English Language Arts Grade 1
Reading: Literature Standard 7
Students will create and share their own rock art. Part of this lesson is done as a shared reading experience.
This lesson focuses on Navajo and Hawaiian rock art. The art is the main focus of the lesson, so you will want to teach other lessons that focus on the cultures and traditions of Native Americans or Hawaiians. Part of this lesson should be done as a shared reading experience.
Intended Learning Outcomes
6. Communicate clearly in oral, artistic, written and nonverbal form.
Process Skills
Symbolization
Invitation to Learn
Read The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie dePaola. As you are
reading this to the children, pay special attention to the paintings in the
book. Have children help you interpret them or tell the story about them.
Instructional Procedures:
Possible Extensions/ Adaptations
Instead of using sandpaper and chalk, another idea is to use plaster of paris
and drop lumps onto wax paper to dry. When it is dry, have students paint the
entire surface using red or brown tempera paint. When the paint is dry, students
can use a paper clip to scratch their art into the “rock.” The paint
will scratch away, leaving the design of their artwork white.
Also, students could write the story of a picture they have drawn on paper, or could research Native American symbols and use those in telling another story. Additionally, students could create a graph representing the shapes or colors they used.
Family Connections
Students could create a story about their family using drawings.
Students can be assessed throughout the process of this activity. Their pictures should correlate with what they are trying to portray. Their key should also correspond accurately with their drawings.