students will be able to: create a pattern snake using paint and a variety of shaped sponges as stamps. Snake will have one pattern which can be alternating color, shape, simple or complex.
Students will be assessed on whether they were able to make a pattern with their sponge stamping, and whether that pattern was accurately repeated throughout the snake.
Materials:
Lesson Sequence:
**When students come in, Mandala painting should be loaded on the computer and SmartBoard and ready to go, but not visible yet. Tables should be covered with newspaper, construction paper and sets of sponge stamps should be by each student’s chair. Students will sit in rows facing the board.
1. Look at linear unifix cube pattern, identify pattern
“Just like how we usually start math, we are going to start today looking at some patterns.
*hold up the AB pattern made of unifix cubes.
“We’ve already seen this kind of pattern before. Who knows what the pattern is?” Allow students to answer, and explain.
2. Look at Thaneeyal McArdle painting, compare to unifix cube pattern
“I am going to show you a painting by an artist named Thaneeya McArdle. It is a beautiful painting and it is also a pattern. But, it is different from the pattern I have in my hand.
*Turn smartboard on so students can see the painting.
“What do you think is different about this pattern?”
Take student responses. Make sure students understand that it is different because the painting has many patterns which go in a circle while the unifix pattern is one pattern in a straight line.
3. Students identify the patterns they see in painting
“Now, there are many patterns in this painting. Who thinks they see a pattern?”
Call up several students one by one to point out patterns to their friends. As they point out the pattern, ask students what kind of pattern it is. (AB, ABB, etc.)
“Do you think you can use anything to make a pattern? What about sponges?”
TRANSITION TO HALF-CIRCLE FORMATION ON RUG; arrange construction paper, newspaper, sponges, paint.
4. Demonstrate art process (sponge stamp painting)
5. Art Workshop
HCPS III:
Strand: Visual Arts
Standard 1: VISUAL ARTS: Understand and apply art materials, techniques, and processes in the creation of works of art and understand how the visual arts communicate a variety of ideas, feelings, and experiences
Topic: How the Arts are Organized
Benchmark FA.K.1.2: Use developmentally appropriate art media, tools, and processes
Strand: Patterns, Functions, and Algebra
Standard 9: Patterns, Functions, and Algebra: PATTERNS AND FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS: Understand various types of patterns and functional relationships
Topic: Patterns
Benchmark MA.K.9.1:Demonstrate repeating patterns involving shapes, objects, sounds, and movements
Assessment
Students will be able to: identify patterns in the artist Thaneeya McArdle’s painting Mandala.
Students will be able to: create a pattern snake using paint and a variety of shaped sponges as stamps. Snake will have one pattern which can be alternating color, shape, simple or complex.
Students will be assessed on whether they were able to make a pattern with their sponge stamping, and whether that pattern was accurately repeated throughout the snake.
Materials:
- Unifix cube train
- Picture of Thaneeya McArdle’s painting loaded on the smartboard
- 18 snakes drawn on construction paper, uncut
- (Black, yellow or blue paper)
- **Snake will have less coils that are thicker
- Red, green, white, blue paint bottles
- 18 pieces of scratch paper for experimenting
- newspaper to cover the tables
- 18 sets of sponges cut into random shapes
- 8-10 tofu containers or plates to put the paints in
- aprons if available
Lesson Sequence:
**When students come in, Mandala painting should be loaded on the computer and SmartBoard and ready to go, but not visible yet. Tables should be covered with newspaper, construction paper and sets of sponge stamps should be by each student’s chair. Students will sit in rows facing the board.
1. Look at linear unifix cube pattern, identify pattern
“Just like how we usually start math, we are going to start today looking at some patterns.
*hold up the AB pattern made of unifix cubes.
“We’ve already seen this kind of pattern before. Who knows what the pattern is?” Allow students to answer, and explain.
2. Look at Thaneeyal McArdle painting, compare to unifix cube pattern
“I am going to show you a painting by an artist named Thaneeya McArdle. It is a beautiful painting and it is also a pattern. But, it is different from the pattern I have in my hand.
*Turn smartboard on so students can see the painting.
“What do you think is different about this pattern?”
Take student responses. Make sure students understand that it is different because the painting has many patterns which go in a circle while the unifix pattern is one pattern in a straight line.
3. Students identify the patterns they see in painting
“Now, there are many patterns in this painting. Who thinks they see a pattern?”
Call up several students one by one to point out patterns to their friends. As they point out the pattern, ask students what kind of pattern it is. (AB, ABB, etc.)
“Do you think you can use anything to make a pattern? What about sponges?”
TRANSITION TO HALF-CIRCLE FORMATION ON RUG; arrange construction paper, newspaper, sponges, paint.
4. Demonstrate art process (sponge stamp painting)
- Choose a sponge shape and a paint color.
- Dip the sponge into the paint, make sure that there is enough paint to cover the entire surface, but not too much that it will be a blob
- Press the sponge onto the paper, not too hard.
- Repeat, choose another color and sponge…
5. Art Workshop
- Students must use scratch paper on the table to experiment with the different sponges and create a pattern.
- When they have decided on a pattern to repeat, they will check with teacher then grab a pattern snake construction paper from chair and begin stamping their pattern.
- As students are working, teacher walks around to check student’s patterns, keeps the talking level down.
- Clean up: Students will place their finished snakes to dry on the table in library. Students will place their dirty sponges in a bin that will be by each sink and their clean sponges in a separate bin. Then students will wash their hands and put their aprons away and read silently in the library.