Mary C. Elmore
Objective:
To gain an understanding of the art element of line by way of understanding and observing its many forms and uses as well as to be able to experience the art element of line in ones own life through hands–on, art activities.
Materials:
crayons or colored pencils, ruler, graphic organizer on pg. 9 of
How to Teach Art to Children
by Joy Evans (reproduced for each student), white construction paper 9" x 12".
Procedure:
Part 1
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1.Ask students to look around the room and name examples of lines that they observe.
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2.Introduce the words,
diagonal, vertical,
and
horizontal
as ways of describing lines in space. As you explain, show some sort of visual, like a poster which might say:
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Lines have names that describe their place in space. They may be diagonal, vertical, or horizontal. Lines may be thick or thin, solid or broken. When two lines are the same distance apart for their entire length, they are parallel.
(Evans, page8).
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3.Classify classroom examples of each type of line observed earlier.
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4.In the event that you do not have access to the afore mentioned resource, the graphic organizer I will refer to looks something like this:
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5.Have students draw one line of each type in the appropriate area on the graphic organizer. You may want to model this with a larger version on the board. You also may want each type of line to be color coded so that the diagonal line is one color, the vertical is another color and the horizontal a third color.
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6.Have students return to each box and draw another line parallel to each of the original lines.
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7.Ask students to shade in the area between the two parallel lines. They will have created a thick line out of the two thin lines.
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8.Have students add broken lines in each area.
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9.Students complete their designs by adding more lines to follow the pattern they have created.
Part 2
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10.Discuss the different types of lines that can be created by changing a straight line into one that bends or curves:
zigzag, wavy, looped, curly, scalloped
, etc.
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11.Have students for their white construction paper into eight equal rectangles.
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12.Invite them to create a different type of line in each box. Labeling each type may be a good practice of differentiating between them.
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13.Students can complete these designs by adding more lines of each type and by adding color.
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