Lesson Plan-Cut-Out Designs A La Henri Matisse
Grade 2
Lesson submitted by:
Ellie Knapp
Dickerson School
Chester, NJ 07930
Objectives: Students will be able to 1.) use postcards and
prints of Henri Matisse as a starting point for their own designs 2.) draw, cut, arrange, and
glue cut-outs in an aesthetic manner.
Materials: different
colored construction paper 9" x 12", 6" x 9", 4 1/2" x
6"
White
construction paper 12" x 18"
Scissors
Pencils
Glue
Newspapers to cover the
tables
I began with a discussion of
the artist, telling a little about his background. This was a review for my
students who had seen examples of Matisse’s paintings last year for a different
project. I talked about his later years when his eyesight began to fail and his continuous need to create. The students were very excited when I told them the actual sizes of
some of the postcards
and prints they
were viewing. On
the first day of the lesson each child was instructedo to take a piece of white paper, and one of each of the larger pieces of construction paper that was available. This was to be
the groundwork for their backgrounds. They were then instructed to take 4 pieces of
the 4 ½ “ by 6"
paper. That was the paper they were to cut into the
desired shapes. In an hour’s time they
had cut out their shapes and clipped them to the white paper. The following week, students were told to
glue down only the background pieces.
Time was given to arrange and rearrange the cut-out pieces. Then they were to glue down the pieces and the results were wonderful!