Visual Arts Planning Template

Lesson Title: Primary Pals

Practicing Fine Motor Skills, Shape Recognition, and Learning the Primary Colors
Educator Name: Elsbeth Bandli Project Sample
Grade level(s)/Course: Kindergarten
 Unit 2: Color and Shape
Time frame: 1 Class Period (60 min)

INFORMATION ABOUT THE LESSON

Enduring Understanding
Over the course of the year, Kindergartners will explore a variety of artists, art materials, art concepts,
art production processes, and self-expression in order to develop an understanding of aesthetics and
answer the question, “What is art?”. After each project, students will finish the phrase “My art is”.
Answers to this phrase will be posted on a bulletin board in the art classroom. At the end of the year,
each student will reflect on their own answer to the question, “What is art?”
Essential Questions
 What are the primary colors?
 What are the three main shapes used in art?
 What are body parts?
WI or National Art and Design Standards
VA:Cr2.1.Ka Build skills in various media and approaches to artmaking.
VA:Cr2.2.Ka Use safe and non-toxic art materials, tools, and equipment.
VA:Re8.1.Ka Interpret art by identifying subject matter and describing relevant details.
Objectives
 I can trace and cut out a square, triangle, and circle from paper. (VA:Cr2.1.Ka)
 I can name the three primary colors (red, yellow, blue) and use them in my artwork.
(VA:Re8.1.Ka)
 I can name three basic shapes (square, triangle, circle) and use them in my artwork.
(VA:Re8.1.Ka)
 I can practice cutting and gluing. (VA:Cr2.2.Ka)
 I can name three body parts (eyes, nose, mouth) and use them in my artwork. (VA:Re8.1.Ka)

Academic Language
 Primary Colors: red, yellow, blue
 Basic Shapes: square, triangle, circle
 Body Parts: eyes, nose, mouth, arms, legs, hands, feet

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Criteria for the Project:

 Completed project
 Name on back of project
 Use of all three primary colors
 Body Shapes: square, triangle, and circle (1 of each)
 Body parts: eyes, nose, mouth on all primary pals (student may add extra details: eyebrows,
eyelashes, hair, legs, arms, etc.)

LESSON ONE: Practicing Fine Motor Skills and Color/Shape Recognition

Unit: Color and Shape
Lesson One: Constructing Primary Pals: Practicing Fine Motor Skills and Color/Shape Recognition
Time Frame: 1 class period of 60 minutes
Central Focus: Students will identify the three primary colors (red, yellow, blue) and three basic
shapes (square, triangle, circle). Students will then apply these shapes and colors to a “Primary Pals”
project to strengthen fine motor skills by tracing, cutting, pasting, and drawing.

Instructional Resources
 Rainbow Poster Set
 Overhead Projector
 Primary Pals Project Sample
 Primary Pals Shape Stencils (1 set per table group)
 Small Shape Punch Cutters (Square, Circle)
 Primary Pals Visual Instructions
 Primary Colors Introduction Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9gIj0j7Ba0
 Shape Introduction Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEbRDtCAFdU
 Primary Pals Rubric
Art Materials Needed
 Black Construction Paper (1 sheet/student)
 Red, Yellow, Blue Construction Paper (½ sheet/student)
 Black & White Scrap Paper (cut into squares, circles, triangles using shape punch cutter)
 Scissors: inclusive class set (right & left-handed, loop scissors, push scissors)
 Glue Sticks (1/student)
 Pencils (1/student)
 Black Crayons (1/student)
 White Crayons (1/student)

INSTRUCTION: LESSON ONE

Anticipatory Set/Elicit Prior Knowledge

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Speedy color recognition (detailed further in procedure)

Procedure
Instructional Tasks Activity description (Teacher does/Students do) Purpose
1. 1-1 1. The focus learner will arrive to class five 1. Build
Instruction minutes before their peers. Greet the student positive
with Focus by saying, “Hi ____, I am so happy that you rapport with
Learner student and
are here for art class today!” Wait for the
prepare
student to find their designated seat in the art student for
classroom. (This student uses adaptive learning.
seating: a stool with a strap and back Allows for
support). Introduce the lesson by showing the collaboration
student the project sample and by saying, and
“Today we are going to be making this project communicati
on between
using the colors red, yellow, and blue. These
the general
are the primary colors. (point to each of the education
2. Transition colors as you say the color name). We are teacher and
to class going to use shapes in our project. These the special
shapes are called a square, a triangle, and a education
circle. (point to each of the shapes as you say teacher/para
the shape name).” Demonstrate the steps of professional.
3. Anticipator
the project by using the visual instructions.
y Set 2. Prepare
Invite the student to find a seat on the rug students for
while they wait for the rest of their peers to learning by
arrive. (the student may use the flexible incorporatin
seating and fidgets on the rug) g self-
2. Greet students in the hallway before they control: a
school-wide
enter the classroom by saying, “Hello
4. Teaching mindfulness
awesome artists! I am so happy that you are
the practice for
Primary here for art today!” Instruct students, “Use transitional
Colors walking feet to find a spot at the rug and show periods.
me that you are ready to begin art today by 3. Engage the
practicing self-control.” (students have been students in
taught self-control by their classroom the lesson
and check
teacher).
for prior
3. Review the colors of the rainbow by using the
learning.
Rainbow poster set. Invite students to shout
out the name each color as you hold up the
colored posters one by one (shuffle the
5. Transition posters so that they are not in rainbow order).
4. Engage the

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To make this activity more engaging, tell students in

students to put their hands over their eyes the lesson by
before you reveal each color. (Note: incorporatin
g a different
encourage the focus learner to participate.
6. Demonstra way of
However, if the learner is having trouble
tion: presenting
Tracing and sitting and engaging with the activity, provide information
Cutting the supplies for the project to the special (video).
education teacher/paraprofessional so that Connect new
the focus learner can start the project). learning
4. Introduce the lesson by showing the students (primary
colors) to
the primary colors video
existing
7. Independe (https://www.youtube.com/watch? knowledge
nt Work v=v9gIj0j7Ba0). After the video has played, tell (color
Time the students to raise their hand if they know recognition)
one of the primary colors. Call on students 5. Provides a
individually to name the primary colors. Show fun and
each color using the rainbow poster set. interactive
way for
Explain, “We call these colors (red, yellow,
students to
8. Demonstra and blue) the primary colors because we need transition
tion: Gluing these colors to make all of the other colors in without
the rainbow.” Introduce the project by saying, losing focus
“Today we are going to make a project called in the lesson.
9. Independe Primary Pals. (show project sample) Do you 6. Prepares
nt Work students to
know what a pal is?” (allow students to
Time work
answer). “Pal is another word for a friend. We
independent
will make our pals using the primary colors ly and
and three shapes.” informs
5. Tell students, “Turn on your listening ears, students of
crank open your eyeballs, and put a bubble in expectations
10. Demonstra your mouth! (Mime these behaviors) I want /project
tion: criteria.
you to watch and listen to the next video
Adding
Details while you quietly walk to your seat.” Play the
shape introduction video 7. Offers
(https://www.youtube.com/watch? structured
v=OEbRDtCAFdU). (Note: if needed, this independent
transitional period would be a good time for practice for
the focus learner to take a break if needed) students and
provides
6. Ask students, “What shapes did you hear
opportunity
about in the video?” Call on students with to assist any
11. Independe hands raised to answer. Turn on overhead student
nt Work projector. Show each of the shape templates needing

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Time (square, triangle, circle) on the projector. additional

Demonstrate how to trace and cut out each help.
shape on the three different colors of paper 8. Prepares
students to
(red, yellow, blue). Dismiss one table group at
work
a time to collect their materials (red, yellow, independent
and blue paper, scissors, and pencil). ly and
12. Closure: Distribute shape stencils. Instruct students, informs
Project “When you are done tracing and cutting your students of
Rubric shapes take your extra scrap paper to the expectations
recycling bin and put away your scissors and /project
criteria.
your pencil.”
9. Offers
7. While students are working, walk around the structured
classroom and observe student behavior. independent
Monitor the sharing of supplies and student practice for
safety. Use this time to check-in with the students and
focus learner. First, note their progress in the provides
project. Determine if the student needs any opportunity
to assist any
additional help with the tracing/cutting
student
portion of the project. Offer support if needing
necessary (ex. holding stencil down while additional
student traces, hand-over-hand while cutting, help.
etc.) Announce a time warning to students 10. Prepares
when 2 minutes of work time remain. students to
work
8. Use the overhead projector to demonstrate
independent
how to glue the shapes to the black paper.
ly and
Next, demonstrate how to glue the eyes informs
together using two circles (big white circles students of
and small black circles). Lastly, demonstrate expectations
how to glue the eyes to the shapes on the /project
black paper. Dismiss one student from each criteria.
table group to collect a bowl of circle cutouts
and glue sticks.
9. While students are working, walk around the
classroom and observe student behavior. 11. Offers
Monitor the sharing of supplies, student structured
safety, and direction following. Use this time independent
to check-in with the focus learner. First, note practice for
students and
their progress in the project. Determine if the
provides
student needs any additional help with using opportunity
the glue stick or applying the shapes to the to assist any
paper. If necessary, help the student by student

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marking on the black paper where the student needing

needs to place the glue. Announce a time additional
warning to students when 2 minutes of work help.
time remain.
12. Allows
10. Use the overhead projector to demonstrate students to
how to select paper scraps and glue them reflect on
onto the primary pals to add a nose and a their project
mouth. Encourage students to be creative and provides
with how they add the body parts. Say, “This independent
is your artwork, so you can create the eyes, practice
identifying
nose, and mouth with whatever paper shapes
the colors,
you would like or with crayon or both!” shapes, and
Demonstrate how to add other optional body parts in
details (like arms, legs, eyebrows, eyelashes, their
hair etc.) by using white crayon on the black artwork.
paper and black crayon on the colored shapes.
Remind students that they must add eyes,
nose, and mouth, but that other details are
optional. Ask students, “What do we always
put on the back of our artwork?” answer:
their name! Distribute crayons and paper
scrap bowls to each table.
11. While students are working, walk around the
classroom and observe student behavior. Ask
guiding questions to students. For example,
“why did you decide to use a triangle for the
nose? What three body parts do you need to
add? How could you add more details?” Use
this time to also check in with the focus
learner. If necessary, this student may benefit
from using twistable crayons or triangle
crayons for a better grip. Announce a time
warning to students when 5 minutes of work
time remain. Give context to this amount of
time by saying, “five minutes is not a lot of
time. Add your last details and clean up your
table spot.”
12. After clean-up, use the last five minutes of
class for students to complete the project
rubric. Put the rubric under the projector and
guide the students through the activity. “First,

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write your name at the top of the paper.”

pause and allow students to complete this
step. Read the next line, “I finished my
project. Circle yes or no.” Tell students, “If you
did not finish your project yet that is okay!
You will be able to finish your project during
next art class.” Read the next line, “My name
is on my project. Circle yes or no.” Remind
students that if their name is not on the
project yet to add it. Read the next line, “Put
an X through each primary color you see in
your artwork.” Allow students to complete
this step. Read the next line, “Put an X
through each shape you see in your artwork.”
Allow students to complete this step. Read
the next line, “Put an X through each body
part you see in your artwork.” Allow students
to complete this step. Instruct students to put
their pencils back in the buckets on the table
and leave their artwork and rubrics in the
crate by the doorway. The final portion of the
rubric (the My art is ____) will be completed
1-1 with the teacher during independent work
time the next class period.
Assessment
 Formative: Observation of mid-lesson participation in shape identification song and primary
colors song.
 Summative: Primary Pals rubric (completed by student and teacher).
Sources:
All instructional materials created by Elsbeth Bandli except for the YouTube videos.
Lesson plan template created by Tami Weiss, PhD.

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