K-5 After-School Art Classes! (30-45 min)
Overview
These are 5 seperate (30-45 min) lesson plans designed as afterschool activities geared towards K-5 students. Each lesson incorporates teaching important childhood values along with the lesson such as sharing, appreciation, generosity, etc. so that the students practice them while creating art.
K-5 Fun After-School Art Classes! (30-45 min)
K-5 After-School Art Classes (30-45 min)
Google Doc link to this page: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GBxVKZEVS3WuUZHw8sebZtqNOS0oSD4BekRLlFTtnig/edit?usp=sharing
Lesson 1: 35 min
Goal: Teaching generosity/empathy
Overview:
Everyone will be painting two rocks, if they can read/write they can write a message for someone on it, if not just painting it is okay. At the end of the lesson they will be trading one of their rocks with another student, it can be someone they choose or if it works better just the person to their right, depending on the class.
Pre-class set up:
Mixed paints, paintbrushes set out(2 per student), markers set out, cards for nametags, tape, rocks,
Materials:
Bio-Degradable paints
Paintbrushes
Rocks
Markers
Nametag
Water Cups
Time | Content | Additional Alternate Activity | Goal |
10 min | Gather in a circle, Take 3 deep breaths as a group Introduce self and aim of the class Explain: “Today we will practice gratitude, one way we can do this is by giving to people we care about! We’ll be two painting rocks each, any design they choose, at the end of the class, everyone will gift one of their rocks to the person sitting to their right or someone they choose, Optional depending on teacher’s preference: Students pre-select who they’re giving their rock to Brainstorm what brings them joy/makes their day better, Ask their partner if they would like to paint something specific on their rock Emphasize: At the end of the class students will be giving one of their rocks away to another | If students are proficient in reading/writing: Pass out examples of painted rocks, each with a kind message:
As well as writing a kind message on each, provide examples for them. | Calm and center students before activity Provide intention and aim for students |
15 min | Hand out two rocks per student Explain the purpose and value behind the bio-degradable paint and how to use it Begin painting | Last 3 min, remind them to write their message If students finish early,
| Remind them of sustainability importance, material skill-building |
10 min | Everyone gather again and turn-in paintbrushes before gifting rocks! Share to the class about their specific rock, what/why they painted on it, and what was the thing they were grateful for In a circle, everyone gifts their rocks to someone else in the class Hand out the fruit snacks! | Practice generosity and empathy |
Lesson 2: 35 min
Goal: Sharing, using natural resources anywhere anytime
Overview: We’re going to be making little creatures that “represent” each student, by gluing together natural resources they gather(sticks, flowers, leaves, etc.). After gathering their supplies they will choose 3 things to keep and the rest they’ll put in the common collection bin and then construct the creatures. At the end, everyone will share out about their creature and why it represents them.
Pre-class set up:
Glue bottles, some mixed paint, paintbrushes set out,
Put out the common collection bin in the center of work area
Materials:
Glue
Paintbrushes
Paint
Access to nature
Bin/Container
Time | Content | Alternate Activity | Goal |
5 min | Gather in a circle Take 3 deep breaths as a group Introduce the aim of the activity–using nature as a resource/creating a relationship with nature Make it clear that everyone will be giving some of the resources they find to the common collection pile and will only be able to keep 3 | Calm and center students before activity Provide intention and aim for students | |
7 min | Set kids out in contained zone for exploration to look for pieces of nature they can use, Remind them of norms,
| Respecting/Using nature as a resource | |
3 min | Everyone chooses their 3 supplies to keep and put the rest in the common collection bin Remind them to have a goal for their creature in mind so they know what supplies they’re looking for | Practice sharing and kindness | |
15 min | Glue together the creatures, using the materials they gathered, Continue encouraging them to share their materials. In maybe the last 5 min of this remind them they can paint their creatures as well(eyes and colors etc.) | Remind the of use and importance of nature, practice skill-building | |
10 min | Everyone gathers in the circle, share out about their creature,
Hand out fruit snacks! | Early finishers:
| Practice self-reflection and creativity |
Lesson 3: 30 min
Goal: Appreciation and kindness, respecting nature
Overview: We’re going to be making appreciation cards for people, parents, family, other students, whoever the students choose. First, we gather supplies from nature, leaves, sticks, etc. to use as part of the card, they can paint the outline of flowers, make leaf prints, anything they choose. If students are proficient in reading/writing they can write messages on them as well but just making art on the card is fine. Each student will hopefully make about 3 cards although it’s okay if they make less as long as they’re using their time well.
Pre-class set up: Put out the paper, set out colored pencils, mixed paints, and paintbrushes
Hook: Examples of leaf prints, flower and leaf paintings etc.
Materials:
Paper
Colored pencils
Paint
Access to Nature
Time | Content | Alternate Activity | Goal |
5 min | Everyone gather in a circle, Take 3 deep breaths, Explain we’re going to be making cards of appreciation, and the importance of using nature in them | Calm and center students before activity Provide intention and aim for students | |
5 min | Remind them of norms, Do not pull live flowers, leaves from bushes, etc., we only use fallen objects Everyone is given time to search for leaves, sticks, flowers, etc. whatever they want to sketch/paint within the exploration zone | Remind the of use and importance of nature | |
10 min | Begin creating their cards, incorporating some aspects of the natural resources they collected Draw who/what they appreciate about someone to gift to them later Goal is to create about 3 in total by the end | If students are proficient in reading/writing: On the back of each print they write the things they appreciate about the person If students need instruction/want to: Show how to make leaf prints with colored pencils or paint | Practice appreciation and articulation Learn/practice new art technique |
10 min | Gather in a circle again Go around, everyone showing one of their works and why they made it/why they’re grateful Everyone gather up their prints, return natural supplies to nature, clean up art supplies used Hand out fruit snacks! | Practicing gratitude/appreciation |
Lesson 4: 35 min
Goal: Teach/practice self-appreciation to build a positive self-image.
Overview: We’ll be making origami cats and dogs to “represent” each student, and then each will put three traits about themselves they like on the back of their origami animal, and share about it as a class in the end.
Materials:
Paper
Markers/paint
Time | Content | Alternate Activity | Goal |
5 min | Gather everyone in a circle Take 3 deep breaths
Hand out paper and markers, and lay-out the instructional sheets in front of the students evenly. | The goal of these cats/dogs will be to teach/practice self-love and develop a good self-image. | |
10 min | Fold origami cats and dogs as a class together, making sure every kid follows each step at a time | Ask students to help someone else if they get ahead on their own origami | Working as a group and helping others |
10 min | Decorate everyone’s origami animals together, ask everyone to try and really personalize it to themselves | Have every kid write out their three favorite traits about themselves | Expression of self, appreciation of self, and associating positivity with identity |
5 min | Gather in a circle as a class with everyone’s animals, everyone will share out, | Everyone explains the reasoning behind their three traits | |
5 min | Everyone cleans up their supplies |
3rd graders’ origami dogs
(The student who made the brown one decided it should be upside down)
Lesson 5: 30 min
Goal: Practice expressing joy in whatever form that can take and challenging their creativity. Expressing themselves as individuals and defining what makes them unique.
Overview: Each student will be creating their very own zine–whatever subject/story/idea they want, with the intention of expressing their “joy.” If students are capable, teach them how to fold and create a zine, otherwise, I’ll just hand out pre-made zines for them to fill. Students will then spend their time making their zines before sharing out as a class about what they made and why.
Materials:
Paper
Markers
(Depending on age and ability) Folded Zines
Time | Content | Alternate Activity | Goal |
5 min | Gather everyone in a circle Take 3 deep breaths Explain we’re going to be making their own mini-zines which they can fill with anything, a story, a comic book, a card of appreciation, instructions, whatever they want really. Ask the students to incorporate happiness into their story, whatever that means to them. It can be an appreciation of something, including something that makes them happy, the goal of the story is to practice “joy” along with creativity Explain in the end we will all be sharing out what we each made and why, along with a couple pages of each of their zines Hand out markers and folded zines(or paper) to the kids | The goal of this activity is to practice “joy,” whatever that is to each student. As well, I’m trying to challenge the student’s creativity, allowing them a chance to really do whatever they want | |
15 min | Let kids work in their zines, I either went around the tables talking to each student about their zines and what they’re interested in, or working on my own along with them | If the students are old enough, teach them how to fold together a zine to use right there | Engage the students in what their interested in to push them further, Push them to incorporate what their joy is, not always necessary but usually helps Show the students a quick and easy way to make a canvas for many different forms of storytelling, drawing, etc.
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10 min | As a class gather in a circle again and have everyone share out about their story, why they made it, what’s it about, and show a couple of pages from each student’s zine | Student’s expressing their “joy” as a group help define and support building their own identity and identifying what makes them, unique |
3rd Grader’s zine example!
Thank you!