Lesson Plan Two- Negative Space Trees

Negative Space Trees

Grades 3-4

Project:

Students will practice with positive and negative space by creating two trees. On one tree they will fill only the space around the tree, on the other tree they will fill only the space inside the tree.

I got this idea from www.artventure.com.au by Kristy Shadiac, it’s a great website with tons of video tutorials.

Materials:

·         Large Poster size paper

·         Oil Pastels

·         Rulers (if desired)

Objectives:

At the end of this assignment students will be able to…

·         Demonstrate their knowledge on positive and negative space.

·         Recognize the differences between positive and negative space.

·         Blend and create colors using oil pastels.

Visual Arts Standards:

·         Apply knowledge of available resources, tools, and technologies to investigate personal ideas through the art-making process. (3^rd grade)

·         Elaborate on an imaginative idea. (3^rd grade)

·         Brainstorm multiple approaches to a creative art or design problem. (4^th grade)

Other Standards:

Vocabulary

·         Negative Space: The space around or behind the point of focus

·         Positive Space: The point of focus

o   Generally the first thing you notice in a piece of art is the positive space, the rest is negative space.

o   It can be different from person to person.

Pedagogy:

20-25 minutes—Begin explaining negative and positive space

·         Pull up pictures of black and white examples first and ask the kids to point out what they see first.

o   Negative Space: The space around or behind the point of focus

o   Positive Space: The point of focus

§  Generally the first thing you notice in a piece of art is the positive space, the rest is negative space.

§  It can be different from person to person.

·         Show more examples of negative space and the impact it can have on the overall work.

·         Explain the beginning of the project.

o   Have them start by folding the paper down the middle.

§  Draw a boarder on each side of the paper

o   Next have them draw an outline of a tree on each side of the paper.

o   Explain that they will be completely filling in the space around the tree on one side and completely filling in the space within the tree on the other side.

20-25 minutes—Time to start!

·         Pass out the oil pastels.

o   Let them design and color their negative and positive space however they choose.

§  Any shapes, colors, patterns etc. As long as there is no white left.

o   Make sure they take their time and use as much detail as possible.

15-20 minutes—Finish Up

·         As they are finishing their work make sure they can connect the activity to the lesson and identify they positive and negative space within their work.

·         Assessment Time (see below)

·         Clean up

o   This activity requires very little clean up so there is plenty of extra time just in case the lesson goes over time or they need more time to finish.

Assessment:

For this activity I prefer a formative assessment where I show the students different examples of positive and negative space and have them identify which piece of the artwork is the subject or point of focus and which is the negative space. Have students speculate on what they think the artist intended for people to see or feel.