Catch-up Day

So this class was wayyyy behind on getting to paint three things, therefore we had a triple painting day. Amazingly enough they were able to paint all three with cool colors and got them done in an hour. There's a first time for everything!

Roberto the Insect Architect

I teach this lesson every 1st 9 weeks to 1st grade. It's a great vocab builder and reminds them how to use watercolors and sharpies. This is a 2-day lesson and is really easy to teach and fun to do!

DAY ONE: Read the story by Nina Laden "Roberto the Insect Architect"

This is an amazing story is about a termite who wants to design and build houses instead of eating them.

Art Word of the Day: ARCHITECT

We draw in our idea books and choose a bug we want to design a house for. 

They draw their favorite bug house design on 12"x12" white paper. 

I demo this process at the demo table.

DAY TWO: BLUEPRINTS

We outline our drawing in blue/purple/teal Sharpie marker. Then we paint with cool colors...mainly using blues to create a "blueprint". 

RESOURCES: I like to print pages of bug outlines for the kids to use. They can visualize drawing the house a little easier with these images to look at. 

Roberto the Insect Architect: A Scobey Classic

Here's a yearly project I do with 1st graders. It's simple to execute, but teaches them lots of new vocabulary words. It also builds a foundation for the rest of their "art career" with me....think of all the architecture we talk about as art teachers...now I can always say...remember "Roberto the Insect Architect" ....and it all comes back.

Day One: We write about "Architects" in our Idea Books...(I think next year we shall be calling our idea books, "iBooks"...gotta love apple.)

We do 3 sketches of houses for bugs in our Idea Books. They will be choosing their favorite for their large blueprint drawing. After reading the story, writing in our books, sketching time and the demonstration, we usually get the pencil drawing done of the big house and that's all we have time for!

The key to this project is drawing a large bug first, then adding architectural details to the bug to transform it into a house.

Day Two :We outline our Bug House in blue permanent marker and then we paint with blue watercolors to create the "blueprint" effect. I have loosened some of the reigns and added greens and purples to the paints so they can paint grass and windows different colors.