Intro Activity: Exploring with Dots!

Instructions: Play with materials in your art kit. See what you can do and explore the types of dots you can make!

Materials: 

  • Watercolour Paper
  • Markers
  • Crayons
  • Pastels
  • Acrylic Paint
  • Straw
  • Circle Stickers
  • Sharpies (thin and thicker)

I had so much fun exploring with the materials in my art kit and seeing how many different dots I could make! I didn’t really have a plan while I created this art, I just had fun! 

The Dot, by Peter Reynolds

This is a children’s book that can be used to introduce a dot-inspired lesson to students!

An Extra Resource (Exploring with Dots)

I found a lesson plan that goes along with “The Dot” by Peter Reynolds. It would be great to include in a primary classroom!

KQED: Element of Shape

This is an awesome video on the element of shape explaining what a shape is! This video is really easy to follow and great for students Grade 3 and up!

Some Definitions!

Shape: When lines connect or intersect.

Geometric Shapes: The shapes that we are used to! For example, circle, squares, triangles. 

Organic Shape: Free form, more unique, and shapes you may be able to find in nature.

My Artwork

Instructions for practice activity: Divide a paper in half and make a picture or pattern using foam stickers. Colour the foam stickers with Crayola felt pens. Fold the paper of the picture and press down to replicate on the other half.

Materials:

  • Half a piece of paper (I used my watercolour paper)
  • Foam Stickers
  • Crayola Markers

Instructions for art activity: Use the knowledge gained from previous experimentation to create a pattern, picture, or abstract using a variety of materials. 

Materials:

  • Page in sketchbook (to practice, if needed)
  • Watercolour Paper
  • Choice of supplies to do artwork (for example, markers, pastels, crayons).
  • A ruler is also useful!
Here is my sketch for my shape art activity!
Here is my shape activity!

When sketching my draft, I had a general idea that wanted to include nature, as being outdoors is something I enjoy. I was inspired to include fun-shaped trees from the movie “The Lorax” and I just wanted to have fun while creating it! I decided to include a mixture of geometric and organic shapes (with a focus on geometric). When transferring my sketch to my final copy, I just had fun with it and included aspects as I saw fit. As a result, I finished with whimsical, happy, and bright piece of artwork. I think it fully encapsulates the concept of this element of design.

 

Critical Analysis

Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama is an artist from Japan who creates beautiful sculptures and paintings. This piece of art is called “Naoshima Pumpkin.” For this critical analysis, I would focus on discussing the shapes (more specifically the dots) on the pumpkin and how this art makes the students feel!

Roy Henry Vickers

Roy Henry Vickers is a local artist from British Columbia. He incorporates many elements of the First Peoples into his artwork and owns an art gallery in Tofino, B.C. This piece of art is called “Lot of Bull.” For this critical analysis, I would focus on organic shapes and how Vickers incorporates these in his artwork.

Here’s a few videos that can be included when introducing these artists in a critical analysis!

Some More Resources!

307A2021Unit-Plan-on-ShapeDownload

This is a really fun unit plan to introduce the element of shape that includes the resources and activities I got to try for this class! I hope I can use this unit plan one day in a Grade 4 classroom!

Extra Research

I found this webpage that explains a fun discovery activity that can get kids thinking about shape! You can take them on a shape walk and they can see what shapes they can find outdoors! This can get them thinking about geometric and organic shapes, and how to identify them. I think this activity would be fun for all grade levels!

I also think it would be fun to incorporate practice activities that demonstrate that simple shapes can make more complex shapes. I found this picture that shows shape robots, and I think activities similar to this one would be fun to introduce this concept for a grade 3/4 classroom! For a practice activity, I don’t think I would restrict students to only make robots, but rather any animal, scenery, etc. that shows simple shapes being used to make something more complex!