Jamestown First Graders create Monet's Garden with Clay Frogs!

First grade artists have been studying the art and life of Claude Monet! They learned about how he was an impressionist and so his artwork was not clear like a photograph but instead is full of blobs, smears and brushstrokes! We learned about how much Monet loved to paint outside, especially in his garden. 

We read a book about a frog named Phillipe who found safety in Monet's garden and really enjoyed the beauty there.

We painted with blurry blobs like Monet when we painted water on these cardboard pizza rounds!

We learned more about Monet's work by watching the Getting to Know the World's Famous artist video while we worked!

We then used different values of green construction paper to create the lily pads and tissue paper to create the 3D flowers! 

After this was complete, we compared and contrasted two of our art elements: shapes and forms. We enjoyed creating Phillipe the frog out of Model Magic clay!

The final product is being proudly displayed in our library!

Learning Goals:

I can identify the art of Claude Monet and the Impressionists

I can describe the differences between form and shape

I can manipulate clay and create a frog

I can demonstrate a variety of values in my paint and in my lily pads. 

Georgetown Elementary: Painting Like Monet

Georgetown first grade artists explored the work of French Impressionist painter Claude Monet.
They listened to stories about Mr. Monet and looked at his photograph.

They practiced being "art critics" and discussed Monet's famous waterlily and sailboat paintings, and realized that Monet liked to paint scenes with water in them.  First graders also learned a big new word: IMPRESSIONISM! They were excited to be able to tell their friends that Monet invented this fancy new way to paint.  After lots of thinking, they decided that an Impressionist artist likes to show the way the sun shines on water, and he paints with lots of brush strokes to show shadows and sunlight.  

 

Monet's Paintings

Our young Impressionist artists created beautiful paintings of the water and sunlight, even capturing the sunlight shining in their trees with little dabs of yellow paint.  They loved making short brushstrokes, painting "Monet Style".  And of course their waterscapes needed a carefully crafted sailboat, including a splash of white oil pastel to show the sail's reflection in the water for the finishing touch!

First Grade Learning Goals:

I can tell two facts about Claude Monet

I can explain to a friend what Impressionism means

I can show sunlight reflecting on water and trees