Lesson Plan - Autumn Leaves

Autumn Leaves 

 10 pts 

3rd grade 

3 - 55 minute class periods 

 

Objective - Students are introduced to watercolor using warm and cool colors with leaves. 

 Goals - Students will: 

1. Point out and name the warm and cool colors. 

2. Develop skills in painting and mixing color. 

3. Learn about contour line and texture 

 Vocabulary – warm colors, cool colors, texture, contour line, palette, overlap 

Materials - Watercolor paint 

Watercolor paper 9" x 12"

Water and water containers

Paintbrush

Paper towel 

Palette 

Sharpie Marker 

Leaves for example 

Examples – student and teacher samples of assignment, demonstration of using watercolor 

 Cue set – tell the students this will be a painting project 

 Best shot – demonstrate watercolor painting on paper for the whole class 

 Art Production – 

Day 1 

1. Explain to students that they will learn about warm and cool colors. 

2. Point out that yellow, red, and orange are warm colors and blue, green, and violet are cool colors. Have students give examples of warm and cool things. Write them on the board. 

3. Demonstrate contour lines and texture on the board. 

4. Pass out watercolor paper and leaves. 

 5. Write directions on the board. Have students copy the directions on the back of their paper. 

 Directions – 

 3 leaves must overlap 

 5 or more leaves on the page 

 1 leaf going off EACH edge 

 Cool colors - background 

 Warm colors - leaves 

 Outline and add texture and details first 

 Watercolor leaves Let dry 

 Watercolor background 

 6. Students will lightly draw the contour lines of the leaves on their paper. 

7. Students will outline and texture leaves before they watercolor. Independent practice.

Day 2 – 

1. Review warm and cool colors. 

2. Demonstrate how to paint the colors so they don’t mix and get muddy. Remind students to paint the leaves first then let it dry. 

Day 3 – 

1. Students will paint the background for this class period 

 

Extensions – 

Have students create a work of art similar in style to a Pop Artist Use the color wheel to make art prints Closure 

– have students answer questions on color mixing Let them know what we will be doing next class period 

 

Formative assessment – 

review of color mixing in next lesson Summative assessment – test on color wheel and warm and cool colors