Kindergarten Art Lesson 22

Self Portrait Collage, Part 1

Objective:

The students will understand what a collage is by creating an arrangement of shapes to represent themselves.

Materials:

A 9”x18” piece of white paper, glue stick, scissor and color construction paper (or the scrap box)

Procedure:

Begin the lesson by reminding the students that we have made collages before. That a collage is defined as an arrangement of shapes on a background. Review also what a self portrait is. Have the students select a color to represent their skin color. Show them how to fold the paper over so that they can cut out two legs and two arms that will look the same. Be sure to emphasize that they cut out large shapes to fill the tall paper we will be working on. Describe the arm as a long thick line with a mitten at the end of it, and the legs as long thick lines with triangles at the end. Cut out a neck and head in one piece of paper. Stress that they are not to glue any of their shapes down until all shapes have been cut out. Next guide them in cutting out a skirt, shorts or pants, then a top. Show by example how these things will be arranged on the paper. Finally, demonstrate how to cut out the hair, or wig to go around the head. Once all of these pieces have been cut out, put a little bit of glue stick in the center of each shape, but not all over it (so you can still slide shapes under it). This process takes a good bit of time and will probably take an entire art period. Have the students store their work in a safe dry place to complete on the next art lesson.

Conclusion:

Remind the students the definition of a collage, an arrangement of shapes on a background. Show the class examples created by other students and point out the strengths of the work. Encourage the children to take care with their work and not to rush any of their cutting. Explain that we will complete the collage next lesson by filling in the face and adding patterns to the clothing.

Artwork and Examples used in this lesson

Student Artwork