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 11/2” 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.
