Winter Landscape

First graders loved this one-day project!  It really packed in the learning, which made is a keeper for me.  Our learning target was met through the use of a new medium: liquid watercolor.  Furthermore, it had just snowed, so there was inspiration all around us!

Students followed directed drawing instructions by drawing with pencil and tracing with Sharpie.  We discussed how space is created in the picture by creating close, large trees and smaller, farther away trees.

Then kids got right to work with the watercolor.  I chose orange, red, magenta, purple and blue.  For the most part, students would acheive success (and few unpleasant mixing problems) with these colors.  They began at the horizon line and overlapped horizontal stipes all the way up.  At the end, I showed them how to add footprints; larger ones on the first hill, smaller ones on the second hill.