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California Gold Rush Outlaw

California Gold Rush Outlaw

Grade Level:
4
Subject:
Art
Topic:
California Gold Rush Outlaw or Bandit
Objective:
Students will be able to create an outlaw/bandit from the California Gold Rush with 80 % accuracy.
Other Information:
This lesson is a part of a thematic unit combining Social Studies (California History) and art. The unit begins a review of the California Gold Rush to connect (loop) what students are learning in their homeroom to the art project they will be creating. In 4th grade, students learn about California history and go on local field trips (Sutter's Fort & Colomna, Ca) to support content and curriculum. Students really enjoy doing this lesson because I introduce it as they are an outlaw/bandit during the gold rush. Students love this idea and the focus of this lesson is introduced as being about the Gold Rush, making an outlaw with a hat, and giving the outlaw a name.
Public Notes:
Curriculum mapping: This lesson would be done at the end of the school year, after students have had adequate amounts of instruction on the California history and the Gold Rush. This lesson plans starts after students have already gone on the Sutter’s fort field trip, but right before the Coloma field trip. This lesson plan is finished after students return from the Coloma fieldtrip within a 2 week time period. It helps that students have already had a lot of experience drawing for the majority of the school year. Thus making the idea of drawing portraits less daunting.
Prep:
There are only 9 rectangle tables that fit in the room. When students are getting close to being done using the sharpies, a separate table will be set up for spraying diluted brown watercolor onto their paper. Students usually finish projects in waves and not all at the same time. This works really well for when students begin to finish their projects. Students are instructed to return their sharpies they were using prior to coming to the watercolor table. Once they are done antiquing their owl outlaw, then they put it onto the drying rack to dry for at least 24 hours. Final step includes gluing their outlaw on a brown background paper which includes their outlaws’ name and reward value. Sharpies, watercolor, and glue will need to be cleaned up prior to the next class coming.
Materials:
Dark Brown Sulphite construction paper 12 x 18 (1 per student and teacher).
80 lb watercolor paper (1 per student and teacher).
1 Pencil with an eraser, apron, and Sharpie for each student (at least 30).
Diluted brown watercolor (1 spray bottle per table).
Glue
Newspaper or bulletin board paper for a table cover when spraying the brown watercolor used for antiquing and another one for glue.

Youtube.com video links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iydRkC0gMZI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0KjeUDoqxY


Safety of supplies:
Teacher will review the rules of using watercolor in a spray bottle prior to starting that portion of the lesson plan. Students are not allowed to spray the watercolor on themselves, other students, tables, or table covers.
The watercolor is diluted in water. However, it will not come out of clothing if sprayed on. Once the students are done using the watercolor, they must wash their hands with soap and water if they get any on them.

Procedures with glue: Glue may not be eaten, licked, or put on clothes. Students are only permitted at the glue station when they are completely done using the brown watercolor and are ready for it to be placed on the drying rack. Students may not put glue on themselves or anyone else. Glue is only to be used on the paper and not anything else. If anyone gets glue on themselves or anyone else it can be washed off in the sink with water and soap or peeled off when it dries.