Bear Art: A Beary Fun Lesson Plan for Kindergarten

Teach this kindergarten bear art lesson to your class for a fun, educational art activity. After teaching this lesson, students will be able to identify media artists use when creating artwork.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr and Eric Carle

Manila paper (12x18)

Watercolor paints

Paintbrushes

Tissue paper

Glue

Various art materials (optional)

Notebook or tablet paper (optional)

Pencils (optional)

Bring in different illustrations of bears. Make sure that they are not photographs. Have students identify the animal. Talk about the way the bears are drawn or painted in each picture.

Show students the cover of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Have them make a prediction about what the book will be about. Read the book to your students, and have them pay close attention to the illustrations in the book. When you have finished reading the book, go back through and look at the illustrations. Talk about what the students think about them.

Next, talk about how the illustrations are made. The illustrations are made using a collage of painted papers. Tell students that the materials an artist chooses is known as media. Show students the other illustrations of bears that you brought in. Talk about the media that was used to make the illustrations.

Explain that today students will be creating their own bear pictures. Allow students to choose what media they would like to use to create their bears. Then, have students create a bear similar to the style in the book.

Pass out an assortment of art materials that students will use. Be sure to include watercolor paints, tissue paper, and construction paper scraps. You can also use crayons or markers instead of using paint.

Have students paint or color the tissue paper or construction paper scraps. You can choose to use tissue or construction paper to make the collage. After the paint has dried, have students tear the painted paper into pieces, and give each student a sheet of Manila paper. Then, have students arrange the torn pieces on the Manila paper. Next, pass out the glue, and have them glue them into the shape of a bear.

While students are working, circulate and assist as needed.

After students have completed their bear collages, give each student a sheet of notebook or tablet paper and a pencil. Have students write three examples of media used in art. If you are doing this early in the year and your students cannot yet write, you can call students up as they are working on their collages and have them tell you three examples of media.

Teach about other forms of media such as clay or allow students to use the same art materials to create their very own masterpieces.

For more collage ideas, use this collage lesson plan right here at Bright Hub!