A Quick Lesson Plan

There are some things that every teacher knows, and that is everything is planned. At least that is what they tell you while you are in your classes in college. Any teacher can and will tell you that any plan you make is more of an outline. This outline can go right out the window depending on the day. The problem that specialty (physical education, art, music, etc.) teachers face is that their plans or outlines build on one another. I have found that if you think of your lesson plans as outlines or guides that can change from moment to moment and that can change and evolve with what the day brings, then your lessons go much more smoothly. I try to make my lessons with this in mind. The following is one such lesson.

            About a month and a half before starting this project tell your students to start to bring in empty milk gallons. As the students bring the milk gallon in wash them, not just rinse them. Depending on the grade cut the jugs in quarters or halves. Besides the milk jugs you will need: masking tape, paint, feathers, dragon eyes, sequins, and glitter, string, scissors, glue, and glue sticks.

As the students get finish with the project they are working on before they start this lesson, and let’s face it each child will finish at their own pace and time, just make sure they finish when you have stated the due date is. Have them place one of the pieces of milk jugs over their face. Then trace a place for eye holes over their eyes. Have them cut the eye holes. Since the edges can be sharp have them place masking tape all over the milk jug. Once the tape is applied have the students paint the mask the color they choose. Try to make it to where the child paints and tapes the mask the same day. This way the paint is dry for the next class. Once the masks are painted have the children decorate them in the style of the culture you are teaching them. You can have a different culture and degree of difficulty for each grade.

            I decided that I would have different cultures for each grade. Kindergarten would learn about and make masks from Africa. First grade would learn about and make masks from different Native American tribes. Second grade would learn about and make masks from the United Kingdom. Third grade would learn about and make masks from Greece. Fourth grade would learn about and make masks from China. Fifth grade would learn about and make masks from Egypt. That is the end of elementary school where I live. You could go all the way through twelfth grade. Just as with elementary you would need to make the degree of difficulty harder as you moved up in the grade. You would not expect the same skill level from a kindergartners as you would twelfth grader. You would also want to use different supplies for the students in higher grades.

I am new to blogging. In fact this is my first time. I would like to tell you a little bit about myself to start off with. I have chosen to blog about teaching art. This is a topic and subject that I am passionate about. I have an Associate of Arts in Teaching Degree.

I know that when you are teaching a child or children you have to do several things to insure that they not only learn what you are teaching, but that they also to understand it as well. Both learning and understanding are important in teaching. When a child learns something but does not understand it they will forget it quickly. Just as if they understand what you teach but do not learn the lesson, they do not really grasp what you are teaching. It is like when a child learns about fire. They might understand the concept of heat or hot, but not burn. They have to at least in their mind touch it before they both learn and understand the lesson.

I have found that it is best to teach a child in all three ways of learning at once. When you are explaining your lesson to your students you should show, tell, and have them do it with you. This way you are not only teaching some of the children you are getting the whole group. You are using all three ways children learn and understand at once. You are having them use audio, visual, and kinesthetic learning styles without having to do your lesson three times. By doing all three styles at once children are more likely to not only learn and understand what you are teaching; but also retain what they have learned.

            The thing about teaching art to children is that you get to see them find their own creativity. While you are teaching them your lessons you need to balance them learning and them being creative. You need let them do the work with their own style, but make sure that they are leaning and understanding what you are teaching. As the teacher it is your job to nurture your student’s ability to learn and their own uniqueness. Two of the most important things you can do to help insure your students are both learning and being creative is to encourage each of them to try new things and step out of their comfort zone.

            When children feel encouragement, they comprehend, and they understand they learn better and more quickly, than when they feel dismissed. Children that can learn from than one way learn how to think of different solutions to their lessons. These children are more likely to embrace their creativity and uniqueness in their work. They will be more open to ideas that they would normally refuse to listen to, out of fear that they will not be right in their work. Children that both learn and understand their lessons have the ability to help their fellow students.