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Ukranian Eggs

Ukranian Eggs

Ukranian eggs are some of the most beautiful artwork in the world. In this lesson, students are afforded the opportunity to create an original Pysanky egg.

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.

  • Cardstock
  • Container of Water
  • Pencil(s)
  • Reference Materials
  • Ruler
  • White Paper

Steps

  • Step 1

    Open this lesson with a read aloud of Patricia Polacco’s Rechenka’s Eggs. This is a story of an elderly woman who makes beautifully decorative eggs for the Easter festival, known as Pysanky. These eggs incorporate vivid colors and intricate patterns. After the read aloud ask students to retell the story and allow them to re-visit the illustrations to further observe the colors and patterns in the Babushka’s painted eggs.

  • Step 2

    Inform students that they will each be making such an egg. Begin by asking students to draw and cut out egg shapes from cardstock. Teacher-made templates may be available if so desired.

  • Step 3

    Provide each student with a piece of white construction paper, ruler, pencil and a pair of Crayola Pointed-Tip Scissors. Ask students to trace their egg-shaped template onto the white construction paper.

  • Step 4

    Using a ruler, ask students to divide the egg in half lengthwise and across the width.

  • Step 5

    Divide each of the halves in half again in both directions, creating a total of 16 parts to the egg.

  • Step 6

    Take a few minutes to discuss the concept of symmetry and where it appears in nature. Remind students that half of their eggs will look the same, thus displaying symmetry.

  • Step 7

    Encourage students to use lines and shapes to draw a different design in each box on one half of the egg. Draw the same designs on the other side of the egg, thus making it symmetrical. The designs can be images from nature such as flowers, plants or animals. They may also be patterns.

  • Step 8

    Using Crayola Crayons, trace each design using a black crayon. Also trace the lines that divide the egg into sections.

  • Step 9

    Using Crayola Watercolor Paints, paint the entire eff, remembering to keep the designs symmetrical in color as well.

  • Step 10

    When the paint is dry, students cut out the egg shape. Display the eggs in the classroom and allow class time for students to discuss their choices in use of natural symbols, colors selected and patterns incorporated into their eggs.

Standards

LA: Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.

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: Extend understanding of fraction equivalence and ordering.

SS: Describe ways in which language, stories, folktales, music, and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture and influence behavior of people living in a particular culture.

VA: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and historical context to deepen understanding.

Adaptations

Read other books by Patricia Polacco.

Encourage students to compose up stories about their eggs.

Divide other geometric shapes into halves and quarters. Incorporate patterns and symmetry into designs created on these shapes.