Kindergarten Piet Mondrian

This lesson teaches children about line and primary colors as well as using a ruler and gluing.  An art teacher from my county shared this lesson with me several years ago and I've used it ever since.

Week 1
Children see a slide show of Piet Mondrian's work with primary colors inside dynamic black lines. We talk about the colors we see as well as line direction, horizontal and vertical. We also talk about diagonal, straight, zig zag, thick, thin, curly, and wavy lines.

Next children get a 9 x 12" white paper. They use the ruler to carefully section a la Mondrian using crayon. To fill in the boxes the children create designs using the different lines we talked about.

Week 2
Children use liquid watercolors to paint one red, one yellow, and one blue box. Have children point to each box they intend to paint each color first to prepare. I give them one color at a time starting with yellow. When the whole class is done with the first color, I replace it with the next. If the children ask why they are only painting three boxes, just refer them to the original Mondrian.

While their work is drying, I show them the Curious George color mixing website on PBS Kids and have them explore what primary colors can do!

Week 3
Children are given black strips of paper I cut on the paper cutter. I model cutting each strip to size and carefully placing them on each line. Children should also trim the edge of the paper if any black strips stick out. Children who missed the previous week can easily paint after they glue down the strips, while the rest of the kids have another try at Curious George!