Drawing Lessons, Kindergarten 201

In my last post, Drawing Lessons, Kindergarten 101, I wrote about how I used directed drawing materials in a kindergarten center.  In this post, I want to share a whole class lesson in directed drawing which results in a booklet individual students will create.  This was a very successful project used for many, many years by at least one of my colleagues and me.

The first few pages of the booklet, entitled Drawing Lessons, are pictured above.  Here are images of the second, third, and fourth series of pages:

If you click here, you can download a template for photocopying.  In this way, you can photocopy the booklet for each of your students to complete!

This is a fun booklet to work on over the course of one week.  Here's how:

Start on Monday by reading a book such as The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodds, so that the students can begin thinking how common objects are formed out of basic shapes.

After reading the book, show the children your sample copy of the book. (Yes, you will want to go ahead and create your own version so they can envision the end product.  This is directed drawing, after all!)

Still on Monday, have the children follow clear directions to color and add features to the first series of three pages, the series, "A circle can become a face." 

On Tuesday and Wednesday, proceed in the same manner to complete the series of pages, "A square can become my house," and "A rectangle can become my tree."  On Thursday, depending on the needs of your class, you might brainstorm objects other than a cookie which are formed from an oval.  If your students are capable, they might be able to work independently to create a dog with an oval body or an oval plate or an oval balloon, etc.

On Friday, discuss with the class how illustrators often choose their favorite picture from the book to be the one they copy on the cover.  Have the students illustrate the cover in this way.  Ask them to complete the dedication page, too, with the name of someone in their family who would appreciate the dedication.

My next post will feature yet another directed drawing booklet!  I hope you will continue reading!