Every other Tuesday afternoon we are so blessed to have a mom come in to the classroom to act as our “Art Docent.” She does different projects with the kids – and teaches them some art history along the way.
For the past couple of sessions, we have been studying four famous Renaissance artists: Leonardo DaVinci, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. The students were quick to point out that we were studying…the Ninja Turtles 🙂
After learning some background information about Michelangelo, we studied his different works. We focused heavily on his work in the Sistine Chapel.
The students marveled at his work:
*Note: the images we showed the students were censored as there is a great deal of nudity in his paintings/statues 🙂
Then it was time for the students to put on their artistic hats and create a masterpiece, Michelangelo-style!
The students got under their desks, taped paper to the “ceiling,” and went to work creating!
They had a blast!
They could either replicate the hands:
a biblical scene:
or, just for fun, the Ninja Turtle, Michelangelo:
It wasn’t long before the whining began: their backs hurt, their hands ached, they were getting tired, etc. We then discussed how it took Michelangelo 4 years to complete the Sistine Chapel. That put their complaints into perspective 🙂
Well, as you can see, we had such a memorable day in art. If you’re looking for something fun and engaging to do with your kids in regards to art history, this is definitely a fun activity to try!
What a great idea! I could see my kiddos doing this. I'm going to have to send this on to our art teacher. They look like they were having a ball.
Barbara
Fourth and Goal in Fourth Grade
Wow! What a great activity! Looks like the kids had a blast!
Rissa
Keep Calm and Hoot On
Ooooohhh. I love this idea. I think my kids would love being able to draw on the "ceiling". I bet you had a lot of giggling in your room.
Alison
Rockin' and Lovin' Learin'
How fun! And, memorable! I bet they'll be asking for a repeat of this lesson! 🙂
Joanne
Head Over Heels For Teaching
I have done this activity when studying the Renaissance. This is a great activity to do with the novel From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler as well.
~April Walker
The Idea Backpack