Patterson Art Masterpiece: Kindergarten - Thiebaud

ART MASTERPIECE LESSON PLAN

Art Guide(s): M. Wells

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Print: Three Machines

Artist: Thiebaud (tea-bow) - American Artist (1920-Present)

I. Opening activity: music, props, a question ... something to hook the kids right away.

Bring in a gumball machine if possible. OR show some tree sap. OR if you can blow a big bubble with bubble gum – that could be a fun attention getter.

The history of gum: The ancient Greeks chewed the resin of the mastic tree. The ancient Mayans chewed sap from the sapodilla tree. North American Indians chewed sap from spruce trees. Early American Settlers made a chewing gum from spruce sap and beeswax. In 1848 the first commercial chewing gum was made and sold. In 1880 a man named John Colgan found a way to make chewing gum taste better. In 1906 the first “bubble gum” called Blibber-Blubber was created, it is now known as Double Bubble. In 1907 (____# of years ago,) the round candy coated gumball and gumball machines were introduced.

II. Observations of print: questions to ask students to prompt them to see elements of the print.

What do you see? What colors do you see? What shapes do you see? (circles, rectangles, ovals, trapezoids) Are any shapes repeated? (yes) How much do you think the artist of this painting paid when he was a boy in the 1920’s? (1 penny) How much does a gumball cost to buy from a machine today? (1 quarter) Why do you think Thiebaud chose to paint gumball machines? This painting is a “Still-Life” which is an art piece of objects that usually do not move, like food or flowers. It is also “Realism” which means the art represents the objects as they would be seen in real life. Like the color, shape and line.

III. Information to share: nuggets of information about the print/artist/time period to share.

Wayne Thiebaud was born on November 20, 1920 in Mesa, Arizona. His family moved to Long Beach, California when he was only six months old. He grew up during the Great Depression. He sometimes had to go to work with his older sister in the restaurant she worked at. Thiebaud would sit all day in the restaurant, in a booth right across from the dessert display. This is probably why a lot of his paintings are food – cakes, pies, suckers, gumball machines and taffy apples. In high school he played basketball and worked painting signs and making movie posters for a movie theater. When he was sixteen, he was hired by Walt Disney Studios to work in their animation department. He did work on characters such as Goofy and Pinocchio. In the 1940’s he served in the Air Force as an illustration and cartoonist. He married and worked as and artist and illustrator for Universal Studios. At the age of 29, he went back to college and received degrees in art, art history and education. Thiebaud does not consider himself an artist, but a painter. He loves poetry. He lives in Northern California, and still paints.

IV. Explanation of art project: explaining supplies, techniques, sequence, and clean-up of art activity:

Optioin1.) Coloring Page – Make enough copies for each child to have one, and have the children color with crayons

Option 2.) Print enough color copies of the Gumball Machine on white cardstock – use scrapbook circle punch to make “gumballs” ahead of time, or use pom-poms, and have children glue them in place.

Option 3.) Print enough copies for each student to have one of Template A on white/grey cardstock or construction paper. Print enough copies for each student to have one Template B on red cardstock or construction paper. Each child will need a small black rectangle for the gumball slot. Each child will need a piece of black cardstock or construction paper cut to 1” X 1^1/2” Have students cut out templates, or cut ahead of time. You will also need a background paper 8 ½ X 11 to glue all previous items to, enough for every student.

You Choose the next step

a.) Print Template C on “gumball” colored card stock or construction paper (many

colors.) Have the children then cut out the “gumballs.”

b.) Use dot markers (bingo markers) to make the “gumballs” on the machine.

c.) Use small squares of tissue paper and wad up into “gumballs.”

Using choice 3a – Have children cut small circles. Glue these “gumballs” onto the paper globe, overlapping the circles. Any gumball circles that go passed the globe edges should be trimmed to fit the contour of the globe with scissors. Glue gumball machine onto the 8 ½ X 11 background paper. Make sure students have their name on the back of their project.

Using choice 3b – Have students cut out their Template A & B. Students will then glue their “machines” to the 8 ½ X 11 background paper. Last they will use the bingo/dot markers to make their “gumballs.” Make sure students have their name on the back of their project.

Using choice 3c – Students will glue their pre-cut “machines” to the 8 ½ X 11 background papers. They will then wad up many multi-colored squares of tissue paper into a “gumball” shape. These “gumballs” can then be glued to their machines. Make sure students have their name on the back of their project.

V. Back-up activity/worksheet available for those who finish early:

Matching Game – In folder

VI. Wrap-up: elicit questions/comments from students, encourage students to share their experience and artwork with people at home, share a snack (optional)

Could bring a piece of Double Bubble or individually wrapped gumball for each student (first bubble gum)– note children are not allowed to chew gum at school. They would have to save it in their backpacks for when they get home.

Option 1