Goals:

• To blend oil pastels.
• To learn about silhouettes.

Objectives:

• Students will blend oil pastels to create a sky background.
• Students will cut out a silhouette to complete a landscape.

Intended Audience: Kindergarten

New York Learning Standards Addressed:
Arts Standard 1: Students will make works of art that explore different kinds of subject matter, topics, themes, and metaphors
Arts Standard 2: Students will know and use a variety of visual arts materials, techniques, and processes.
Arts Standard 4: Understanding the Cultural Dimensions and Contributions of the Arts
Students will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society.

Materials:
Black construction paper
Glue sticks
Scissors
Oil Pastels
Pencils
Paper

Procedures:

1. Introduction: 5 minutes
   Show students Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. Ask them if they are familiar with the painting or the artist. Discuss Impressionist approach to painting. Define silhouettes and have students describe what a landscape silhouette could look like. Look at Edward Hopper’s Railroad Sunset and compare and contrast with Starry Night.
2. Demonstration: 5 Minutes
   Students gather around the demo table. Show students how to apply a thick layer of oil pastel, and how to blend the colors together. Show how different directions can have different effects. Warn students to be careful with black pastel, it can”dirty” the rest of the picture. Encourage students to imagine a night sky in their favorite place, and to picture what colors were in the sky. Demonstrate how different landscape elements can be part of the silhouette, show how it’s cut from black paper and glued on.
3. Students get materials and begin working on their sky pastels. Teacher visits each table to consult. Students must put their names and paper clip materials before class ends.
4. Cleanup. Ask students what they thought of working with pastels.

Assessment: Students will be asked questions about nutrition and the bento boxes, to reinforce the idea that food has visual characteristics that can be used artistically.