Treehouse Drawings

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Treehouse Drawings using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), shape variation (geometric, organic, free form), and form (two dimensional, three dimensional) inspired by American Artist (1979-Present) Jedediah Corwyn Voltz
• Use perspective techniques (linear, one-point, two-point, three-point, atmospheric) and design principles (proportion, gradation, composition) based on American Art
• Define Architecture (the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Corner Store (2024) Jedediah Corwyn Voltz

2. Read Stuck by Oliver Jeffers

3. Discussion Questions "Are the houses below, in, or on top of the tree? How do you know? What shapes do you see in the structure of the houses? How do you access the houses? Is the tree sitting on a horizon line or inside of an area? What details do you notice in each of the houses? What windows do you notice in each of the houses? What is the secret purpose of the treehouse such as launching water balloons or high-tech makers space? What items would you throw up into the treehouse to keep them safe? Is your treehouse made of wood, giant sticks, crystal, or metal? Is the treehouse hidden by thick leaves, vibrant, or standing out as a statement piece? Is the treehouse drawing sitting on top of branches, wrapped around the truck like a spiral, or floating between multiple trees?"

Lesson Activities

1. Use observational drawing techniques (composition, direct light, value) to draw the basic parts (roof, windows, door, base) of the Treehouse Drawings 

2. Add shape variation (geometric, organic, free form) to add details (windows, doorways, balcony) to the positive space (foreground, middle ground, treehouse) of the Treehouse Drawings 

3. Add shape variation (geometric, organic, free form) to add details (trees, dirt path, puddles) to the negative space (background) of the Treehouse Drawings 

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Treehouse Drawings for Assigned Tables 

2. Lorax Camp (2020) Jedediah Corwyn Voltz

3. Discussion Questions "What are some things happening in this artwork? What kind of person would live in this treehouse? What is the treehouse made of (leaves, sticks, mushrooms, magical)? Are there any special doors, windows, or stairs to this house? Does this house have a special feature, like a baloney, a look out, or a secret room? What could be added to this picture with more time? What are some famous examples of biomorphic architecture? How does the shape of the home reflect the inhabitants? How does the treehouse blend in with its environment? What types of lines and shapes are present in your house? How are details like windows, doors, and roofs designed to be functional or imaginative? What was the most challenging part of designing and building your treehouse?"

Lesson Activities

1. Use types of patterns (stripes, swirls, meanders) to fill in the positive space (foreground, middle ground, treehouse) of the Treehouse Drawings 

2. Add high contrast (shaded areas, shadows, value) and light/medium contrast (background, light areas, middle ground) to the white space of the Treehouse Drawings 

3. Add embellishments (scrap paper, aluminum foil, paper bags)) to the positive space (foreground, treehouse) of the Treehouse Drawings 

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Treehouse Drawings for Assigned Tables

2. Set Up Studio Area (pencils, erasers, markers, rulers) 

Lesson Activities

1. Use color combinations (analogous, secondary, neutral) to fill in the positive space (foreground, middle ground, treehouse) of the Treehouse Drawings

2. Use color combinations (analogous, secondary, neutral) to fill in the negative space (background, landscape) of the Treehouse Drawings

3. Add additional types of patterns (stripes, swirls, meanders) to the negative space (background) of the Treehouse Drawings

Artist Examples

Student Examples 

Dripping Ice Cream Cones

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Dripping Ice Cream Cones using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use color combinations (neutral colors, intermediate colors, metallic colors), shape variation (geometric, organic, free form), and value (lightness, darkness, tints, tones) inspired by American Artist (1983-Present) Jen Stark
• Use painting techniques (impasto, underpainting, dry brush, sgraffito) and design principles (composition, balance, emphasis) based on Contemporary Art
• Define Focal Point (specific area of a composition that captures a viewer's attention first acting as the center of interest)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Triangle (2021) Jen Stark

2. Read Bleezer's Ice Cream by Jack Prelutsky

3. Discussion Questions "How is ice cream made? What ingredients does it take to make ice cream? Why do you think the artist decided to open an ice cream shop? What the positives and negatives of making ice cream by hand? What are the positives and negatives to using a machine to make ice cream? What does the artist say about hard work involved in making ice cream? What is your favorite ice cream flavor? If you had a magical ice cream machine, what kind of flavor would it make for you, and what would it do? Which illustration style did you like the best? If you could eat one of these paintings, which one would it be and what is the reason?" 

Lesson Activities

1. Choose 12" X 15" Drawing Paper 

2. Use graphite pencil to draw geometric shapes (circle, triangle, rectangle) for the positive space (foreground, ice cream, sugar cone) of the Dripping Ice Cream Cones

3. Use graphite pencil to draw line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) for the negative space (background, middle ground) of the Dripping Ice Cream Cones

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Dripping Ice Cream Cones for Assigned Tables 

2. Ablaze (2018) Jen Stark

3. Discussion Questions "What is going on in this artwork? What do you see in the artwork that makes you say that? What are the feelings and mood that this artwork evokes? What do you think the artist intended to communicate? What does this artwork remind you of? How do the elements like size, color, or line affect an audience? What would it be like to experience the scene within this artwork? What do you think will happen next? What details or little surprises do you notice in the background? Does this picture remind you of anything you have seen or done before? What else can you tell me about this artwork?" 

Lesson Activities

1. Use oil pastels to fill in the positive space (foreground, ice cream cone) with color combinations (neutral, intermediate, metallic) for the Dripping Ice Cream Cones

2. Use oil pastels to fill in the negative space (background) with color combinations (neutral, intermediate, metallic) for the Dripping Ice Cream Cones

3. Add details (cherries, whip cream, toppings) for the positive space (foreground, ice cream) for the Dripping Ice Cream Cones 

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Dripping Ice Cream Cones for Assigned Tables

2. Set Up Studio Area (paintbrushes, watercolor, glitter crayons, water buckets)

Lesson Activities

1. Add highlights (reflective light, light source, cast shadow) to the positive space (foreground, middle ground, ice cream cone) of the Dripping Ice Cream Cones

2. Add shadows (reflective shadow, cast shadow, shadow) to the negative space (background) of the Dripping Ice Cream Cones

3. Add embellishments (glitter, beads, ribbon) to the positive space (foreground, middle ground, ice cream cone) of the Dripping Ice Cream Cones 

Artist Examples

Student Examples

Over Under Frogs Paintings

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Over Under Frogs Paintings using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use line types (horizontal vertical diagonal), shape variation (geometric, organic, free form), and texture (actual visual implied) inspired by American Artist (2005-Present) Samuel Popovich
• Use painting techniques (impasto, alla prima, glazing, dry brush) and design principles (composition, movement, variation) based on American Art
• Define Anthropomorphic (a description of human form, personality, or attributes to non-human entities)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Frog Ross (2024) Samuel Popovich

2. Read Tuesday by David Wiesner

3. Discussion Questions "Did you know some frogs can jump up to 20 times their body length? What else could be in the pond with the frog? How can we draw inspiration from the artist's life and art to explore the frog life cycles? How can we draw inspiration from the artist's life and art to understand the frog's role as an indicator species? How do these artworks make you feel? What do you think motivated the artist to create immersive art? What do you think the artist's artwork expresses about his own feelings? Do learners think this is an indicator that the frog did not feel healthy, safe, or creative in the previous environment? What kind of environment do learners require to feel heathy, safe, and creative? What elements of their environment can help them to thrive? What elements in their environment hinder their wellness? How do we affect our environment with art? How is our art an indicator of our environmental health?"

Lesson Activities

1. Use ruler, compass, or straightedge to draw the scenery (background, foreground, middle ground) of the Over Under Frog Paintings

2. Add details (leaves, flowers, trees, plants) with the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Over Under Frog Paintings

3. Use colored sharpies to outline the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Over Under Frog Paintings 

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Over Under Frog Paintings for Assigned Tables 

2. Honest Work (2025) Samuel Popovich

3. Discussion Questions "What do you think will happen to the frogs next Tuesday night? What would you do if you were one of the frogs flying on a lily pad? How can you tell what time of day it is in this picture? Why are the police officers so confused when they find the lily pads? What do you notice on the front cover? Why do you think the dog is looking up? Why do you think the author choose a day of the week for the title? What would you do if you saw frogs flying outside your window? Why are the townspeople puzzled about finding lily pads everywhere? What clues did the frogs leave behind? Why do you think David Wiesner decided not to use words? How would the story change if there were words on every page?"

Lesson Activities 

1. Add patterns (swirls, clouds, stars) into the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Over Under Frogs Paintings

2. Use color combinations (analogous, complementary, intermediate) to fill in the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Over Under Frogs Paintings

3. Use color combinations (analogous, complementary, intermediate) to fill in the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Over Under Frog Paintings

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Over Under Frogs Paintings for Assigned Tables 

2. Set Up Studio Area (paint brushes, water bucket, glue sticks, scissors)

Lesson Activities

1. Add highlights (reflective light, light source, reflection) within the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Over Under Frogs Paintings

2. Add shadows (cast shadow, reflective shadow) within the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Over Under Frog Paintings

3. Add details (animals, plants, accessories) within the scenery (foreground, middle ground, background) of the Over Under Sheep Paintings

Artist Examples

Student Examples 

Printmaking Sheep

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Printmaking Sheep using drawing techniques learned in class
• Use color combinations (analogous, complementary, intermediate), shape variation (geometric, organic, free form), and texture (actual, visual, implied) inspired by American Artist (1976-Present) Eli Halpin
• Use intermediate colors (yellow/green, blue/green, blue/violet, red/orange) and design principles (composition, balance, movement) based on American Art
• Define Intermediate Colors (hues created by mixing a primary color with an adjacent secondary color on the color wheel)

Lesson One
Day One, Art Start

1. Sheep (2017) Eli Halpin

2. Read Sheep In A Shop by Nancy E. Shaw 

3. Discussion Questions "What is the name of your sheep? What kind of personality does this sheep have? Where would your sheep like to live? If you could touch your sheep's wool in the ring, what would it feel like- is it soft, bumpy, or fuzzy? Did you include any fun details like the rectangle pupils sheep have for a wide field of vision? Why did you choose certain shapes, like ovals for the body or rectangles for the legs? How many prints did you make from your plate, and does each one look the same? Did you need to reapply more ink to keep the wool looking bright and white? What is your favorite part of your artwork- the foreground, middle ground, or background? What was the most challenging part of making your sheep? If your sheep were going to party, would it wear its wool natural or would it dye it bright rainbow color?"

Lesson Activities

1. Choose 12" X 15" Drawing Paper

2. Draw three thumbnail sketches of sheep using observational drawing skills (contour, outline, continuous) for the Printmaking Sheep

3. Add details (reflective light, light source, cast shadow) to the negative space (background) of the Printmaking Sheep

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Printmaking Sheep for Assigned Tables 

2.  Sheep Duo (2025) Eli Halpin

3. Discussion Questions "What did you use to make the sheep's wool have texture? Why did you choose these colors for your sheep? What was the hardest part about pressing your sheep onto the paper? What is the name of your sheep? What is the sheep's favorite snack- grass or chocolate chip cookies? What was the trickiest part getting the right amount of ink or making sure the sheep had all four legs? If you were to make a whole flock of these, would you change anything about the second one? If you were teaching a friend how to make a sheep print, what would be the top secret top you would give them? Does the shape of your sheep remind you of a cloud you have seen in the sky? What kind of sweater do you think your sheep would want to wear?" 

Lesson Activities

1. Use drawing techniques (contour, outline, continuous) to add basic shapes (circle, rectangle, oval) to the Printmaking Sheep

2. Use design principles (composition, gradation, repetition) to fill in the positive space (foreground, sheep) of the Printmaking Sheep

3. Use drawing techniques (contour, outline, continuous) to add patterns (swirls, loops, waves) to the positive space (foreground, sheep) of the Printmaking Sheep

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Printmaking Sheep for Assigned Tables

2. Set Up Studio Area (bubble wrap, rollers, speed ball ink)

Lesson Activities

1. Use intermediate colors (yellow/green, blue/green, blue/violet, red/orange) to fill in the positive space (foreground, sheep) of the Printmaking Sheep

2. Use intermediate colors (yellow/green, blue/green, blue/violet, red/orange) to fill in the negative space (background) of the Printmaking Sheep

3. Add design details (shadows, reflective light, cast shadow) to the negative space (background) of the Printmaking Sheep

Artist Examples

Student Examples 

 Clay Ice Cream Cones

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create an original Clay Ice Cream Cone using ceramic techniques learned in class
• Use form (two dimensional, three dimensional), shape variation (geometric, organic, free form), and texture (actual visual implied) inspired by American Sculptor (1929-2022) Claes Oldenburg
• Use basic hand building techniques (rolling, flattening, joining, cutting) and design principles (balance, proportion, emphasis) based on Pop Art
• Define Texture (the feel or appearance of a surface)

Lesson One

Day One, Art Start

1. Floor Cone (1962) Claes Oldenburg

2. Read Ice Cream Cones For Sale by Elaine Greenstein 

3. Discussion Questions "What do you think is your best clay tool? Do you think that if I were to drop this clay piece, it would stay together? Can you create a three-dimensional ice cream cone out of clay using the techniques of scoring, slipping, cutting, and smoothing? Can you use specific colors to paint your ice cream cone realistic or abstract? Can you add at least two unique details to your ice cream cone by using texture or shapes? Can you participate in a discussion of how artists use clay? What flavor is your faoviret type of ice cream? Who likes chocolate ice cream, vanilla ice cream, mint ice cream, and rocky road ice cream?" 

Lesson Activities

1. Add line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) for the proportions (foreground, cone, ice cream scoops) within the silhouette of the Clay Ice Cream Cones 

2. Mold clay into basic shapes (oval scoops, triangle cones, cherry circles) for the positive space (foreground, cone, ice cream scoops) of the Clay Ice Cream Cones 

3. Use needle tools to draw basic shapes (triangles, squares, rectangles) for the positive space (foreground, cone, ice cream scoops) of the Clay Ice Cream Cones 

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Clay Ice Cream Cones for Assigned Tables 

2. Dropped Cone (2001) Claes Oldenburg

3. Discussion Questions "What shapes do you see in this ice cream cone sculpture? If you could touch this, what do you think it would feel like? Is the ice cream cone rough, smooth, hard, or soft? How does the size of the ice cream cone compare to the real one? What would an artist make an ice cream cone as big as a room or a building? If this giant ice cream cone was in your school, where would you put it? If you look at the "Dropped Cone" sculpture, what do you think happened to it? What makes this sculpture look like a "Pop Art" piece? If you made your own giant food sculpture out of clay, what food would you choose? How could you use texture to make the ice cream cone look "drippy" or "melting" in your own artwork? Why do you think the artist chose to make art of out of something we eat quickly?" 

Lesson Activities

1. Add basic shapes (triangles, ovals, circles, rectangles) to the negative space (background, middle ground) of the Clay Ice Cream Cones 

2. Add details (cherries, sprinkles, caramel, dipped chocolate) to the positive space (foreground, cone, ice cream scoops) of the Clay Ice Cream Cones  

3. Use modeling tools (paddle, brush, grips) to smooth out the positive space (foreground, cone, ice cream scoops) of the Clay Ice Cream Cones 

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Clay Ice Cream Cones for Assigned Tables 

2. Set Up Studio Area (modeling tools, rubber mats, clay, glaze) 

Lesson Activities 

1. Add warm colors (red, orange yellow) to the positive space (foreground, ice cream cone) of the Clay Ice Cream Cones

2. Add cool colors (blue, purple, green) to the negative space (middle ground, background, ice cream scoops) of the Clay Ice Cream Cones

3. Apply Gloss Finish to the positive space (foreground, ice cream cone, ice cream scoops) of the Clay Ice Cream Cones 

Artist Examples

Student Examples