Fourth grade artists have really been flexing their art muscles this month! Their latest creations combine their understanding of the abstract art of Mondrian and Kandinsky, plus their recent study of color families, AND our school goal of improving number sense and fractions. Whew!
After viewing work by Mondrian and Kandinsky, students discussed how both artists might have divided up their picture space as they created “Broadway Boogie Woogie” and “Several Circles No. 323”.
After folding their paper into halves, thirds, and quarters, students carefully planned where to place their lines and shapes to create a strong abstract composition. Color was added after considering color families, and a printed border pulled their pieces together. The final result? Stunning!
See more of our abstract pieces at our ARTSONIA on-line art museum!
These are simply wonderful! Would it be possible to get your lesson plan for this project? I would like to do it with my 4th and 5th grade students! Thannks! -Clara
Hi Clara. Your kiddos would love this project. Hope I don’t sound like a delinquent art teacher here, but I don’t have a written lesson plan for this one…it is one of those great projects that just flowed together. Goals: understand/recognize abstract art, become familiar with the work of Kandinsky and Mondrian, and employ understanding of fractions through paper folding and measuring (our school-wide goal). Students folded 9×12 paper into sections, added Mondrian-inspired lines along the fold lines and between the folds with a ruler, and traced Kandinsky circles with a template. At the beginning of each class we compared the works of Mondrian and Kandinsky and discussed abstract art and these specific artists and the way they created their artwork. The cardboard-printed background on 12×18 black paper finished the project, again with an emphasis on abstract lines and movement through the picture surface. That’s it!