Birch Tree Landscapes

This lesson is another one of my favorites for 2nd grade!

The objective of this lesson was to create a landscape painting, while students are introduced to, and gain an understanding of, foreground, middle ground, and background within artwork. Second graders looked at the artwork of Bev Doolittle for inspiration.

Students applied their previous knowledge with creating perspective and space in their artwork from the “Monet inspired Bridge” lesson for this birch tree landscape lesson. Objects in the foreground appear to be larger and lower on the page. Objects in the background are smaller and higher on the page.

On the first day of the lesson, students drew hills and trees on paper. Some trees in the foreground, a few in the middle ground and some in the background. Students then used the side of a piece of corrugated cardboard dipped into a little bit of black liquid tempera paint, to create the black lines within their birch trees.

Paintings were then left to dry until the next week.

On the second day of the lesson, they drew grass blades and flowers using crayon in the foreground (pressing hard!), and painted the land and sky with watercolors, creating a crayon wax-resist.

For days three and four, students observed pictures of animals for reference, (I had packets of various photocopied pictures of animals for each child to observe, as well as simple step-by-step, how to draw animal packets that I made earlier) and drew them on separate small pieces of 80# drawing paper. They then carefully cut them out and glued them onto their finished paintings to inhabit their wonderful birch tree landscapes!

The results are beautiful and I think students did such an incredible job!

Learning Goals:

-Students apply previous knowledge on how to create perspective in their artwork

-Learn about the artist Bev Doolittle and her artwork

-Develope an understanding of foreground, middle ground and background within artwork

-Demonstrate an understanding on how to create a crayon wax-resist painting

-Enhance drawing skills through observation