A work of art (or copy of one) can be a rich stimulus for children's learning. A painting can provide many opportunities for children to learn about the power of the visual image. Young children's natural curiosity is often roused when looking at a work of art. If you encourage their questions and develop their observational skills young children will gain a deeper insight into both the subject matter and the art of making pictures. A work of art also can be the starting point for much creative development.
This project is based on Franz Marc's painting, 'Drei Katzen' (Three Cats), painted in 1913. (See the back of the Nursery World poster for more information on the artist.)
The main learning objectives are:
* to explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in two and three dimensions
* to express thoughts, ideas and feelings through a range of materials
* to respond in different ways using all of their senses.
This particular painting can enrich the teaching of many other learning objectives within the remaining areas of the curriculum - for example, in knowledge and understanding of the world, finding out about and identifying the features of living things they observe (in this instance, the cat!).
Part 1 13 September
Express feelings about 'Three Cats' painting
Make wool windings
Explore part of a painting
Make a cat model
Part 2 20 September
Do observational drawings
Focus on number 6
Make a cat collage
Share cat poems and stories
Part 3 27 September
Role play a veterinary surgery
Focus on big cats
Make cat music
Do a pet survey
Activity 1
Finer feelings
Encourage the children to talk about Franz Marc's painting 'Three Cats'.
Planned learning intention
To respond to what they see
Adult to child ratio: 1:4
Resources
Nursery World poster of Franz Marc's 'Three Cats' paper in the shape of speech and thought bubbles, Blu-tack
Step by step
* Show the children the poster, making sure all the children can see the whole picture clearly.
* Ask lots of questions to encourage observation and conjecture: How many cats can you see? What are they doing/thinking/feeling? Which colours has the artist, Franz Marc, used? Why has he painted a red cat? What colour would you choose for a cat and why? How does the painting make you feel?
* Place speech and/or thought bubbles from the cats' heads. Ask the children who is thinking or saying something. Act as a scribe or get the children to write some captions.
Stepping stones
* Show an interest in what they see.
* Respond to comments and questions.
* Make comparisons.
(Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage, page 126)
Extension activity
* Look at the use of speech and thought bubbles in comic strips. Make a cat comic strip.
Activity 2
Memory board
Observe the colours in the 'Three Cats' painting.
Planned learning intention
To respond to what they see
To explore colour and tone
Adult to child ratio: 1:4
Resources
Nursery World poster of Franz Marc's 'Three Cats', strips of thick card with double-sided tape on one side, coloured wools and threads scissors
Step by step
* Encourage the children to look at the colours in the picture.
* Get them to match the wool to the colours used in the painting and then wind the wool around a strip of card to make a wool winding to act as a memory board.
* Display the wool windings next to the poster.
Stepping stones
* Differentiate colours.
* Choose particular colours to use for a purpose.
* Work creatively on a small scale.
(Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage, page 120)
Extension activity
* Ask the children if they can mix paints to match the colours used in 'Three Cats'. Give them paper in the shape of the nursery palettes and get them to paint splodges of their mixed colour in the corresponding places. Add the palette pictures to the display.
Activity 3
Cats and kittens
Focus on a small part of a picture or painting.
Planned learning intention
To respond to what they see
To explore colour, pattern, and texture in 2D
To use a range of mark-making tools
Adult to child ratio: 1:4
Resources
Nursery World poster of Franz Marc's 'Three Cats' cat pictures - both realistic and artists' impressions mark-making tools, for example coloured pencils, fibre-tipped pens, charcoal, pastels, graphite sticks, Conte sticks and oil pastels paper viewfinders (card with rectangular hole to frame view) magnifying lenses
Step by step
* Give the children viewfinders or magnifying glasses and encourage them to observe closely pattern and texture as well as colour in a part of a painting or picture.
* Ask the children to describe what they see - black stripes, fluffy ginger hair, brown spots, and so on.
* Now give the children paper with the same proportions as their viewfinders and ask them to use the mark-making tools to recreate a large version of their observed image, for example, ginger stripes. Remind them to look for and match colour, pattern and texture.
* Make a display combining the original pictures with the children's observations. Ask them to study each others' work and match friends' pictures to the originals.
Stepping stones
* Begin to describe the texture of things.
* Use line to enclose a space, then begin to use these shapes to represent objects.
* Understand that different media can be combined.
* Show an interest in what they see.
* Make comparisons.
(Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage, pages 120 and 126)
Extension activities
* Ask the children to describe textures and patterns they have observed in the collection of cat pictures. Make a list of words, for example, fluffy, shaggy, patchy, smooth. Now ask them to collect objects to match the textures and patterns.
* Place a textured object into a feely bag/box. Ask the child who is feeling the object to describe the texture. Ask other children to guess the object from the description. Which objects feel like cats?
Activity 4
A model cat
Work in three dimensions.
Planned learning intention
To explore colour, pattern and texture in 3D
To use a range of mark-making tools and different materials
Adult to child ratio: 1:4
Resources
Clay (real clay is cheaper and far more forgiving and versatile than 'new clay'. Dough or plasticene can be used but are poor substitutes) found materials for impressing textures canvas mats to work on Nursery World poster and other cat pictures
Step by step
* Have children observe pictures of cats at rest. How do they sit, lie down, rest their heads? Do they stretch out or curl up? Where do they put their tails?
* Ask the children to model a cat at rest. The found objects can be used to provide the texture of the fur, etc. (A cat pouncing or standing is too ambitious for most young children, as the models' legs usually collapse under the weight.) Stepping stones
* Make three-dimensional structures.
* Experiment to create different textures.
* Try to capture experiences and responses with a widening range of materials.
(Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage, pages 120 and 126)
Andrea Durrant is an early years and primary education consultant
