Giant Panda Paintings Lesson Plan
- Hannah Gersh
- Feb 6, 2015
- 4 min read
Grade Level: First Grade (but adaptable)
Media: Oil pastels, tempera, and watercolor on paper
Time needed: At least two fourty-minute class periods
Content Connection: Geography/Social Studies and Science
I. Goals
a. To introduce students to China and their native giant pandas
b. To learn about warm colors and cool colors
c. To learn about the foreground, middleground, and background of an artwork
II. Objectives
a. TLW create an artwork of a giant panda using oil pastels, tempera paint, and watercolor.
III. Visuals
a. A picture of a giant panda
b. Teacher demonstration example
IV. Supplies and Equipment
a.12" x 18" white paper
b. How to draw a panda handout
c. Black oil pastels and/or black crayons
d. Two shades of green oil pastels
e. Red oil pastels
f. Black tempera paint
g. Warm watercolors
h. Water
i. Paintbrushes
j. The book "Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?" by Bill Martin, Jr.
V. Teaching Procedure
a. Pre-Teaching Preparation
i. Have all supplies needed readily available
ii. Put students' names on the backs of their papers
iii. Have demonstration materials ready (black, red, and 2 shades of green markers) at easel or
front of room
b. Day 1
i. 10 minutes: Introduce China
1. Introduce students to China by giving several facts about the country, such as: China is the
most populated country in the world.
2. Introduce the students to the giant pansa and explain that they are native to China. Give a few
facts about the pansa, such as: giant pandas have really big teeth and strong jaw muscles to
help them checw on their favorite food, bamboo.
3. Read "Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?" to students
ii. 25 minutes: Project Time
1. Explain that students will be creating an artwork of a giant panda. Pass out papers and oil
pastels.
2. Demonstrate EVERY STEP of the drawing process to the students and along with them.
3. Start the draw-along. Once students have their oil pastels, instruct them to draw along with you
as you draw the panda (do this on the easel and use markers instead of oil pastels so students
can see it better). The red oil pastels will be passed out next and they will be used for eye detail.
4. Next, instruct the students on drawing the bamboo. Pass out both green oil pastels. Explain
that there will be bamboo in the background, the foreground, and in the middleground with
the panda. Show this on the teacher example. Demonstrate how to do each of the three, one at
a time, giving time for them to work on each in between instruction.
iii. 5 minutes: Closure
1. Ask students to finish their work. Take it up or have the students put it in a certain place.
2. Ask students to help clean up the oil pastels (have table leaders help with this) and ask
students to clean up their area before lining up.
c. Day 2
i. 10 minutes: Review
1. Review China and the giant panda. Explain that students will paint in their panda using black
tempera paint in certain areas and they will paint the background of their panda pictures using
watercolor.
2. First, demonstrate how to paint in the panda using black tempera paint.
3. Pass out supplies and give the students several minutes to complete this step.
4. Next, explain that colors can be divided up into two groups: warm colors and cool colors. Warm
colors are colors that make us feel warm. Ask if any students can guess what colors these might
be. Write them (red, orange, yellow) on the board in a column labeled "warm." Do this again
with cool colors. Explain that the Chinese really favor warm colors. Ask the students why that
might be and show them the Chinese flag. Instruct students to use only the WARM COLORS on
their watercolor palette to paint the background of their panda.
5. Demonstrate to students how to use watercolor on the demonstration piece.
ii. 25 minutes: Project Time
1. Students will finish their giant panda paintings.
iii. 5 minutes: Closure
1. Ask students to finish their work and place it where I ask or I will take it up and place it on a
drying rack.
2. Ask students to clean up thier areas.
VI. Evaluation
a. The meeting of objectives
i. Objective will be assessed by the students' finished projects: if they understood and were able to
complete it.
VII. Standards
a. National Art Standards
i. VA:Cr1.2.1. Use observation and investigation in preparation for making a work of art.
b. Mississippi Art Standards
i. Standard 2b. Associate foreground, background, and middleground with a work of art.
ii. Standard 6. Recognize that art varies throughout cultures, times, and places.
VIII. Special Needs Accommodations
a. No special needs children should have a problem with this lesson. If so, I usually walk around the room and help anyone who seems to be having a problem.
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