magazines, newspapers, and other sources of advertisements/images of smiling people
glue, tape, or staples
writing paper
Lesson Plan
Before the Lesson
Draw on a large sheet of mural paper an outline of a big smile. Include lips and teeth on the outline. Students might paint the lips red or cut red construction paper to conform to the outline of the lips.
For those of you with minimal art skills, you might use the smile image on this page as a guide.
Then have students collect from magazines, newspapers, and other sources pictures of smiling people. Cut out those pictures and glue, paste, or staple them to the lips of the smile mural to create a smile collage.
Another Idea
Take digital photos of your smiling students to include on the collage. You might even print the photos on red (or fluorescent pink) paper and cut them to form the lips.
Extend the Lesson
Have students write a paragraph or short essay about a time they could not help smiling or laughing. You might have students write their paragraphs on tooth-shaped paper. Then you can add the teeth to the mural. Or students might copy their edited drafts onto one of the teeth on the mural. Post the mural to a bulletin board under a headline such as "SMILE: It's Dental Health Month!"
Assessment
Students write drafts of their essays. They have a classmate edit their drafts before creating a final copy to post on the mural/bulletin board.
Lesson Plan Source
Education World
Submitted By
Gary Hopkins
National Standards
FINE ARTS: Visual Arts GRADES K - 4 NA-VA.K-4.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes NA-VA.K-4.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas NA-VA.K-4.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines GRADES 5 - 8 NA-VA.5-8.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes NA-VA.5-8.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas NA-VA.5-8.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines
LANGUAGE ARTS: English GRADES K - 12 NL-ENG.K-12.4 Communication Skills NL-ENG.K-12.12 Applying Language Skills
