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Storm Stories

Lesson Plan, Grades 4-6, Summer, Spring, Art, Cross-curricular, Language Arts, Science, Seasonal, School Smart, Crayola, Riverside

Description

Get your students actively involved in observing and studying the weather. Spring can be an ideal time of year to start this project, when in most parts of the country the weather is unpredictable and often dramatic. Color Diffusing Paper and water-based markers are the perfect materials for drawing pictures of stormy weather. When sprayed with water, the drawings look wet and wild. They can become inspirational catalysts for poetry such as the simple poem shown in the example.

Objectives

Students will demonstrate knowledge of the type of weather that spring brings by drawing and writing about it.

Students will understand the connection between a visual story and verbal story.

Students will demonstrate their ability to use art materials and techniques to express ideas and experiences.

Students will be able to describe how different peoples experiences influence the creation of specific artworks.

Supplies Needed

Color Diffusing Paper, 50-Sheet Pkg., 12 x 18
Crayola® Regular Broad Line Markers, 12-Color Set
Pacon Railroad Board, 25 Sheet Assortment - 22 x 28
Riverside® Construction Paper, 50-Sheet Pkg., 18 x 24, Assorted
Crayola® Gel FX Washable Markers, 8-Color Set
You will also need:
Spray bottle filled with water
Newspaper
Glue
Scrap paper
Pencils
Scissors
Ruler (optional)

Standards

CONTENT Standard #2: Using knowledge of structures and functions.
Grades K-4: Students will be able to describe how different expressive features and organizational principles
cause different responses.
CONTENT Standard #5
Grades K-4: Students will describe how peoples experiences influence the development of specific art works.
CONTENT Standard #6
Grades K-4: Students will understand and use the similarities and differences between
characteristics of the visual arts and other arts disciplines.

Instructions

1

Students can keep a weather log for a couple of weeks and list all the phenomena that they observe. Pictures from library books or the Internet of thunderstorms, tornados, and other types of weather can be used to supplement their ideas. A large list from the group should be made and displayed in the classroom.

2

Students can illustrate some aspects of stormy weather. Discuss the use of line, color and shape to show qualities of storminess. The drawing can be made on Color Diffusing Paper, first lightly in pencil and then with Crayola Markers.

3

When the drawing is complete, lay the drawing on layered newspaper, use the bottle to mist it lightly and then let it dry.

4

Cut a piece of construction paper to about 16 x 22 and glue the dried storm picture to the center of it. Use the Crayola Gel Markers to write a title at the top of the construction paper and create a pattern in the border around the drawing. Relate the pattern in some way to aspects of the drawing.

5

Cut a smaller sheet of construction paper. Have each student examine his or her own drawing for its most expressive features. Have them compose a poem, using the format you choose, on a separate piece of paper focusing on these features. Then write the poem on the small construction paper, first using pencil and then going over the pencil with marker. Students may wish to use a ruler to keep the lines of writing straight.