FORM AS A PATTERN

GRADES 3-12

Most children will tell you that they can't draw a figure of a person no matter how hard they try. Some won't even try. With this lesson you can almost guarantee success in having figures that look like figures while creating a great design using a repeated pattern for display.

MATERIALS:

The teacher draws a few examples of stick figures on the board: standing, sitting, moving, bending etc. Teacher shows proportion, legs longer than arms, knees and elbows bend. The stick figure can be jointed etc. Then tell the student to draw a stick figure on the paper. The figure should be fairly large. After he has drawn the stick figure, he then goes around it to fatten it up. When he is satisfied with the way his figure looks, tell him to pick two colors of construction paper. Have him double the sheets, so that he gets 4 figures out of this. The student then cuts out the figures, using his drawing as the pattern. When this is completed, he will have 4 figures that are the same. The student then glues them down in an arrangement that suggests movement. Use a contrasting piece of construction paper for the background. The figures can overlap, can be linked, as long as you can see a pattern. He can even use the original stick figure to add interest, as long as it is not the side with the pencil on it.

Lesson plan courtesy of Barabara Sonek
Homepage: Barbara's World Tour