5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Teacher: David Knapp

Date:
Subject/grade level: visual arts/language arts / grade 3
Materials:
Literature:
Johnson, C. (1955). Harold and the purple crayon. New York: Harper & Row.
Also:
Allsburg, C. (1984). The mysteries of Harris Burdick. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin.
Greene, R., & Kaczman, J. (1997). When a line bends--a shape begins.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Music:
Big, Big World by Bill Harley: Play It Again (cd)
Rainbow Connection The Muppet Movie
Manipulatives:
Crayons in various colors
Drawing paper
Writing pencils/pens
Adaptive materials (pencil/crayon grips, slant boards for writing, etc.) as needed
Arts Areas:
Visual Arts: elements of art: line and color
Drama/Theater Arts: n/a
Dance: n/a
Music: part of energizer and background in exploration/activity
Multiples Intelligences:
Visual-Spatial independent/original drawing, illustrations with text
Bodily-kinesthetic - hands-on learning activity
Musical music as part of energizer introduction and in the background during small group work
Interpersonal understanding social norm/expectations of interacting with others while working
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Intrapersonal - understanding one's own interests; creating individual story/illustrations
Linguistic - listening to/understanding text, using words effectively in discussion, creating story with literary
elements of beginning/middle/end
Logical -Mathematical recall of sequence of events and illustration of crayon problem solving (i.e. draw
a way/next step in story)
Naturalistic n/a
Curricular Area(s):
Language arts (listening & reading - story retell, story elements, order of events; speaking; creative writing
of personal narrative)
Visual arts: elements of line and color
Mathematics: lines, shapes
Lesson objective(s):
Students will explore use of imagination and problem solving techniques.
Students will be able to retell Harold and the Purple Crayon story, relate story to an event in their life; create
a single color crayon drawing that tells a story; use a variety of lines, colors, and basic geometric shapes and
patterns to creatively express feelings and personal experiences.
Students work cooperatively with peers in discussion groups and share art/craft materials to complete task
related to creating/illustrating a story of their own.
Students complete activity to write/draw responses regarding their own story and then verbally share their
responses to peers in class/ small group setting; describe different types of lines used in drawing to peers.

Visual Art Standards:

http://www.nationalartsstandards.org/

Visual Arts -Creating

Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas
and work. (Elaborate on an imaginative idea.
Express thoughts and ideas through the creation of artwork.)
Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and
work.
(Select subject matter and communicate a personal story in a painting or drawing)
Anchor Standard 3: Refine and complete artistic work.
(Elaborate visual information by adding details in an artwork to enhance emerging meaning.
Identify and explore a variety of materials to communicate personal experiences.)
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

VISUAL ARTS Presenting
Anchor Standard 6: Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
(Prepare, complete, and sign finished artwork.)
VISUAL ARTS Responding
Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work
(Speculate about processes an artist uses to create a work of art. Determine messages communicated by an
image.)
Anchor Standard 8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
(Interpret art by analyzing use of media to create subject matter, characteristics of form, and mood.)
Anchor Standard 9: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
(Evaluate an artwork based on given criteria.)
VISUAL ARTS Connecting
Anchor Standard 10: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
(Recognize that art can be created for self-expression or fun. Illustrate a personal experience. Describe a
personal artwork.)

Language Arts Standards:

Reading Literature (RL)
RL.3. Key Ideas and Details
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text.
Recount stories; determine the central message, lesson, or moral.
RL.3 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story
(e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).

Speaking and Listening (SL)

SL.3.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (oneonone, in groups, and teacherled) with
diverse partners, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
a. Follow agreedupon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
b. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their
comments to the remarks of others.
c. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion
Writing (W)
W.3.4
With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are
appropriate to task and purpose.
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Mathematics Standards:
Geometry (G)
3.G.A Reason with shapes and their attributes.
Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs:
Pencil type crayon grips, specialized crayons (triangle shaped, oversized, etc), slant boards for writing,
etc. as needed
Options for task completion (written responses or drawings) as well as allowing students to give verbal
responses to scribe (peer or adult assistant) as needed
Anticipatory Set/Energizer/ENGAGEMENT
Show students the cover of the book Harold and the Purple Crayon. What do you think Harold likes to
draw with his purple crayon? Do you like to draw? What do you like to draw?
Lets warm up with a scribble and doodle in your journals.
Note: Play songs in background with lyrics that stress using your imagination, example: Big, Big World by
Bill Harley: Play It Again (cd) and/or Rainbow Connection from The Muppet Movie.
Scribble and Doodle: Draw lines, dots and circles of all shapes and sizes to fill up an entire page in your
journal. (Cornett, 2011, p.179)
EXPLORATION
Read Harold and the Purple Crayon aloud. Stop to make note of different types of lines the author uses in
the drawings. Point out that none of the pictures are colored in. That makes the lines that are used clear to
see, and prominent in the work. *Emphasize Line is the most important Element of Art in this piece of
work.
Allow the students to come up and practice making some different types of lines on a piece of chart paper at
the front on the class, or on the Smartboard.
Talk about a way that each line could be used in a drawing.
Example:

could represent waves

Note: Given the line above, ask if the color of the line makes a difference would you think of water or hills
depending on if the line is blue or green/brown, etc
**Point out that the 2nd most important Element of Art in this piece of work is color (more specifically the
effect of the use of a single color).

5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

While reading aloud, ask students to identify key details in text using written text AND illustrations in
each text.
Possible prompts:
When you read the part where Harold is over his head in an ocean, ask students what they think Harold
should do: How should he save himself? How did he make the ocean with the crayon?
As Harold draws the moose and the porcupine, discuss the importance of sharing: Why did Harold
decide to share the pies with the moose and the porcupine? Was that a nice thing to do? Why?
How do you feel when you share something with someone?
When Harold begins to fall in thin air, have students guess again what Harold might do to save himself
Also, while reading, point out use of the visual art elements of line and color note and discuss the types of
lines seen (wavy, bent, thick, etc...) within the story itself (as opposed to seeing each drawing as isolated art
works, the illustrations are integral to the story progression in this text).
Set the stage for discussion after reading the text (see Explanation section of lesson) the impact of the single
color (i.e. requires the use of imagination to fill in details, draws attention to storys emphasis on creative
problem solving) Would the artist/illustrator/author have the same effect he used different type of visual
element(s)? ( see Explanation section of lesson)
EXPLANATION
Vocabulary: imagination, adventure, line (also line as compared/contrasted to shape), illustrate
Discussion of text:
Possible prompts for After you read:
Which part of the story do you like best? Why?
Which part was the scariest? Why?
Which one of Harolds drawing do you like best? Why?
What did Harold do when he had a problem, such as (sinking in the ocean, falling off the mountain, not
finding his window)? *** Discuss how Harold used his imagination to solve each problem.
What do you think Harold will draw when he wakes up in the morning?
Discussion of visual art elements:
Discuss how Harold uses only one color and different kinds of lines and shapes to create his story drawings.
Possible prompts: would it have a different impact if there were more colors why is it so effective to use
simple line illustrations (possible responses: it matches the story theme of using your imagination, makes
you focus on the story and not the variety of colors, etc.).?
ELABORATION/APPLY
Ask student(s) what they would draw if they had a magical crayon of their own.
Have the students Think-Pair-Share first, and then discuss with the group/class.
We are going to create our own magical adventures using the same elements of visual art that Harold did in
his story.
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Hand out large blank white drawing paper, and have the students pick one crayon to use in their drawing.
**They may only have one color, just like Harold, and they may only use lines and not color anything in,
just like Harold. ***Remind them that when they color their objects in, they are changing the focus to the
shapes, not the lines.
Possible Prompts Before the activity:
Draw a picture of an adventure you have had or would like to have. Use your imagination and add lots of
details. You could show yourself (and your magic crayon) solving small or big problems.
For example: if you were outside and it started to rain what would you draw (umbrella)? If you saw a cat in a
tree what would you need (fire truck with ladder, tall ladder from home, rope to swing over branch to climb,
bag of cat treats, .)?
You and your magic crayon are the main characters in your story.
**Choose whatever color you wish but you must use just that color.
What types of lines can you use in your picutre?
What can you draw that uses jagged lines?
What kind of lines could you use if you wanted something to look scary?
Where could you add (swirly, thick, thin, broken, jagged .) lines?
Hands on Activity (visual arts):
Make a crayon adventure story book for each student. Staple several sheets of paper together.
On the cover, write, (Students Name) and the (name of color they choose) Crayon Story.
Have students draw or doodle pictures.
Have them use different kinds of lines to draw their story.
Remind them again not to color anything in (visual element is lines).
During the activity possible prompts:
Where are your (swirly, thick, thin, broken, jagged .) lines?
How can you add another type of line to your picture?
After they have completed the drawing:
Why did you use (swirly, thick, thin, broken jagged .) lines?
How would your picture change if you used more (swirly, thick, thin, broken, jagged .) lines?
Then ask each student to narrate their story, or one of the pictures, and then either write the text themselves
(or have someone else write their words as they narrate) below the picture.
Ask the students to share their pictures with the group.
Have students talk about their art work as they tell whats happening in their drawing.
When sharing, each student should point out at least one type of line, and how he or she used it in his/her
drawing.
Ask students to tell each other what they like most about their art work.
At the end, have student(s) sign their name and the color of their crayon; creating their own adventure book:
Example: David and the Red Crayon
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

** Place student artwork on display or add student books to class library and reread students books at
another time (maybe use them during story time, etc.)
EVALUATION
Teacher Observation: student participation in identifying key details in read aloud text; students
performance re: hands on activities; student participation in sharing their project
Assessment checklists (peer and teacher)
CLOSURE
The visual art element of line can be used by an artist or author/illustrator to convey meaning just by the
decision to use that element versus something else. Just as an author chooses one word instead of another to
change their meaning (example: surprised versus startled or shocked) you can create different meanings by
using different elements of art.

EXTENSION:
Read aloud Chris Allsburgs The mysteries of Harris Burdick and discuss the use of illustrations only to tell a
text; elements of art include the use of black and white colors only.
Also explore the math to art connection in When a line bends--a shape begins by Greene and Kaczman.

Reference:

Cornett, C. (2011). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: Arts integration for classroom teachers (4th
ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon/Pearson.

5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Assessment Checklists

Visual Arts Peer Assessment

Artists Name:
__________________________________

Project Title:

and the

Crayon____

Check all of the items that you find when looking at this art work.

Many interesting lines

Many interesting shapes

The use of color follows the directions for the project

The parts of the artwork use the space well

I like the way the artwork looks

I like how the artwork is organized

I think the artwork looks finished

I can tell/see that there is a story that goes with the illustrations

_______________________________________

Peer Art Evaluator

Your name: ________________________________

5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Assessment Checklists

Visual Arts Teacher Assessment

Artists Name:
__________________________________

Project Title:

and the

Crayon____

Check all of the items that you find when looking at this art work.

At least three different types of lines

At least two distinct shapes

The use of color follows the directions for the project

The parts of the artwork use the space well

The use of line drawings to tell a story follows the directions

for the project

Artwork is organized

Artwork looks finished

I can tell/see that there is a story that goes with the illustrations

Student worked cooperatively with peers; remained on task

Work is signed

______________________________________