Phyl's Valentines

Here's a special Valentine for my friend Phyl.  She posted this lesson on her blog last week and it sounded like so much fun that I couldn't wait to try it.  I modified her plan a little, but essentially it's the same.  For this lesson, each child got a small piece of paper to use as a template.  (I cut a piece of copy paper into fourths).  I showed my first and second grade artists how to fold and draw half a heart beginning and ending on the fold.  Once their heart was drawn they were asked to cut it out.  When most were ready the next step I showed kids how to place the heart in the middle of a piece of bogus paper and trace around the heart.  Around my first heart I made "copy cat" lines to create a concentric design that moved out to the edge of the paper.  I asked kids what could go in the spaces (colors and patterns).  I told kids that there was a special trick to this chalk drawing and when they were ready they were to throw away their scraps and line up at the sink.  Each student chose three colors from the chalk box and carried them on a tray to their place.  Then they came back to the sink area for their paper.  Paper was soaked under the running water to get it nice and wet, and spritzed from a spray bottle as the class progressed.  Kids were encouraged to color completely.  Chalks were swapped with neighbors.  When done work was placed on the drying rack and chalks were returned to the box.
Kids loved it!  Quick and easy.  We skipped the Mod Podge step that Phyl suggested, because I wanted to hang them in time for the big day. 

        Thanks, Phyl.  Happy Valentine's Day everyone.
       Check out the complete plan at Phyl's blog There's a Dragon in My Art Room