Third Grade Art Lesson 5

Tissue Paper Collage, Part 1 Warm and Cool Colors in Fall Leaves

Objective:

The students will know the warm and cool colors and create a collage emphasizing each. The students will create a composition using shapes of fall leaves.

Materials:

Collection of actual fall leaves or photographs, a variety of warm and cool color tissue paper, liquid starch, paint brushes, pencils, 12 x 18 inch drawing or construction paper.

Procedure:

Begin by asking the students if they have noticed any change out of doors, particularly on the trees. If your live in an area where the seasons change, they will notice the leaves on the trees changing color for fall. Ask them to name the colors on the changing leaves. Encourage them to look closely at the different shapes. The students will select one particular leaf shape to use to create a composition of leaves. Explain that we are going to make a collage. A collage is an arrangement of shapes on a background. Distribute the white paper and pencils and have each child select the leaf shape they want to work with. The students need to spend some time working out a composition or arrangement of how they want their leaves distributed across the paper. Encourage them to make careful decisions. Once they've made their decisions the students may lightly trace each leaf in its proper place. At this point make sure each student puts their name on the back of their paper. Distribute the warm color tissue paper (reds, yellows, and oranges) and small containers of starch. The students will fill each leaf with the warm color tissue paper torn into small shapes, overlapping colors. Direct the students to begin by placing the edges of the torn tissue shapes along the outside edges of the leaf. Using the paintbrushes, brush lightly over the tissue paper with the starch. Continue with this process going around the outside edge of the leaf, and then fill in the interior. Require the students to work carefully and neatly and to avoid rushing. Also be careful that the tissue paper stays flat when glued and does not fold over or crumple. Fill as many leaves as they can fill in this class period. Set work aside to dry and once it's dry, stack the work and put weight on to flatten the paper.

Conclusion:

Have the children repeat what the warm colors are and where in nature they can find great examples of warm colors (fall leaves). Have the children describe what a collage is. We will complete our work next lesson.

Artwork and Examples used in this lesson

Student Artwork

Student Artwork