How I Taught First Graders to Draw the Statue of Liberty

I found a Pinterest pin where an art teacher was teaching 5th graders how to draw the Statue of Liberty.  If you are interested go here 
otherwise keep reading below.

                                     

I started wondering if I could teach first graders how to draw the Statue of Liberty.  They study American symbols in Virginia for social studies.  I carefully studied this drawing of the Statue of Liberty and broke it into the following 8 pieces. I had them draw the facial features LAST, once they built confidence.

The art teacher had her class draw the statue in pen.  I let the first graders use pencil.  

Once they had completed all the steps with me, they went over their drawings with a black marker.  I started by giving them each a LARGE piece of white construction paper (at least 11 x17").   I had them mark off a line three fingers from the bottom for the top of her base box.  Then they made a dot in the top middle of the paper three fingers down from the edge.  They made a second dot three fingers down from the first dot.  This second dot told them where to start the oval for the face.

After checking that everyone had done this correctly, I went to my REALLY BIG statue I was drawing along with them on the white board.  I showed them how to do the hair on the face.  We did not draw the features until the statue was completed.

Step 2:  showed them how to add the curls around her face.  The class compared this to putting petals on a flower.  Step 3: showed them how to draw a semi circle around the curls.  Step 4: showed them how to put triangles two at a time across from each other on her crown. We kept adding them two at a time until we got to eight.  Then they got to add her neck and the extra loops for her hair. The picture shows 8 triangles on her crown, but after reading a book on her, we found out she only has 7--one for each of the continents.

                                                    



Step five: they added the line under her neck that stretched out to the right for her shoulder.  Then they drew the left line up at an angle for her left shoulder.  They then added three curved lines for the drapes.
Step six:  all they added was the loops on bottom line for her feet.
Step seven:  They connected the right shoulder down to the feet to make a box that went up to capture the drapes, then stopped.  We drew a six sided polygon with a rectangle under it for the torch. I showed them how to draw loops for the fingers.
Step eight:  We drew a rectangle for the arm and continued a curved edge down to the dress.  We drew a slanted box for the book with more loops for fingers.  We added the right sleeve to the dress. (These are the first drawings I have made to show you something.  I am not an artist by any means, but the kids drawings were outstanding.)

The other first grade teachers saw them and immediately decided to try this.
Study the picture by the fabulous art teacher above.  Go to her web site and read how she did it.  The class was so proud of themselves.  Isn't Pinterest fun?