INTRODUCTION TO KINDERGARTEN ART
FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS AND EXPECTATIONS
Kindergarten is a very exciting age. Kids are eager to explore materials in the art room and enjoy creating with a variety of supplies. At this age, most children can hold drawing and painting tools, but might still struggle a little while using scissors. They enjoy learning about different types of lines, creating shapes and patterns. They begin to represent familiar topics and objects in their art. The proportions, placement and colors of their subjects might not be realistic, and that is completely okay. They paint with short random strokes and enjoy painting with unconventional tools to create textures in their artwork. Color mixing is an exciting part of their artistic journey at this age, and can create pinch pots by molding and manipulating clay. Kindergarteners learn a lot by looking at artists’ work, they enjoy talking about their art, and show pride in their efforts and achievements. At this age it is best to set up supplies within reach for each child, make sure transitions are fun, and keep instructions short and simple.
KINDERGARTEN ART PROJECT INDEX
| THEME | INSPIRATION | TECHNIQUE | ART CONCEPT | ART PROJECT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilāyah | “There is no God but He, the Creator of all things, so worship Him” Noble Qurʾān (6:102)(Steps To Perfection, ʿAQĀʿID, Lesson 2.1: Allah is al-Khāliq) | Collage | Organic Shapes, Textures | Forest |
| “And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and your colors. Indeed in that are signs for those of knowledge.” Noble Qurʾān (35:27) | Mixed Media | Patterns | Flowers in vase | |
| Trust | “Look at the ant with its small body and delicate form. See how it crawls on the earth and leaps at its livelihood. It carries the grain to its hole and stores it in its storage. It collects during the summer for the winter, and during strength for the period of its weakness.” Imām ʿAlī (ʿa), (Nahj al-Balāghah, Sermon 185) | Papercraft | Textures | Ants |
| “Put your trust in Allah. Indeed Allah loves those who trust in Him.”Noble Qurʾān (3:159) | Crayon Resist Painting | Patterns | Fish | |
| Patience | “And your Lord inspired the bee [saying]: ‘Make your home in the mountains, and on the trees and the trellises that they erect.”Noble Qurʾān (16:68) | Printmaking | Color Blending: Primary Colors | Bees |
| “He rewarded them for their patience with a garden and [garments of] silk,” Noble Qurʾān (76:12) | Spray Painting | Color Blending | Flowers | |
| Respect | “Ṣalāh is the key to Heaven.” Prophet Muhammad (ṣ) Nahj al-Faṣāḥah, Ḥadith #1588, (Steps To Perfection, FIQH, Lesson 1.1) | Fabric Art (yarn) | Symmetry, Color Blending, Color Value | Janamaz |
| “And be good to your parents” Noble Qurʾān (2:83)(Steps To Perfection, AKHLĀQ, Lesson 7.1: Kindness to Parents) | Painting | Color Value | Penguin family | |
| Justice | “Be good to others just as Allah has been good to you...” Noble Qurʾān (28:77) | Painting | Directional Lines | Birds |
| “Be good to others just as Allah has been good to you...” Noble Qurʾān (28:77) (Steps to Perfection, Good and Bad Choices Pg 146) | Collage | Geometric Shapes | Robot Costumes | |
| Gratitude | “Give thanks to Me and to your parents” Noble Qurʾān (31:14) | Handbuilding | Form | Pinch pot |
| "And it is He Who has made the night and the day, each following the other, for he who desires to remember or desires gratitude." Noble Qurʾān (25:62) | Collage | Geometric & Organic Shapes | Night & Day | |
| Mercy | “Just like the leaves fall from the trees during the fall, saying salām erases all of your mistakes” Imām al-Bāqir (ʿa)(Steps to Perfection, ʿAQĀʿID, Lesson 1.2: Salām) | Stamping, Printmaking | Color Blending: Warm Colors | Fall Leaves |
| "Say, “My Lord! Have mercy on them, just as they reared me when I was small" Noble Qurʾān (17:24) | Crayon Resist Painting | Color Blending: Cool Colors | Mother & Child | |
LESSON PLAN STRUCTURE
Here’s a brief outline of the lesson structure. Please refer to the section in the main curriculum about the Studio Thinking Framework by Project Zero for more information.
| LESSON SEGMENT | EXPLANATION | VIEWER |
|---|---|---|
| THEME | This section mentions the name of the specific Root of Risers, on which the art lesson is based. | Students |
| ART PROJECT | This section shows the name of the art project as well as a sample image of the project. | Students |
| OBJECTIVES | There are usually three kinds of objectives we aim to achieve through teaching the art project - a spiritual objective, a technique/skill based objective and an art concept based objective. | Students |
| INSPIRATION | This section contains the Qur’anic verse, hadith or other spiritual content which inspires the creation of the art project. It is a literary branch of the main Roots of Risers theme. | Students |
| THE LESSON | This section elaborates on the inspiration verse. It discusses the spiritual dimension of the art project. | Students |
| THE ART CONCEPT | This section discusses the art skills, techniques and ideas that will be introduced to students in the art project. | Students |
| PROJECT PREPARATION | This section has four main components.It has a list of art materials needed for the project.It also has a ‘Background Prep’ section, with information on what the teacher needs to do before the lesson begins.It has an estimate of the time needed to work on each project.It also has suggestions for project modifications and adaptations for the benefit of all types of learners in the classroom. | Teacher and/or Students. Online students may need to see this slide. |
| CREATION PROCESS | This section shows the step by step process of project creation. It has sample images to guide students, as well as tips on modifications. Students should always be given a choice to add or subtract ideas in the creation process, and be encouraged to personalize their artwork to reflect their own ideas. | Students |
| REFLECTION | This section has been set up as a ‘circle time’ for the teacher to ask students questions about their projects, to review the art concepts and wrap up the lesson with a reference to the spiritual context of the lesson. The teacher may choose to revisit the inspiration verse at this time. | Students |
| HOLISTIC ASSESSMENT | This section has a guide to help assess each student holistically. It has pointers for formative assessments. Teachers may also use other types of assessments to grade students. Please refer to the ‘Sample Assessments’ section in the main curriculum. | Teachers |
| NCAS | This section mentions the National Core Arts Standards implemented in the lesson plan. | Teachers |
| INSPIRATION IMAGES | This section has a larger view of the images that were used as visual inspiration for the art project. | Students |