Pre-school Topics, Block 6, Week 58: We can create a work of art or architecture using wood, stone or steel

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Artistic Expression

Week 58
We can create a work of art or architecture using wood, stone or steel

Artistic expression is the use of the imagination in the production of objects intended to be thought of or appreciated as beautiful, as in the arrangement of color, forms, sounds, or words. Only man was created by God with the ability to imagine and then express his thoughts in various creative ways. In this block we will discover along with the children some of the ways that we can express ourselves artistically. (Drawing, painting, music, sewing, etc.) Artistic expression is a part of the preciousness of our humanity.

On the other hand, animals are not capable of imagining or creating based on forethought. It is possible to get some animals to make a picture, but only after they have been trained to make certain strokes using certain colors. Any form of art is not inherent in the animal kingdom. You do not see them creating art in their own environment.

Point to emphasize
We are able to use our imagination to create designs or even buildings.

Sample content and conversation with children

NOTE: Remind the parents BEFORE the meeting that the children are supposed to bring the things they built during the week.

  • [Ask the children to show everyone the thing that they made last week. Discuss with them the materials they used to build the house, car, bridge, tower, etc. Have them talk as they show what they built.]
  • You all built such different things. That is really good. It is so nice to see so many different things we can build with many different designs. Now, what if you were walking down the street and saw this house? [Show picture #1.] What do you think about this house? [Let children tell you] It looks like a nice house. But what would you think if you continue on your walk and EVERY single house on both sides of the street looked like this?? [Let them answer.] What is the same about every house? [Show picture #2 and let them answer.] YES, everything is the same for every house. By the end of your walk don’t you think you would be bored seeing the same red house with the same green bushes and even the same flowers? YES, it would be boring to see the same house design over and over and over again. Well, God must think that it is boring to have everything look the same because when He created all the plants and animals, they all had different shapes, sizes, colors, and designs. [Show picture #3.] See how wonderful this is! God made us so that we enjoy different designs…even in the buildings we make. A person who designs buildings is called an architect. The architect is designs buildings, then help when it is built. They are an artist with building skills.
  • Today we are going to be architects! And each of us is going to design a house. Everyone has some pieces of cardboard to use: yarn, ribbon, different colors of construction paper, buttons, strips of fabric, glue stick, etc.] Let’s do this together. First, we need to decide on the shape of our house. It can be a short square, a long rectangle, or a tall box. Make your piece of cardboard that shape. [Show picture #4.]
  • The next thing we need to decide is what kind of roof we want. [Show picture #5.] These are just a few kinds. Now attach your roof with a glue stick.
  • Now, think about where you want your doors and windows. What color or colors do you want your house to be? Let’s see what we can design. [Show picture #6 if you want.]
  • Let everyone show and tell their design!
  • God made us so that we enjoy designs!
  • [Show pictures #7 and #8.] What is this? [Let children answer and talk about how the beaver builds.] God made the beaver is such a way that it can use branches and small trees to build and stop the flow of water so it has a little pond to live in. But the beaver does not stop and design the dam it builds. They simply do it to plug the stream and build a home, not because they are creating a piece of art. That is just what beavers do by instinct. So, a beaver is a good builder BUT it is not an architect!
  • God created us in a way so that we enjoy different designs. Next time you go somewhere in the car, look at all the houses and buildings to see how interesting they are.

Suggested songs
God’s design
How about the mountains?

Suggested activities

  1. What are you wearing?—Serving one begins with different colors of construction paper or crayons. Say, “If you have this color on…, …Put your hands on your nose.” Continue with other articles of clothing (e.g. Pockets, Zippers, Buttons, Glasses, etc.) and Turn around 3 times, Do jumping jacks, Wave, …etc.
  2. Sink or float—Fill a clear container or bucket with water, have some items that will sink and some items that will float. Have the children guess whether each item will sink or float. Then drop it in the water to see!

Pictures
#1: House
#2: Same houses
#3: Flowers of different colors
#4: Shapes for house- Rectangle, tall box, square
#5: Shapes for roof
#6: Sample of houses
#7: Beaver building a dam
#8: Dam built by beaver

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