It may seem a bit early to describe Picasso and his work to elementary aged children, especially in the early childhood grades, yet there are resources to make learning about Pablo Picasso very age appropriate from Kindergarten on.
For students in Kindergarten through Second Grade, the first two books on this recommended reading list will introduce the great Picasso and his style in an approachable and simple way that younger kids can understand. The first book will provide details about Pablo Picasso and the artistic inspiration he met in France, named Sylvette. He draws, paints, and sculpts Sylvette, as well as encourages her in her own artistic endeavors. The second book is about Pablo Picasso and his temporary rivalry with Henri Matisse, but in a kid-friendly way. Pigasso is a painting pig and Mootise is a painting cow. Their styles may differ but eventually they come to appreciate and even inspire each other. The other books on the list are more strictly biographical. There are many other biographical books on Picasso that can be used with older students.
Picasso and the Girl With a Ponytail by Laurence Anholt
When Pigasso Met Mootisse by Nina Laden.
Pablo Picasso by Ernest Raboff.
Picasso by Mike Venezia
A Day With Picasso by Prestel
Fourth and fifth graders should be provided a variety of texts about Pablo Picasso. They will synthesize what they learn about him by writing their own short bios for him to use. These will be used later to teach the younger kids more about Picasso. These students should be provided a sample of Picasso's renown work and be able to write a short art critique on the painting answering questions as to whether or not they believe it took skill to create, if it is creative and if they would display it in their own homes.
After reading Picasso and the Girl With the Ponytail, students will discuss what inspired Picasso. With their partner, they will write about what inspires them. They will be shown a variety of Picasso's styles including the Blue Period, The Pink Period, and Cubism. They will be asked what they think Picasso was feeling during those times of his life. They will choose the Picasso style of their choice and then draw a portrait of their partner using that style to be displayed.
After listening to the bios written by 4th and 5th graders, younger students will talk about what they like about Pablo Picasso and his work. After reading Pigasso and Mootisse, younger students will help teacher fill in the Venn diagram comparing Matisse’s work and Picasso’s work. They will be shown examples of cubism and review the shapes with their teacher. Finally, these students will use geometrical stencils to create a piece of art (preferably a self-portrait) using these shapes.
