Description: 
 Students begin the unit by exploring the use of tempera paint and the use various sized brushes.  They experiment with primary colors, black and white to create a non-objective composition of lines and shapes.  The teacher takes the class on a neighborhood walk to prepare for the next part of the unit -- painting an experience in the community.  Students discuss their observations and depict their experiences through paint.  They layer big and small shapes to organize space, use light and dark colors to create contrast, and add details to create visual interest.  The unit concludes with preparing work for exhibition.   

Grade 2 Benchmark:

Through an exploration of art materials and techniques, students exercise imagination, construct meanings, and depict their experiences; work in two-dimensional and three-dimensional art forms, use basic art tools, and gain knowledge of media and compositional elements

Performance Indicators:

Create a painting that demonstrates:
personal observations about a place
control of paint media and various brushes
basic organization of space
experimentation with mixing colors
Students will be able to: 
control paint media and brush
create line compositions with black tempera paint
mix primary colors with black and white to create a variety of colors
create a color composition using lines and shapes
make personal observations about the school community
organize compositional space
layer shapes to create foreground, middle, and background
use light and dark colors to create contrast
add details for specificity
prepare work for exhibition
Students will understand that: 
Artists gain knowledge of media through experimentation.
Artists exercise imagination.
Artists interpret and depict their experiences.
Artists manipulate compositional elements.
Artists exhibit their work.
Vocabulary:
composition, curvy, thick, thin, overlap, similar, different, primary, palette, shape, light, dark, layer, vehicle, foreground, middle ground, background, contrast, details, exhibit, label, medium, mount, statement, frame,
Student, Peer, Teacher Assessment:
Works in progress
Descriptions of art experiences and processes
Informal student reflection/responses to experimentation
Peer critiques of student work
Structured group conversations using accountable talk
Teacher observations of work-in-progress with feedback to student
Questioning students during independent work
Charting of class discussions
Completed work