Rainy Day in the City

Lesson Plan Submitted by: Debra Meier-Sprague
Elementary teacher at Jackson Elementary at Batavia, NY.
Grades: 2nd grade

 

Procedure:

Have students fold the paper in half length-wise. Students should then place paper in front of themselves horizontally.

 

Using cityscape pictures for reference (See resources below), have the children draw and then color in a street scene along the top half of the paper, using pencil and regular crayon. Make sure that the scene touches the fold line all the way across the paper.

 

Turn the paper upside down, so that now the blank half is on top. Explain symmetry to the class, and then demonstrate how to duplicate each of the buildings again, this time, coloring in with the water-soluble media.

Use the large brush to sweep a wash of plain water across this half of the paper. This will cause the colors to run and merge. Set aside to dry.

 

What you are left with is a picture that is crystal clear and bright on top, and wet-looking and blurred underneath, much like looking at city street scene immediately after a rain or the reflection of a cityscape on a lake or ocean. The kids have great fun with these. The lesson is highly successful for many students.

 

 

Materials:

• 12x18 (30.5 x 46 cm) 80 lb white paper

• Drawing Pencils, Crayons

• Water

• Large watercolor Sable Brushes

• Either Watercolor Crayons or Watercolor Pencils

• Pictures of city streets

Art Vocabulary:

Symmetry

 

Resources

Posters

Chicago skyline poster - This poster shows the Chicago skyline in a wide view. The reflection of the city is found on Lake Michigan.

Times Square reflection poster - This poster shows the reflection of Times Square after a rain.

New York City Skyline, Panorama view - This poster shows the New York City skyline in a panoramic view. You can see the reflection of the city in the river.

 

Books

Watercolor Painting: A Book Of Elementary Instruction For Beginners And Amateurs (1897) - This books covers beginning watercolors.

Watercolor For Beginning Students - Easy to follow, explanations and graphic examples.