time required: two sessions @ 40 minutes

Bison PaintingSPACE & TEXTURE

TIME REQUIRED: Two sessions @ 40 minutes

D E E P S P A C E S P A R K L E & T H E S P A R K L E R S C L U B !2

The paintings of the American West depict the lives

of Native Americans, complete with beautiful sunsets,

bison hunts and vast plains. As part of my unit on

Native American Costumes, Customs and Culture,

this “bison hunt” was a huge success with my 2nd

grade students.

Students drew bison and added textured fur with

brown paint and a sponge. The painted background

gives this lesson a wonderful feeling of space that is

common on the Great Plains.

ABOUT BISON Bison, not to be confused with buffalo which are

found through Asia and Africa, are found mostly in

North America. Bison are a sacred animal to Native

Americans who would hunt the bison, using every

part of it for their basic food, clothing and shelter

needs. After nearly being hunted to extinction by

settlers, bison herds were preserved and are no

longer considered an endangered species.

Catlin, George. Catlin and His Indian Guide Approaching Buffalo under White Wolf Skins. 1846-1848, oil on canvas,

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

12” x 18” black sulphite

paper

12” x 18” white sulphite

paper

White oil pastel

Small sponge

Liquid tempera paint

(brown, blue, white, yellow,

green)

Scissors and glue

Medium round

paintbrushes

Bison Painting


DRAW THE BISON Demonstrate a simple drawing of a bison. Use the

drawing guide on page 6 to follow a step by step

technique for drawing the bison on the black

paper.

TIP: Remember to point out the very big head

and rather small legs!

Using a white oil pastel, I like to begin at one end

of the black paper and draw the eye.

Then, draw one horn, the big forehead and then

the back.

Make sure the shoulder goes up and up (think

hunchback) and curve downwards for a small butt.

Add legs and other details.

Some kids made smaller bison and had extra

room on their black paper for another bison.

Draw as many as you would like.

SPONGE BROWN PAINT Using a small sponge and some brown tempera

paint, dab the paint around the shoulder and

head area to create fur TEXTURE.

TIP: Pre-dampen the sponge pieces so that they

are soft and can more easily absorb paint.

Drawing the Bison

Bison Drawing Guide on Page 6


After the paint dries, cut along the white line

of the bison.

Using a palette of sky and earth colors

(encourage mixing here), divide the SPACE

on the paper by drawing a line across the

length of a 12” x 18” white sulphite paper.

The sky will be above this HORIZON LINE

and the earth will be below.

Use American West photographs or

paintings as inspiration to create a

landscape. Some used browns, oranges and

yellows while others used blues and greens.

Whichever choice they make, encourage

them to choose a different color for the sky

and ground to create CONTRAST.

Glue the bison on the

background.

Painting the Background


2nd Grade Gallery


Draw the tall, sloped back of the bison. The shoulder is tall and curves down for the small butt.

Draw the belly of the bison and the front leg. Add the neck line from the leg to the head.

Add a back leg with a hoof.

Add the other two legs. Draw a “C” shaped ear and skinny tail.

BISON D R A W I N G G U I D E

Begin the bison with its eye on one side of the paper. Add a horn above the eye.

1

3

5 6

4

2

From the horn, draw a big forehead that goes up and around the eye to form the head. Add the second horn and nose.

ANIMAL ART B U N D L E


CREATING Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work — Brainstorm collaboratively multiple

approaches to art and design—Use of various materials to make art

Organize and develop artistic ideas and work — Experiment with various materials to

explore personal interests in art-making—Demonstrate safe use/cleaning

Refine and complete artistic work—Discuss/reflect with peers about choices when creating

artwork

Presenting/producing Analyze, interpret and select artistic work for presentation— Categorize artwork based on

a theme or concept for an exhibition

Develop and refine artistic work for presentation — Distinguish between different

materials or artistic techniques for preparing artwork for presentation

Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work — Analyze how art exhibited

inside and outside school contributes to communities

Responding Perceive and analyze artistic work- Describe aesthetic characteristics of the natural world

and constructed environments Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work — Interpret art by identifying the mood

suggested and describing relevant subject matter and identifying the characteristics of

form

Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work— Use learned art vocabulary to express preferences

about artwork

Connecting Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art- Create works of

art about events in home, school or community life Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and historical context to deepen understanding —Compare and contrast cultural uses of artwork from different times and

places

NATIONAL CORE ARTS STANDARDS-second grade

X

X

X

X

X


CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an

opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to

connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

Students address this standard when completing the artist statement worksheet (located in Teacher

Aids). They are writing their opinion about the artwork they made based on how it was created and

how they were inspired.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or

speaking.

You can communicate to students that using conventions of standard English grammar when writing

their answers to the artist statement worksheet should be emphasized. This is a wonderful way to

help students see cross curricular connections between subjects!

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.3 Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension, gather

additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue.

As you present information about bison and their role in early American life, encourage students to

ask questions about things they don’t understand, or to obtain more information on the topic.

Common core standards for BISON PAINTING

I CAN STATEMENTS FOR BISON PAINTING

• Today I will learn about LINE and SHAPE so that I CAN DRAW a BISON.

• Today I will learn about SPONGE PAINTING so that I CAN create fur-like TEXTURE on my bison.

• Today I will learn about COLOR and SPACE so that I CAN draw a HORIZON LINE, then paint the

sky and ground different colors so they CONTRAST each other.


ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST

Student Name:

Did the student follow directions when drawing their bison?

Did the student create texture on their bison by sponge painting?

Did the student create a horizon line and paint the sky and ground different colors to create contrast?

Main Ideas from:

BISON PAINTING

time required: two sessions @ 40 minutes

Documents