Still Life Paintings, Watercolor and Ink Pen, Grade 1

Grade 1 students recently completed Still Life Paintings using watercolor and black ink pens. The students were given a limited palette of yellow, blue and red and we talked about how to mix the colors to make secondary colors and brown. The artwork below was done by a student who explored mixing all four color combinations: orange, green, purple and brown.

Still Life, Grade 1

Still Life, Grade 1

I encouraged color mixing but did not require it--it was up to each student to make decisions on how they would use the watercolor to add color to their drawing/s.

To view more Grade 1, Still Life Watercolors, click here.

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California Visual Art Standards:

2.2 Mix secondary colors from primary colors and describe the process.​

2.6 Draw or paint a still life, using secondary colors.​

2.8 Create artwork based on observations of actual objects and everyday scenes.​

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Mills Teacher Scholars and Teacher Inquiry

For the last four years, Roosevelt teachers with the support and leadership of our principal, Victoria Forrester, have had the opportunity to work with the Mills College Teacher Scholars program. This program supports ongoing learning for teachers through facilitating teacher-led investigations of teaching and learning.  (Click here for more on Mills Teacher Scholars.)

Through my work with Mills Scholars I have explored:

  • How can student engagement in visual art promote critical thinking and creativity?
  • What does synthesis thinking look like in the art classroom and how do teachers facilitate this higher level thinking?

For my school year 2011-12 investigation, I observed and analyzed student work from seven fourth grade art projects spanning the entire school year. A highlight of the year was a project inspired by a Totem Pole art print.

​To read more about the totem pole project and student thinking, check out the April 2013 Mills Teacher Scholars Blog: Synthesis Thinking Inspires Students to Join Skills and Creativity in the Art Room.

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​Student art examples from the Totem Pole Project, Grade 4, Washington School

​Student art examples from the Totem Pole Project, Grade 4, Washington School

Mills Teacher Scholars 2012 Inquiry in Action Forum: