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Lesson Plan Image

Patriotic Postcard

Send a veteran or military hero a postcard full of stars, stripes and love.

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.

  • Apron/Smock
  • Container of Water
  • Recycled Newspaper

Steps

  • Step 1

    Lead a group critique of the patriotic paintings “Three Flags” by Jasper Johns, “American Flag” by Roy Lichtenstein, “Washington Crossing the Delaware” by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze, “Jfk” by Paul Lovering and “The Fourth of July” by Childe Hassam. Compare and contrast the artist’ styles, colors, and themes.

  • Step 2

    Discuss how the amazing men and women that have served and are actively serving in our military keep our country amazing. Explain how students are going to make a small yet powerful piece of patriotic art. Their art will become the front of a postcard and they can write an encouraging note on the back.

  • Step 3

    Challenge students to make a unique patriotic design using the colors and patterns of the flag as the main motif. Using Crayola watercolor colored pencils have students make preliminary drawings in their Crayola sketchbooks.

  • Step 4

    Students draw their design with Crayola watercolor colored pencils. This can be done on a 5” x 8” (12.70 cm x 20.32 cm) index card or on a pre-printed postcard. Encourage students to draw large and fill the space. Put smocks on and lay out recycled newspaper on working surface. Place water cups out. Using a small paint brush wet select areas to spread the color or make the color more intense.

  • Step 5

    Once dry, cards can be collected and mailed to vets, the military and families in the communities.

Standards

LA: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade level topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

MATH: Draw and identify lines and angles, and classify shapes by properties of their lines and angles.

VA: Apply visual organization strategies to design and produce a work of art, design, or media that clearly communicates information or ideas.

VA: Students will investigate, plan, and work through materials and ideas to make works of art and design.

VA: Identify and interpret works of art or design that reveal ways people live around the world and what they value.

Adaptations

Look closely at the painting, “Three Flags” by Jasper Johns and notice the three dimensional quality of the painting. Use cardboard and cut concentric rectangles with Crayola scissors. Next put on a smock and lay out recycled newspaper on working surface. Using Crayola tempera paint and brushes paint each rectangle with patriotic colors and patterns. Once pieces are dry use Crayola glue and adhere together. Display in hallways for Veteran’s Day or Patriotic Day.

Lead a group critique of Keith Haring’s paintings, “American Flag”. Discuss his playful cartoon-like style and have students collaboratively recreate a mural of his original. Divide a poster of Haring’s artwork into small 2 inch by 2 inch squares. Number each piece on the back and cut out with Crayola scissors. Hand out a 6 inch by 6 inch square piece of white paper and have the students make a reproduction of their small numbered piece. Students will enlarge the image by 3 times. Use Crayola erasable colored pencils to draw and color. When complete piece all squares together to make a massive hallway mural.