Drawing with the Body

Using the Body as a Markmaking Tool 
1st Grade 

Students will create drawings using their bodies - specifically their fingers - as markmaking tools. They will study the work of artists Heather Hansen and Judith Ann Braun. The unit will use the body and kinesthetic learning as a method for teaching symmetry: student will simultaneously use both hands to draw the a symmetrical image on both sides of their paper. ​

Artist Resources
Judith Braun + Heather Hansen 

UNIT: DRAWING WITH THE BODY
LESSON 1: MOVEMENT AND ART
I. Topic
Content Area  

• Big Idea: Interconnectedness: Art, the body and environmentalism

Content Statement/Concept Statement

• Using the body forces students to use their sense of touch when creating work and raises kinesthetic awareness​

II. Objectives / Expected Learner Outcomes

• Students will learn how using the body as a markmaking tool is different from using a brush, pencil, etc.
• Students will learn why artists use their bodies to create work.
• Students will learn what the 5 senses are and how artists use when making work.
• Students will learn about what it means to be resourceful and use limited materials
• Students will learn about charcoal - how it is made, how it is biodegradable and renewable
• Students will learn about artists: Judith Ann Braun, Heather Hansen, Chuck Close

III. Standards of Education
Related National Standards for Visual Arts Education
Related Virginia Visual Arts Standards of Learning

• 1.3 The student will use the senses of sight, touch, and hearing as inspirations for works of art.
• 1.12 The student will use motor skills (e.g., cutting, modeling, molding, tearing, weaving) to create two- and three-dimensional works of art.
• 1.16 The student will describe the visual qualities and content of works of art.
• 1.17 The student will describe similarities and differences among works of art.
• 1.19 The student will describe how feelings, ideas, and emotions are communicated in works of art.
• 3.7 The student will use the following in works of art:
  • 3. Balance—symmetry, asymmetry, radial

• Related Virginia Standards of Learning Science

• 1.8 The student will investigate and understand that natural resources are limited. Key concepts include a) identification of natural resources;  and c) recycling, reusing, and reducing consumption of natural resources.

IV. Student Group Targeted

• 1st grade

Prerequisite skills/knowledge

• Students have familiarity with drawing and drawing tools such as markers, crayons, colored pencils
• Students will have familiarity with finger painting
• Students will need to be able to make symmetrical movements with their bodies (ex: raise both arms over their heads at the same rate)

V. Time Required
4 30 minute session

SESSION 1
Drawing with Fingers
Objective:
Students will be able to make marks using their fingers and discuss how this is different from using traditional drawing tools.
1.12 - motor skills
1.17 - describe similarities and differences in works of art
VI. Materials and Resources

• paper (9x12)
• charcoal (wedged into a foam block so it functions like an eyeshadow cake)
• projector
• computer
• rags/baby wipes

VII. Itinerary and Instructional Strategies
Key terms/vocabulary to be introduced

• markmaking tool
• charcoal
• kinesthetic – tactile learning
• Judith Braun

Questioning strategies/discussion

• What tools have you used in the past to draw? (pencil, paintbrush, etc.) Have you used your hands to draw?  
• Students will view a slideshow with the the works and processes of Judith Ann Braun.
  • What is charcoal? Where does it come from?
  • What does she use as a mark-making tool?
  • Does she use one hand? 2? Her whole body?
  • What part of her body has charcoal on it? (Talk about cleanliness expectations - only on fingers - and consequences: i'll take your charcoal if you’re not responsible enough to use it.)

Demonstration/guided practice

• Students will look at the projection of the document cam I will demo techniques that can be used with charcoal
  • how to rub the charcoal to get it on your fingers: compare fingers to brushes. Do you remember what it means to load your brush? We’re going to load our fingers the same way. How many paint brushes do we usually have? 1. How many finger-brushes are we going to use? 1.
  • make a mark (press a finger on the page)
  • make dots (use the top of your finger)
  • make a line (drag a finger across the page)
  • draw a shape and fill it in (rub the finger back and forth in one area. Add more charcoal when necessary to make it darker)

Student independent practice/activity

• Optional, if there is time and behavior is spot on, kids may have a few minutes to free draw with the material. Same rules apply. One brush finger, charcoal nowhere but the paper.

Guided practice

• Optional: if there is time: critique: if you have a mark that that is different from what i’ve showed you, raise your hand and I’ll hold it up while you share with the class.
• Optional: Show videos of Judith Braun working

Checking for understanding

• Checking in with students while walking around the room to make sure they understand each type of mark
• taking questions throughout the class

Clean up

• charcoal blocks in the center
• papers stacked
• hands flat on the table, don’t touch anything. I’ll bring around wipes. Wipe your hands and then the table. I’ll walk around with a bucket. Drop your wipes in.
• Line up by table

Time flow

• 5 - discussion
• 5 - demo 1
• 15 - guided practice  
• 5 - independent
• 5 - clean up
• 5 - closure

Closure

• we will discuss what we did that day.
• How was this different than using a brush? or a pencil?
• Review vocab: kinesthetic, pattern, charcoal, Judith Ann Braun

SESSION 2
Defining Symmetry
Objective:
Students should be able to describe what symmetry is and describe where they see it in works of art

• 1.16 The student will describe the visual qualities and content of works of art.
• 1.17 The student will describe similarities and differences among works of art.

VI. Materials and Resources

• projector
• computer
• ruler/stick
• white board and 2 markers

VII. Itinerary and Instructional Strategies
Key terms/vocabulary to be introduced / reviewed

• Symmetry - if you fold something in half, both sides are the same
• Judith Braun
• Heather Hansen

Questioning strategies/discussion

• Review last week:
  • Who did we talk about? (Judith Braun)
  • What did she use to draw? (her hands)
  • Why would she choose to use her fingers instead of a brush or pencil or crayon etc.?
  • How many fingers did we use?
  • How did we get charcoal on our fingers?
• We’re going to continue drawing with our fingers next class, but for now we’re going to learn about Symmetry.
• We will discuss SYMMETRY - what happens on one side of an object also happens on the other. When you draw a line cutting something in half and both sides look the same

Demonstration/guided practice

• We will use basic body shapes that are symmetrical across center of the body. If you cut me in half right down the middle, do both sides of my body look the same? I will do a few body movements - some that are symmetrical and some that are not. Students will give a thumbs up for symmetrical, thumbs down for not symmetrical.  
• Students will volunteer to com up and make their own shapes, testing for understanding the same way.
• We will view slides with symmetrical work from Judith Braun and Heather Hansen and students will be called up to place the line of symmetry over the projection using a ruler. Understanding tested for the same way.
• Using the white board, I will draw a vertical line. This is the line of symmetry. I’ll use one marker in each hand, and if I do the same thing with both arms, both sides will be symmetrical. I will demonstrate this then have students volunteer to come up and try. Understanding tested for the same way.
• ** Periodically throughout the class ask “if i cut something in half both side ________” and have students fill in the definition.
• If there is time: view videos of Judith or Heather working.
• If there is time, do symmetrical movement

Checking for understanding

• discussion


• thumbs up for symmetrical or down for not symmetrical

Time flow

• 5 - discussion
• 5 - yoga demo and discussion of symmetry
• - symmetry and drawing
• 5 - clean up
• videos
• 5 - closure

Closure

• we will discuss what we did that day.
• Maybe watch another Heather Hansen vide

SESSION 3
Symmetry Drawing
Objective:
Students will create symmetrical drawings with charcoal, using movement of both arms as a means to learn symmetry
SOLs

• 1.12 The student will use motor skills (e.g., cutting, modeling, molding, tearing, weaving) to create two- and three-dimensional works of art.
• 1.16 The student will describe the visual qualities and content of works of art.
• 3.7 The student will use the following in works of art:
  • 3. Balance—symmetry, asymmetry, radial

VI. Materials and Resources

• paper
• charcoal (wedged in small foam trays)
• projector
• computer
• rags/baby wipes

VII. Itinerary and Instructional Strategies
Key terms/vocabulary to be introduced / reviewed

• Symmetry
• Charcoal

Questioning strategies/discussion

• Review last week:
  • Review Symmetry:
    • What does it mean when something is symmetrical? (If it’s cut in half, both sides are the same, a mirror image of each other)
    • Make one symmetrical shape and one asymmetrical shape with your body and have students guess if it is symmetrical or not.
    • Select one student to stand and make a symmetrical shape with their body
    • Select one student to make an shape with their body that is not symmetrical
    • Draw on the board again using 2 hands, showing how it is important that both hands do the same thing at the same time
  • Who did we talk about? (heather hansen and judith braun)
  • What did they use to draw? (charcoal and their hands)
  • Why would they choose to use their fingers instead of a brush or pencil or crayon etc.? (up to interpretation - )
  • How many fingers did we use? (1) This week we’ll use 2.
• How did we get charcoal on our fingers? (wipe them on the charcoal in the foam trays. Don’t take charcoal out of trays)
• Discuss how students will begin creating a symmetrical drawing today. They will use 2 pointer fingers, load them with charcoal from their foam tray, and use their fingers to make marks that are the same on either side of the paper. They should use both hands at once. If their bodies are making symmetrical movements, their drawings should show evidence of this.

Demonstration/guided practice

• At the white board, I will re-show students how to load my fingers with charcoal. I will stand in front of my drawing, and make symmetrical marks on the drawing.
• Students will listen to a music playlist and be encouraged to move and dance, making sure that what they do with one side of their bodies, they do with the other.

Student independent practice/activity

• Helper table students will pass out one sheet of paper and a pencil to each student. They will write their names
• Helper table students will pass out 1 foam charcoal tray to each student

Checking for understanding

• discussion
• I will walk around and check in with students throughout the class, clarifying symmetry and how to make symmetrical marks for those who are struggling.

Time flow

• 10 - discussion and movement
• 2 - demonstration with charcoal on paper
• 15 - student independent work
• 5-10 clean up

Closure

• after clean up/in line we will discuss what we did that day
  • who are the artists we talked about?
  • What does symmetry mean?
  • what was something you struggled with today?

SESSION 4
Symmetry drawing - choice based mixed media
Objective:
Students will continue to work on their drawings, using movement of both arms as a means to learn symmetry. They will incorporate more materials into their work.
SOLs

• 1.12 The student will use motor skills (e.g., cutting, modeling, molding, tearing, weaving) to create two- and three-dimensional works of art.
• 1.16 The student will describe the visual qualities and content of works of art.
• 3.7 The student will use the following in works of art:
  • 3. Balance—symmetry, asymmetry, radial

VI. Materials and Resources

• paper (that they’ve already started)
• charcoal (wedged in foam trays)
• projector
• computer
• rags/baby wipes
• Watercolors, brushes and water
• markers

VII. Itinerary and Instructional Strategies
Key terms/vocabulary to be introduced / reviewed

• Symmetry
• Drawing tool

Questioning strategies/discussion

• Review last week:
  • talk about how we drew with our fingers last week and made symmetrical drawings
    • Which fingers did we use? (Pointer fingers)
    • What artists did we study? (Judith Braun and Heather Hansen)
    • The fold in our paper was the line of ___________? (Symmetry)
    • What does Symmetry mean?
    • Does anyone want to demonstrate a symmetrical body shape for the class? Can someone demonstrate an asymmetrical shape?

Demonstration/guided practice

• This week we will continue working on our symmetrical drawings, but today we will get a choice of what materials we want to work with. The teacher will demonstrate each of the new mediums on the board - the example drawing will be tacked to the board and materials ready to demonstrate.
  • Watercolor: If you pick watercolor, you will need 2 brushes. Load both. Hold one in each hand and paint with both brushes at once, just like we’ve been doing with our hands
  • Charcoal: If you pick watercolor, you will draw just like we did last week. Load both fingers, and use both hands to draw at the same time
  • Chalk Pastel: If you pick watercolor, you will draw just like we did last week. Load both fingers, and use both hands to draw at the same time

• Helpers will pass back papers from last week.
  • Ask kids if anyone would like to share what they drew? Did they make a design or draw a picture of something in particular?
• The teacher will up the stations by having helpers put materials on each table:
  • Red+yellow: Watercolor, brushes, water cups
  • Blue+Green: charcoal trays
  • Purple+orange: Chalk pastel

Student independent practice/activity

• Students will be asked to stand up and push in their chairs. They will then move to the table that they would like to work at. They must stay for at least half the the work period, then there will be a call for anyone who would like to switch. At that time students may push in their chairs and move to another table.

Checking for understanding

• discussion
• I will walk around and check in with students throughout the class, clarifying symmetry and how to make symmetrical marks for those who are struggling.

Time flow

• 5 - discussion
• 5 - demonstration with watercolor, and crayon and review of charcoal
• 25 - student independent work (call for switch after 10-15 minutes)
• 5 - clean up

Closure

• after clean up/in line we will discuss what we did that day
  • who are the artists we talked about?
  • What does symmetry mean?

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