Kindergarten: Pattern Cows

I've seen these pattern cows based on Peter Diem all over Pinterest and decided that the right place for me to use it would be with my kindergartners!  I figured that next year it will work really well with the Common Core Listening Strand for Farms!  (Plus it incorporates patterns, which deals with math and logic!)  I don't really know much about Peter Diem and I'll admit that I did not teach my students about him (too much talking makes me woozy yet...) so I focused more on reviewing patterns and drawing the cows using basic shapes.

This is my example that I did with students.

Before we jumped into the cow drawings, we spent the last two art classes reviewing patterns and doing these pattern grids.  I showed students a power point that talked about how line makes different shapes and how line and shape together can create patterns.  We folded a piece of drawing paper hot dog and hamburger style, and then in each box, students had to draw a different pattern.  In the second class, we finished the patterns and then painted each square using some liquid watercolor paint (which I just bought with a gift coupon from my SmartTeacher winnings!).  I LOVE how bright the colors are!  I think I'll be switching to liquid watercolors permanently!

Today my first kinder class tackled the cow project.  After we put our names on our papers, I did the step-by-step demonstration of drawing a cow.  After each step, the students mimicked the cow on their paper.  We started with the nose and nostrils, then added the head and ears, the mouth, the body, the legs and finally the spots.  A few students pointed out that my cow was missing the tag in its ear (we're from a VERY rural area... ;) and some gave their cows horns to make them boy cows (or earrings for girl cows!).

We did these drawings in pencil first, and then I gave everyone a black crayon to trace over their pencil lines with (since we will be doing a watercolor resist).  After they traced with the black crayon, they started adding various patterns inside each shape.

I've tried to get away from doing these kinds of drawings this year because all the drawings usually end up looking the same, but I must say that everyone's individual cow had a different personality!  Some were short and fat, tall and skinny, or big bodied with tiny heads and legs!  More to come Wednesday when this class hopefully finishes these cows!