Big, Bad Germs!

          The second grade students were also creating Big, Bad Germ paintings in art this past week.  I can’t take all of the credit here in the creation of this lesson however. This lesson was adapted from an art teacher by the name of John Post.  I adapted the lesson to fit my students’ needs.  The goal of this lesson was to introduce the idea that artists can have a career creating posters or designs for companies to advertise a product.  Since germs are everywhere, I decided to have the students create these germ paintings.  The paintings are posted around the school to remind students of the importance of washing their hands.   The objective for the students was to design a big, bad germ that had an angry facial expression and to use lots of detail in the design.  The students used tempera paints to create the poster.

          I showed the students various examples of ways that artists have designed logos, paintings, and other designs for companies.  One example was Andy Warhol’s Campbell Soup Can paintings. We discussed how art influences a lot of the things that we use everyday.

          To create the germ, first, the students had to brainstorm ways that a germ could look.  I even showed pictures of germs under a microscope to the students so that they could see how they really look. We talked about why the germ was going to have a mad face as well.  One student said that it was mad because people always want to get rid of them!  This sparked a big conversation on the importance of washing hands and cleaning the art tables.   Next, the students sketched out their designs and shared them with a partner for feedback.  Once the students were happy with their designs, the next step was to expand.  The students had to make their drawing bigger on the 12x18 sheet of paper.  When the final sketch was made, the students then began painting using colors of their choosing.

          I was very pleased with how the paintings turned for the lesson.  The students were so eager to get started!  The students were really motivated, expressive, and their own voice was heard in the assignment.  They really seemed to want to perfect their designs as they consistently asked peers for feedback on their work.  To expand on this lesson, I could have students study a few more artists that have designed things for companies.  Maybe, I could have students design their very own logo.  I could have the students create a new product and make advertisements for it.  Lastly, they could create this actual product to focus on making three-dimensional art.