Experiment with paint techniques to create a unique snow scene.

• 1.

  What do bears do in winter? Find information about how they hibernate. Look up information about polar bears, brown bears, and black bears. <u>The Bear's Christmas</u> relates hibernation to the Christian nativity story. Read this story, or several books that have painted snow scenes. Look closely at the pictures as you read.

• 2.

  You may notice that snow scenes seem to contain a great deal of space. Two artistic methods used to create this feeling of deep space are overlapping, in which larger objects are placed in the front and smaller objects in the back, and contrast. Objects in front have more contrast (brighter whites) than objects in back.

• 3.

  To begin your Wonderful Winter Weather painting, cover a table with newspaper. Use a small piece of crumpled paper towel to dab white Crayola® Washable Paint on blue paper. Begin with the background, which will be very light (have less contrast) to show that it's far away. To make a light background, blot the paper towel on scrap paper until it's nearly dry, then paint your paper. You may wish to make an irregular mountainscape, such as one with caves where bears might hibernate, then fill it in with light dabs.

• 4.

  Make a second, brighter landscape in front by dabbing your white paint on the paper without blotting it first.

• 5.

  Add trees by using an edge of the paper towel. Make blotted trees in the distance and brighter, bolder trees in the foreground. Trees look smaller when they are far away, and larger when they're closer, too. Use your fingertips to add branches and hanging bits of snow. Dry.

Standards

• LA: Read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grade level text complexity band independently and proficiently.
• LA: Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g.,where, when, why, and how key events occur).
• LA: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to grade level topic or subject area.
• LA: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade level topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• SCI: Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the types of habitats in which organisms live, and ask questions based on that information.
• VA: Use art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner.
• VA: Use visual structures of art to communicate ideas.

Adaptations

• Possible classroom resources include: Pandas! A Kids Book About Panda Bears - Facts, Figures and High Quality Pictures of Animals in Nature by Maya Lee Shye; Moon in Bear's Eyes by Stephen R. Swinburne; Koala Country: A Story of an Australian Eucalyptus Forest by Deborah Dennard
• Using Crayola Model Magic, students create 3-D models of their bears When displaying student artwork, site the 3-D bears in front of the landscape scenes.
• Allow students time to experiment with other snow-painting tools such as sponges, cardboard, plastic picnic utensils, toothbrushes, and salt. How do these tools assist in creating a landscape scene?
• Students take a 9" x 12" piece of construction paper and fold it in half. On the front, students create a seasonal scene for a holiday card. Inside the card, students compose an original sentiment and "send" the card to a beloved family member.