For this project, 4th Grade students learned about bilateral symmetry by doing oil pastel drawings of beetles.

To begin this project, each student got to select an image of a beetle that they liked.  I had color printed images of about 20 different beetles for students to choose from.
Once they selected their image, I showed them how to fold the paper on the line of symmetry down their beetle so that once folded, the image was mirrored on each side of the paper.  Next they folded the image in half long ways.
One 4th grade class used black paper for the project and the other gray.  We used 12"x18" construction paper.  After folding the photograph image, students folded their construction paper in the same manner.  In half long ways, then short ways to create four quadrants.

To begin the drawing, students kept the beetle image folded so that they were looking at the top right quadrant and I demonstrated how to fill the space on the same quadrant of the construction paper using this grid drawing technique to make the image much larger.
​First, 4th graders drew their image with pencil.  They did both right hand quadrants then opened the paper up and drew the rest of the beetle.

After completing the pencil drawings, students used oil pastels to create these colorful beetle beauties.

The first step with oil pastels was to pick a color that would show up well on the construction paper and outline the beetle.  

Next, I really emphasized that the students be observational artists and try to mimic the colors that they saw in the photographs.  This meant that students had really think about WHERE they were using WHAT colors.  This also meant that students had to layer colors and blend colors.  

The last step of this project was to create a fun colorful border.  Not every one had a chance to do this because they took longer on their beetle drawing, but most had time.

We used 18"x24" construction paper to make the borders.  Students used oil pastel to make colorful repeating patterns to go around their beetle drawings.  I love how they turned out with the beetles.

I was super proud of the 4th graders on this project!  The beetles turned out great and it was really neat watching the students really focus on replicating detail that they saw in the photographs!  Fun project!

To start the school year off, 4th graders used their names to create a design with bilateral symmetry.  Last year 4th grade students started the year with a similar project but instead of doing monster/masks, they created insects.  Click here to see.

To begin this, students used Sharpies to write their name in cursive on a long piece of paper that is folded "hot dog style."  The bottom of the name goes onto the fold.  Next, using a window or light box, students trace over the mirrored image of their name onto the other side of the folded paper.  When opened, it makes a symmetrical abstracted line pattern. (the image below is my example)

The next step proved to be quite challenging for many students.  They had to really push their imaginations to figure out how they could add more lines and shapes to their design to transform it into a sort of face.  I really pushed them to be very creative, get silly, fantastical!  Totally acceptable for the face to have six eyes and two mouths or horns or wings or mustaches...  

To finish up the project, students used colored pencils to blend colors, create color symmetry, and focus on making different areas of the face really pop.  This entire project took about six or seven 45 minute class periods.

I was super excited about starting out the school year with this project with the 5th grade students.  I really love radial symmetry and I enjoy teaching it so was quite pleased when the 5th grade students seemed just as into it as I was.

To do this project, you begin with large square pieces of paper.  Fold in half, corner to corner.  Fold in half again, corner to corner, then one more time.  After you've folded it three times, you have a triangle.  On that triangle, you write your name in large bubble letters to fill the entire space.  Then you open the square back up partially and using a light table or sunlight on a window, trace the name drawing.  You continue to do this over and over until all of one side is filled with your name flipped and mirrored.  This creates a beautiful radial symmetry name mandala.

This project was mostly for an introduction to my art class and to learn their names, but we took a bit of time to discuss radial symmetry and how to create bold bubble letters.

After the names are all written with a Sharpie, the students painted in the 'background' with acrylic paint and then added color in the letters with colored pencils.  They were limited to four colors.

The results are amazing.  Each and every single name mandala turned out great.  It is really cool to put two different students with the same name next to each other.  There are two Isaac's, two Taylor's.  Even though they wrote the same name, they turned out totally different.

SUPER FUN PROJECT! 

The Kindergarten students learned about warm and cool colors by painting a sort of checkerboard pattern using the different color themes.  They did a great job of following directions and had a fun time doing so.  After doing their paintings, at the next class, they learned about bilateral symmetry.   To cut out symmetrical shapes, the students folded their papers in half, traced a half of a template, lined up with the middle fold, and while the paper was still folded, cut out their design.  I mentioned positive and negative space as they worked.  After they cut out their shapes, they glued their background piece on the top of black paper and their cut out shape below.  The results are quite striking.  Although this was quite the formulated project, I felt as though it was the perfect difficult level for the Kindergartners and they rocked it!