Kindergarten Roller Coasters

This one day lesson is by far the best to do with Kindergarten. I have been doing this for ten years. Every year teachers look forward to seeing their students walk back to class carrying these super colorful paper sculptures.

This lesson is usually done on the their third day of art after they have learned all about lines the week before. We review the names of the lines before getting started and I then discuss that we will be making lines come off the paper. This is great lesson to mention 3-dimensional art and sculpture. I also teach how to use a glue bottle in art class. How to open it and how much to use. "Just a dot not a lot".

Objectives:

• Understand and follow step by step presentation of art activities

• create by using imagination

• use art tools safely and appropriately. glue (just a dot not a lot)
  

• identify types of lines from previous lesson

Materials:

• 12x9 Black construction paper (Because my school is so big and we have so many kindergarteners I have had to use smaller paper. Years ago we used 12x18 paper. Both work)


• 1 inch paper strips


• glue bottles

Demonstrate how to fold, curl, zig zag, etc the paper to look like lines. Strips can go under, over, and through other lines. Students start off with four different color strips and when they are finished they can get more.

I demonstrate first how to add a small dot of glue on the ends of the strips and how to pop up and hold down on the black paper for 10 seconds. I tell them that in order for your strips in stay we must count to ten out loud. It's the magic trick. All throughout the class students are counting. It is adorable!

The more rollers coasters they add the better. This is a great lesson in building and incorporates so many art concepts. At the end of class kindergarteners line up with their rollers coasters and take home. Before they leave I show them how to hold going down the hall, sitting at car pool and on the bus. This lesson is a must!