A Snowy Day: Painting with 1st Grade

Right when we get back after winter break, I like to share a book with the 1st grade called "Snowy Day" by Ezra Keats.

The book has many imaginative illustrations that help students to visualize what it would be like to play outside on a snowy day.  This winter so far, we barely had an inch of snow so far, but we'll see what Mother Nature brings us in January!

For the project itself. I need the following materials:

-10.5" x 16" blue paper
-12" x 18" colored paper for frame
-Newsaper to cover table
-White tempura paint
-Large and small brushes
-pencils
-Skinny black markers
-Colored pencils
-Scissors
-3-Do's (found in Nasco catalog)

On the first day, I read the story to the students, then we discuss how paint can create a snow effect without just blotching white paint on paper.  I first give the students the blue paper, then have them write their names on it.  If you don't do this step before painting, the students will be too excited to write their names, which makes it difficult to hand their projects back to them later since they'll all look the same!

After their names are on the paper, I place a tray of white tempura paint on the table with large and small brushed.  I show them that the big brushes are for "fluffing" the snow on the ground and the snowman, and the small brush is for dotting the snow falling from the sky.  When the students finish their paintings, I place them on the drying rack.

On day two, I show the students how to draw pictures of themselves in winter clothes.  They use pencil first, then trace them in skinny black marker.  After tracing, the students color in colored pencil.  I have to remind them to not color their faces with blue, purple, green, or polka dots, which makes them laugh, but at this age, I still have a few that rush their pictures.  When the students are done coloring, they draw a circle around their bodies (to prevent them from cutting off a head or an arm),  cut the bodies out of the paper, and with the 3-Do's, we pop them up on our "Snowy Day" paintings.

For the last step, the students use markers to draw a face, arms, and scarves on their snowmen, then glue a frame on the back of their papers.

Viola!  Snowy Day Paintings!