2nd Grade Art: Abstract Art

Lessons taken from What Your Second Grader Needs to Know and the Core Knowledge Teacher Handbook
The Big Idea: Exploring various aspects of abstract art, art does not (if at all) strongly represents the actual object, will help children
understand this type of art.

Abstract Art Domain Vocabulary

Abstract: Art that does not (if at all) strongly represent the actual object; stresses the formal elements of art, such as line, color, shape, form,
and so forth
Nonobjective: Completely abstract art that has no reference to recognizable objects (nonobjective, literally art that represents “no object”)
Realistic: Art that depicts images as true to life
Representational: Art that describes a recognizable object; it can be semiabstract or completely realistic
Semiabstract: Art that makes reference to recognizable objects from the world, but does not adhere to strict realism. Aspects of objects mat
be eliminated or distorted for effect.

What Students need to Learn:

1. Compare lifelike and abstract animals including; Audubon’s birds, Durer’s hare, Cat and Bird, Bull’s Head, de Koonig,s Baseball
Players, Matisse’s The Snail.
2. Observe and discuss examples of abstract examples and sculpture including Chagall’s I and the Village, Brancusi’s, Bird in Space.

At a Glance: Most important ideas for the student are:

1. Art can be realistic or abstract.
2. There are degrees of abstraction, from semiabstract to completely nonrepresentational.
3. Semiabstract art remains linked to recognizable elements of the visible world.
4. Artists create abstract art in both two and three dimensions.
5. Artists can use completely nonrepresentational abstract art to explore the visual elements of art and/or suggest particular ideas and
emotions.
6. Abstraction has been an aspect of Western art from Neolithic times to the present.

Thinking
# Method Objectives Higher Order Questioning Materials
Framework
Pre- Demonstration Students will be review and be introduced to Q. What are your opinions Pencils, Knowledge,
unit Class Abstract artists: Show students printed off abstract of abstract compared to life crayons, and Patterns
1 Discussion, images of animals and works of those same images like images? Do you prefer paper Modeling
Activity portrayed realistically. Have students pair the abstract one over the other? Why or Creativity
with the realistic images to introduce understanding of why not? Miro’s
the differences. Review from Kindergarten, Miro’s
People and Dog in the Sun

Lesson Ideas:
1. Be instructed to create their own abstract
picture.
A. Draw a shape (i.e. circle) People and
B. Draw three more overlapping different Dog in the
shapes large (i.e. triangles) Sun
C. Draw a different shape (i.e. square) and
draw long a line through it. Printed off
2. On the same paper, complete a (5 minute) Q. What are the similarities abstract
“blind contour drawing”. They’ll work in and differences between images of
pairs and very slowly draw portraits of each the abstract faces and animals and
other without lifting their pencil and without realistic faces pictures? objects and
taking their eyes off of their partner. Their works of
portraits should be abstract faces. Finish by those same
coloring any way they like. images
3. When finished, share the pictures. Notice the portrayed
common elements from the directions but realistically.
notice the different artistic license of watch
child, placement and colors. Discuss the
process.
4. Or, Roll a Masterpiece Miro is fun
Introduction: At a Glance: Abstract and Realistic
artworks
Discussion, ANIMALS REAL AND IMAGINED: Students will Q. What kinds of lines do Reproduction Knowledge,
Activity be introduced to REALISTIC artist, Albrecht you see in the picture? of Albrecht Patterns
Durer’s Hare. Durer’s Modeling
Q. What different textures Hare. Creativity
Lesson Ideas: do you see?
1. Be introduced to scientific illustration. If Realistic
possible invite a scientific illustrator to class. animal
Natural history museum, zoo, pictures or
2. Discuss inspiration or intent between Durer’s stuffed or
drawing and a scientific illustrator. plastic
animal toy
Lesson Ideas:
1. Make a detailed realistic drawing of an animal. Pencils and
They can use a realistic photograph or stuffed paper
animal or plastic animal toy that shows the
detailed texture of the fur from which to draw.

Demonstration ANIMALS REAL AND IMAGINED: Students will Q. Why might Klee have Reproduction Knowledge
Class be introduced to Abstract Artist Paul Klee’s Cat and shown the bird on the cat’s of Paul Modeling
Discussion, Bird. Much of his artwork was jovial, humorous, and forehead? Klee’s Cat Patterns
Activity mirthful. and Bird. Creativity
Q. Compare this painting
Lesson Ideas: with Durer’s Hare with a Paper &
1. Go over Q.’s on back of reproduction. Venn diagram. Which do colored
2. Compare this painting with Durer’s Hare you like more? pencils
with a Venn diagram.
3. Review printed off abstract images of
animals and works of those same images
portrayed realistically. Have students pair
the abstract with the realistic images to
solidify understanding of the differences.
4. Look at a realistic photo of a cat, then draw
two pictures of a cat – one lifelike (realistic)
and the other abstract (exaggerating some
features?).
Demonstration ANIMALS REAL AND IMAGINED: Students will Q. How is this sculpture Reproduction Knowledge
Class be introduced Abstract Art Pablo Picasso’s Bull’s different from other of Picasso’s Modeling
Discussion, Head and other assemblage art & go over Q’s on back sculptures you’ve seen? Bull’s Head Patterns
Activity of Bull’s Head reproduction. & other Creativity
abstract
Lesson Ideas: assemblage
1. Look though other abstract assemblage artworks
reproductions.
2. Optional as time allows. Make assemblage
animal, real or imagined.
Demonstration Students will be introduced to Abstract Q. What colors and shapes Art poster Knowledge
Class Expressionist Artist Henri Matisse, The Snail and do you see looking at the Matisse The Modeling
Discussion, other Matisse collage pictures. He “painted or sculpted reproduction? Snail Patterns
Activity with scissors”. He omitted any recognizable features Creativity
describing this snail. Q. How did Matisse create Paper and
a spiral in this piece? colors
Lesson Ideas:
1. Go over Q’s on back of reproduction.
2. Study items from nature (as Matisse did) in
their hand (pinecone, leaf, stone, flower petal,
etc.) and then translate the patterns they detect
on the items into abstract compositions. This
sharpens their scientific observation and
drawing skills.
3. As time allows; make an animal cut out collage
like Matisse. Start by tearing or cutting out
various pieces of colored paper. Experiment
with placing them in a variety of positions on
white paper. Possibly arrange them in a way
that reminds you of some animal’s basic shape
– for example the big oval of an elephant’s
body. When you have made a picture you like,
paste the pieces down. Title the picture.
Demonstration Students will be introduced to Abstract Artists Q. What would you call the Art poster of Knowledge
Class Marc Chagall’s I and the Village Dreamscape. Chagall painting? de Koenig’s, Modeling
Discussion, Baseball Patterns
Activity Lesson Ideas: Q. Do you think the artist Players Creativity
1. Make a Dreamscape, an abstract picture in a has fond memories of his
dreamlike way. It can be about a place you like village? Why or why not? Art poster of
a lot, like the beach, or can be a favorite time of Marc
year, like autumn when the leaves fall. Chagall’s I
2. Think of thinks you’d like to include in the and the
picture. Make some things bigger and other’s Village
smaller than they really are. What colors will
you use? How do you arrange things on the
page?

Demonstration Students will be introduced to Abstract Art Q. Would you be able to Art posters Knowledge
Class Constantin Brancusi’s Bird in Space recognize real birds by of Constantin Modeling
Discussion, using paintings like these? Brancusi’s Patterns
Activity Lesson Ideas: Bird in Creativity
1. Go over Q’s on back of reproduction. Q. Why is it important to Space
2. Compare Audubon and Brancusi’s birds using a that we have this very true And
T Chart to life image of a bird that John James
no longer exists? Audubon’s,
Students will be introduced Realistic artist John Passenger
James Audubon, Passenger Pigeon Q. What make this Pigeon
sculpture look like a bird?
Lesson Ideas: a toy animal
1. Go over Q’s on back of reproduction. Q. Why do you think or
2. Look at a toy animal or photograph and decide Brancusi made his idea of a photograph
if they’d like to make a realistic lifelike image bird so simple and
of the animal or sketch its main lines and abstract? paper and
maybe add some unusual touches, unusual color pencils and
the way Klee drew his cat to make an abstract colors
animal. Maybe add something the animal is
thinking about.
Demonstration Cross curricular connection to Music and Camille Q. What do you see in your Recording of Knowledge
Class Saint-Saens Carnival of the Animals: imagination as you listen to Camille Modeling
Discussion, Camille Saint-Saens’s Saint-Saen’s Patterns
Activity Lesson Ideas: Carnival of the Animals? Carnival of Creativity
1. Listen to the recording of Saint-Saens’s the Animals:
Carnival of the Animals and try to imagine what
it looks like in their minds. Variety of
2. Create abstract and realistic images from the materials to
animals represented in Camille Saint-Saens make an
Carnival of the Animals or inspired by the abstract
reproductions or animals they’ve studied in sculpture
science. buttons, pipe
3. Students can write about the differences in their cleaners,
representations and why they chose techniques glue, yarn,
(line, shape, color) to represent the animal in an tape, foil, etc.
abstract way.
4. Display the collection of the animal menagerie Printed off
and play the music. abstract
images of
animals and
objects and
works of
those same
images
portrayed
realistically.

Discussion TEST QUESTIONS: Students will be able to Knowledge

answer these questions at the end of this unit;
1. Q. How would you describe realistic art?
A. Realistic art imitated the world we see.
2. Q. What is the definition of abstract art?
A. Abstract art does not strongly represent the
actual object. It stresses the formal
elements of art of line, color, shape, texture,
etc.