Cutting Colored Shapes and Arranging

Cutting color, making shapes and arranging a design

Students began to explore shape making with color using scissors to create a design of their own choosing. We initially identified an array of shapes verbally and by drawing them in the air together as a group once they were named. I introduced the concept of a free form shape that did not have a name but instead reminded them of something. It was free I said because it could be anything it wanted to be. They loved the notion of free word association connected to a visual response. Everyone wanted to share what they saw in the same irregular shape I cut out and changed by just repositioning it in a different place. I also showed my students how shapes can be changed by combining, layering and aligning them in various different arrangements.

My older students were confident with cutting and were eager to create designs using different shapes of all sizes, arranging them in the ways I had shown them. Their designs were spirited explorations which reflected many of the titles I had them orally share as a group when we were done. They were quite interested in listening to their peers titles and enjoyed how once the title was voiced what they then saw. Here is a list of some of their titles:

" The Shape Game" " The Queen's Crown"

" Hero to the Rescue" " Little Big Yellow Red"

" The Monster Eye" " The Mysterious Face"

" My Friend the Rabbit" " Going Up"

Many of my younger students were still learning how to hold scissors and how to cut. I spent a considerable time during the lesson correcting odd physical attempts to hold scissors and cut. In the end I decided it was better to use this particular lesson for those children to just cut with some arranging without gluing and I encouraged them to cut as much as they wanted. We would have plenty of time next week to cut again and glue.