Names in Positive Space (Grades 3-6; Language Arts and Visual Art)

Overview Create nameplates with watercolors to show positive and negative space and personal interests or characteristics. Process ·         Show an assortment of art images and discuss how they make you feel. ·         As a class, share stories about when you were mad, happy, confused, excited, or other feelings. ·         Have each student choose one story and its accompanying feelings. ·         Tell the students that they are going to color and paint nameplates in a way that express the feelings they felt during a specific experience. ·         Pass out materials. ·         Instruct the students to write their names in block letters with crayon so that each letter touches both the top and the bottom of their nameplate. This creates negative spaces in between letters. ·         Instruct the students to use watercolors to paint the nameplates, expressing the feelings associated with their specific stories. ·         When the projects are complete, invite individual students to share their story with the class and describe how the nameplate expresses the feelings associated with the story.