ARTSENSE
Elementary Art |
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ARTSENSE
Elementary Art |
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| PROJECT OBJECTIVE To reinforce the elements of SPACE and SHAPE and the principles of balance, unity, repetition, emphasis and variety by using the sun as the subject for radial balance designs. Use hot colors to emphasize heat! PROJECT DESCRIPTION Students think about the sun as the center of our solar system. They create their own version of this fascinating subject with cut paper shapes. They begin with a center point and radiate interesting shapes out from the center point. MATERIALS 12 x 18 and 9 x 12 construction paper, paste or glue, scissors, and scrap pieces of construction paper. Classroom management: Arrange materials on a table, paper stacked by color. Students come to the table to select background paper and additional color sheets or scrap pieces for their designs. Students may come to the table during the activity to select more color sheets and scraps. Option: Students may create suns with markers, crayons, pastels, paint or textured collagé. TEACHER PRESENTATION The sun is a subject of science and multi-cultural lore. Talk about its depiction in art, illustrations and cartoons. Discuss the "rays" that radiate out from its center. How do we see and feel its presence? List on the board characteristics of the sun -- hot colors, concentric circles, rays or projections radiating outward into space. Discuss the fact that the sun is the center of our solar system. The planets revolve around it. Rays of the sun warm and light our planet, Earth. Look for examples of radial balance as explained in the video—shapes radiating out from a center point — flowers, wheels, inside citrus fruit. Compare and contrast sun-centered folktales and legends from different cultures. |
TEACHER PROJECT STEPS 1. Gather materials. 2. Arrange materials on a large table. 3. Play a video. 4. Present lesson. 5. Dispense materials. 6. Stimulate and encourage students. 7. Display a colorful universe of suns. STUDENT INSTRUCTIONS 1. Select a sheet of paper for background and other colored sheets or scraps for sun design shapes. 2. Think about the sun and it's physical characteristics. 3. Cut and paste a dynamic, original sun design. INTEGRATING SUBJECTS LANGUAGE ARTS Read and illustrate stories, legends and myths about the sun (Apollo, Ra, Icarus and Daedalus) SOCIAL STUDIES Use this project to enhance the study of the equator and countries that lie under the sun’s most intense heat. Study the role of the sun in the art and life of Mayan, Inca and Aztec civilizations. Create a mural with the sun as a cultural theme. MATH Students cut out geometric shapes and divide them into fractional pieces. Create sun designs with these fractions! SCIENCE Study a unit on the sun and solar system. Create a 2-D cut paper design or a 3-D mobile of planets rotating around the sun. Discuss other items in nature that are examples of radial balance. |
 BOOK ART PROJECT: ARROW TO THE SUN This Pueblo Legend, written by Gerald McDermott tells how the spirit of the Sun Lord came to the world of men. |  |
| ILLUSTRATED ART CONCEPTS SHAPE: Formal, informal and radial balance, repetition COLOR: Warm colors, emphasis LINE: Variety and pattern PROJECT: INDIAN SUN DESIGNS Follow project directions to make original sun designs. Read Arrow to the Sun and create sun designs with an Indian motif. Write original folktales about the sun. |
CURRICULUM CORRELATIONS Social Studies, Science, Language Arts To Earth’s living things, the sun is the most important object in the sky. The sun is actually a star, a giant glowing ball of gasses, 109 times larger than Earth! It is classified as a yellow dwarf star. It looks like the largest star because it is the closest to Earth. The biggest stars in the universe are called red giants! |
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