Lesson Plan for Preschool-Grade 2

Name Aiwen Li

School/Grade: First Grade

Content Science and Art
area(s)/developmental
domain(s) addressed Social and emotional: Students will create a painting using feathers. The colors they use will
describe how they feel

Cognitive: Students will think about the texture of the feathers. Are the feathers smooth or
rough? Also, they will think about how they got that color of paint. What colors did you mix to
get this color?

Physical: Students will be sharing the feathers with their classmates by passing them around.

Language: Students will learn about the textures of the feathers. When they paint they will notice
how different colors can mix and make new colors.
Brief description and This lesson allows children to explore the texture of feathers and paint. The feathers of each bird
rationale for the lesson will feel different and children can explain what they see or feel. Teachers will ask questions as
each child creates their feather painting. According to Helm (2008) “It is important for teachers
to keep track of which ideas they have introduced to children and what children are and are not
learning”. I will create a list of questions to ask the kids to see if they understood the activity.

This lesson is: * A new * A continuation of a previous lesson/activity

concept/activity * A conclusion of a concept
* A review of a previous
lesson/activity
20 minutes
Timeframe
 Lesson Plan for Preschool-Grade 2

Objective(s) of the activity Students will learn about the various textures in feathers.

Connections to standards According to NYS Early Learning Standards:

Approaches to Learning
1.AL.1. Engages in cooperative, purposeful, and interactive play and
activities that enhance learning and encourage exploration
1.AL.1. Indicators:
c. Demonstrates awareness of connections between prior and new
knowledge

1.AL.4. Explores and asks questions for information about a growing range of topics,
ideas, and tasks
1.AL.4. Indicators:
a. Demonstrates interest in exploring new materials and learning from the environment and new
experiences
b. Asks questions to learn from others or understand something (e.g. show me how you did that)

Social and Emotional

1.SEL.2. [1B] Recognizes personal qualities and external supports
1.SEL.2. Indicator:
a. Describes one’s likes, dislikes, needs, wants, strengths, challenges, and opinions [1B.1a.]

Cognition and Knowledge of the World: The Arts

1.ARTS.20. [VA:Cn10-11.1] Connects with Visual Arts
1.ARTS.20. Indicators:
b. Sorts and categorizes art objects according to form and function

Language Objectives
Resources/materials needed:
(Include any worksheets or
sources of evidence for
children’s learning you will use
during the activity)
Technology inclusion (if
applicable)
Procedures (step by step)
Lesson Plan for Preschool-Grade 2
Communication is important in this activity because children need to communicate with their
peers and teacher to see if they understand the new words they’re learning. For example, if a
child is using the new vocabulary in a sentence but doesn’t know what it means I will try to
explain or show them the definition or reword it for them. Some vocabulary words will be
smooth, rough, soft, slippery, sticky, coarse, and fuzzy.
Red, blue, and yellow color paint, big white paper, feathers from different birds. Books and
pictures of different birds as a reference to inspire children in what they want to paint.
Computer to show videos of different birds. The kids can see what kind of feathers they have in
the classroom compared to the video.
Objective(s) Children will create their feather painting and learn to identify the texture of the
feathers.
Anticipatory:
I will introduce the activity by talking about feathers. I will let them touch it and ask them what’s
the difference between each feather. How does it feel? What color? What pattern do you see?
Which one is bigger? Which one is smaller?
Instruction:
After the children have a chance to touch the feathers and get a closer look they will move on to
painting. There will be different colors on each child’s plate. The children will dip the feathers
into the paint of their choice and then paint onto the paper. They can mix the colors on the plate
or the paper. This can teach them about secondary colors as well. Some questions I will ask are
what color do red and blue make? What two colors can make purple? How did you get this color?
The different size feathers can create various patterns or textures in their painting. Some
 Lesson Plan for Preschool-Grade 2

questions I’ll ask will be what color do you see when you mix red and blue? What colors can
make green or orange? How did you make that color? They will use various colors and feathers
to create their painting. They can share what they envision and feel with their classmates while
painting. Students will talk to their peers and share what they’re painting and what feather
creates what kind of pattern on the paper. The different colors of paint will give children an
opportunity to share what they learned with the person next to them.
Independent:

Students will paint paintings using various feathers.

Closure:
When the paintings dry at the end of the daywe will conduct a gallery walk. They can see what
their classmates created and share what they liked or dislike about painting with feathers.

Method of assessing children’s Pre-assessment Assessment of Student Assessment of Children’s

understanding of
lesson/activity/objective(s)
Children can match feathers to
the birds on the walls all over
the classroom. This
demonstrates the child’s use of
memory. They will need to recall
what they learned before and
recall if the feather matches
with the bird.
Children can match the same
color of feathers to the
print-out of birds taped on the
table.
Learning
There will be a checklist to see if
each student can complete each
task given before and during the
activity. This can help me see
which child needs more help in
comparing the feathers to the
birds. The checklist will include
matching feathers to the bird. In
addition, the use of vocabulary
words when describing the
feathers. Lastly, the feather
painting will show me if they
understood what to do.
Language Learning
The students should be able
to tell me which feather is
bigger or smaller. Also, they
should be capable of telling
me the colors on the
feathers or any specific
detail they see. Being able
to describe the texture of
the feathers as well.
Students will be learning
English to

Plans for differentiated
instruction/instructional
modifications
First I would demonstrate the
activity on another piece of
paper. Then, I would use the
hand-over-hand method and
help the students who are
having trouble with their
paintings. For students who
mastered the technique, they
can try creating more colors and
experiment by creating new
patterns.
Follow up/Extension activities To extend this activity the students will create a collage. They can use feathers, printouts of birds,
magazine pictures, or old books.
Family Engagement Activities
Lesson Plan for Preschool-Grade 2
Supporting children with Supporting English Language Learners, a culturally
identified delays or responsive pedagogy, and anti-bias/anti-racist curriculum
disabilities (i.e., IEPs and 504
plans)
Some modifications for supporting English learners would be
If the questions are too hard to teach us the texture of the feathers in their native language.
for some kids I would switch it Furthermore, they can teach us the different colors in their
up and ask them something language the students will repeat it and say the color in English
else. For example, I would ask as well.
what they see and provide
more visuals to help them in
identifying the feathers. I
would show them flashcards of
feathers and the bird matching
them. A modification I would
make to the activity is to tape
the end of the feather onto a
paintbrush to help kids who
have trouble holding the
feather paint. This can give
them a better grip instead of
only holding onto a feather.
 Lesson Plan for Preschool-Grade 2

Children can observe what kind of birds they see when they’re outside with their families. They
can collect any feathers they find outside and bring them back to the classroom to share with
their fellow classmates. They can tell us where they found the feather or what kind of bird the
feather is from.