One of my favorite lessons I created at Pomaika'i Elementary was my Proportion Project. Just around 3rd grade students are starting to make the jump to drawing realistically. They want more tools, and this project gave them a tool to draw the human figure reasonably accurately in any pose they could imagine. Furthermore, anatomy and math concepts were included.
I also did this project with the 2nd graders since they were a reasonably advanced group. Though they took longer to grasp the concept, their use of this new skill was equally amazing.
To begin with we did some measuring of our body, answering questions such as, "Where are your eyes located on your head?" and "How many heads long is your body?" We tried using different things as units of measurement for our bodies, and made some interesting discoveries.
Next, I gave them a 1 inch square rectangle, and showed them the process for using proportion as a tool for drawing people.
I was very careful to introduce this as
another way to draw people. They might already have ways drawing people they enjoyed, but now they would have this way too.
The students had the opportunity to practice multiple times.
A 3rd grade example.
After they had a grasp of the skill I introduced the project they would use it for.
Second graders were asked to create a scene of something they like to do in the ocean.
The students traced their drawing with permanent markers, and used watercolor to paint the scene. This allowed them to experiment with washes while not losing the details of their drawing.
The third graders were given the more complicated task of inventing a new superhero that helped the world--and didn't use violence.
We brainstormed, and the students drew rough drafts before starting on their final drawing.
Even understanding the idea of a rough draft is an interesting learning experience!
The 3rd graders used permanent marker and tempera paint. As always, I encouraged lots of color mixing. I only provide primary colors plus white.
The concepts they came up with were varied and fantastically illustrated.
"How do I mix black?"
"How do I mix brown?"
...I love those questions. She didn't get black, but she mixed a color that was pretty close, and quite beautiful.
The body positions showed an exciting amount of variation. It was clear that the students took this new information and hungrily applied it to better express what they saw in their minds.
I even heard continual feedback from the classroom teachers that the students continued on their own to apply this way of drawing to other projects. They had a new way to express the world.
