Adding VALUE to the Solar System Art Lesson

Value the Solar System 

(learning to work from light to dark with oil pastels)

Solar System (oil pastels on black construction paper)

Objective: TLW create 8 planets of the solar system with an emphasis on the art element value.

I was specifically demonstrating how to achieve value in the planet with oil pastels. It was a specific technique. I also demonstrated how you could "mess" up the technique and easily correct the effect with minimal effort.

In order for the lesson to really be creative or to better fit the "create" part of the objective, I need to open up all media. For instance, chalk pastels can be blended to achieve the light to dark value.

I could demonstrate all media techniques and how to achieve value in the sphere.  Demonstrations and allow the students to practice each technique. Open the solar system lesson to all the demonstrated techniques. 

Who am I kidding? I only teach the students 45 minutes/week. Ah, to live and teach in a perfect world. I wish I had them for an hour at least.

Differentiation:

 

 One star- the student must master 2 planets with value.

Two star- the student must master 3 planets with value.

Three star- the student must master 4 or more with value.

Differentiation with a student on the spectrum needed individual guiding. I drew three squares with three circle shapes in them. I asked the student what they wanted to use to apply color to their planet. This student chose markers. Yep, achieving value with markers is three times harder than with any other medium. BUT! Notice the 1 2 3 star sample? It was done on a dry erase board (what was I thinking.... made a permanent chart since then). Value was achieved on the dry erase why not markers on paper. Well, I was reaching a bit. This student normally sat content while the lesson went on around him. Not this time, my friend. Not this time.

 

You can see here he is working by following each "planet" I colored one at a time. He is finishing up his last of the third planet in the photo. He did cut out the planets and glue them in the correct order from the sun. Proud teacher moment.

If you have a student who is hard to reach ask other teachers about their strategies and how they engage there special friends.

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