Skip to Main Content
Lesson Plan Image

Ukrainian Eggs

Students will explore the origin and symbolism of pysanky, Ukrainian decorated eggs, and create an image of one using the crayon watercolor resist technique.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Heavy Paper
  • Paper

Steps

  • Step 1

    It is believed that decorating eggs began in the 4th century and has become a worldwide tradition, especially around Easter. In Ukraine it is a widespread art, and the decorated eggs, "pysanky" (singular: "pysanka"), are beautifully ornate and colorful. They are made using a wax-resist method. The process used in this art will simulate the original one which involves applying melted wax to the eggshells before coloring with paint. Have students look at images of some of these creations and investigate some of the symbolism behind the colors and motifs.

  • Step 2

    Ask students to design and create a paper egg pysanka. They can draw an egg shape on a piece of heavy paper, then draw designs within the egg shape by pressing firmly with crayon. Then they will paint over the entire egg using a vibrant array of washable watercolor paint.

  • Step 3

    When the paint is dry display the eggs on a bulletin board or send them home as holiday decorations.

Standards

ARTS: Explore and invent art-making techniques and approaches.

SS: Culture: Create, learn, share, and adapt to culture.

Adaptations

Explore some of the Ukrainian pysanky motifs. For example, geometric shapes have agricultural symbolism: triangles represent clouds or rain, and dots represent seeds.

Encourage students to compose stories about their eggs.