Kindergarten: Looking at and Talking About Works of Art

Lessons taken from What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know and the Kindergarten Core Knowledge Teacher Handbook
The Big Idea: Looking at and talking about art will help children appreciate and understand various artworks.

LOOKING AND TALKIING ABOUT WORKS OF ART Vocabulary

Background: the scenery in a view or picture that shows what lies behind the foreground
Foreground: the part of a view or picture that seems nearest the viewer
Genre scenes: images of everyday life
Mural: painting on a wall or ceiling, usually large in scale and found in a public place
Narrative art: art that tells a story
Peasant: a poor farmer
Portrait: picture of a person or persons

What Students Need to Learn:

1. They will look at and talk about works of art focusing on these artworks about children; Children’s Games, The Child’s Bath, Snap
the Whip, Mother’s Helper, the Banjo Lesson

At a Glance: The Most important ideas for students are:

1. Thoughtful looking time.
2. The process of looking at art moves from describing, to interpreting, and then judging.
3. There is significant difference between looking at reproductions and seeing art in person.

Thinking
# Method Objectives Higher Order Questioning Materials
Framework
Pre-unit 1 Discussion, Students will discuss the idea of interpretation. Q. Explain what you believe Art posters Knowledge,
Activity just happened? Describe Children’s Patterns
Intro: Walk to front of class, drop a book from over my specifically how my actions Games, Modeling
head and spin around twice – all without a sound. Ask support that interpretation. The Child’s
students to describe what they believe just happened – Bath, Snap
describing specifically how my actions support Q. Looking at this artwork, the Whip,
interpretation. Write interpretations on board, use the Elements of Art to Mother’s
emphasize how all are valid. Explain that people can describe what you see. Helper, &
have different understandings of works of art as long The Banjo
as they can support their ideas with what they see, Lesson
using elements of art as part of their descriptions.

Demonstration Students will be introduced to these artworks; Q. What is a thing all of Prints of Knowledge
Class Children’s Games, The Child’s Bath, Snap the Whip, these artworks have in artwork Modeling
Discussion, Mother’s Helper, and The Banjo Lesson and draw a common? above Patterns
Activity picture of someone important to them. Creativity
A. They all are about Paper,
Lesson Ideas: children. pencil,
1. Look at each of the artworks.
2. Discuss what they notice about the artworks.
3. Learn to draw figures using shapes and not stick
figures.
4. Draw a scene from their own lives with an
activity or a person who is important to them.

Demonstration Students will be introduced to Homer’s Snap the Q. What did Winslow Homer Art poster Knowledge
Activity Whip. use to create the big line in Snap the Modeling
his painting? Whip Patterns
Lesson Ideas: A. The linked boys create the Creativity
1. Go over Q’s about artwork. line
2. Be asked to volunteer (8 students) to take the
positions of the young boys in the painting. Q. Is the line straight, wavy,
Remind them to ‘freeze’ as in mid-play. curved? Compare to the
3. Use a string to help children see the line the painting line of the boys feet
figures establish. Ask one volunteer at one end and extended arms.
to run the string along the model’s feet and step
 away. Q. What do the colors in the
4. Q. Is the line straight, wavy, curved? Compare painting tell about the
to the painting line of the boys feet and weather? Do they seem
extended arms. mostly warm or cool?

Demonstration Students will be introduced to Diego Rivera’s Q. What is happening in this Art posters Knowledge
Class Mother’s Helper and draw a picture showing scene? Mother’s Modeling
Discussion, helpfulness. Helper Patterns
Activity Q. Do Rivera’s outlines Creativity
Lesson Ideas: make the figures look weak
5. Go over Q’s about artwork. or strong?
6. Review our Foundation Stones of
Responsibility and Citizenship. Q. Look at their expressions,
7. Draw a picture showing ways they can be how do you think the girl and
helpful to their family, neighbors, or classmates mother feel?
or teachers.

Demonstration Students will look at and compare Tuning the Q. Looking at the Banjo Art Posters Knowledge
Class Samisen and The Banjo Lesson. Lesson, does this painting Tuning the Modeling
Discussion, remind you of special times Samisen Patterns
Activity Lesson Ideas: in your life? and the Creativity
1. Go over Q’s about artwork. Banjo
2. (Optional as time allows) make a stringed Q. What similarities do you Lesson
instrument out of cardboard and yarn. notice between Tuning the
Samisen and the Banjo
Lesson?

Q. What differences do you

notice between Tuning the
Samisen and the Banjo
Lesson?
Demonstration Students will be look at these artworks; Children’s Q. Which painting is your Knowledge
Class Games, The Child’s Bath, Snap the Whip, Mother’s favorite and why? Modeling
Discussion, Helper, and The Banjo Lesson.
Activity
Students will:
 1. Look at all of the artworks introduced in this
unit.
2. Pick their favorite piece and explain why.

More Kinder Art Lesson Options:

Connection to Children at Play artworks: Children’s Games, The Child’s Bath, Snap the Whip, Mother’s Helper, and The Banjo Lesson
Cross curriculum connection: Asia/China

Students will:
1. Be introduced to the 100 Chinese Children Playing motif in Chinese Art. (Check out Etsy Antique Chinese silk embroidery 100
Chinese Children)
2. Compare images of 100 Chinese Children Playing embroidery with Breughel’s Children’s Games. Discuss the games and activities
in the artworks.
3. Be shown how to draw people using simple shapes of rectangles, ovals, and so on, inspired by the 100 Chinese Children.
4. Draw 10 or more children playing. Draw themselves, family, friends, and classmates playing some of their favorite games or
activities.

Lesson Ideas taken from the CK Teacher Handbook