“What do you see everyday during Fall?”
Whenever I ask my preschooler an open-ended question, I am never quite sure what type of answer I will get. I was expecting an answer like leaves or pumpkins.
Me: “What do you see everyday during fall?”
M-Woww (4 yrs old): “Candy corn”
Me: “What? We never have candy corn”
M-Woww: That is what I would like to see everyday during Fall.
Well, I can’t argue with that logic.
This simple conversation with my four year old was the inspiration for our latest Preschool STEAM investigation.
STEAM is the combination of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. I use STEAM based play and learning activities to help exercise my preschooler’s creative thinking and problem solving skills.
Can everyday objects be considered art?
Pop artists wanted to make art a part of everyday life.
The term “Pop Art” refers to a movement of art that started back in the 1950’s and was made famous by Andy Warhol.
Warhol was inspired by popular commercial products, such as Campbell’s soup (which was one of his favorite things to eat) to create his art.
Screen printing allowed Warhol to make several prints of the same image therefore repeating the same image to create a pattern.
We decided to explore our own pop art work inspired by M-Woww’s wish to see candy corn everyday.
PRESCHOOL STEAM CREATIVE CHALLENGE:
Create a candy corn work of art inspired by Pop Art (something you see everyday…or in M-Woww’s case, something you wish you saw everyday)
We broke up this Preschool STEAM investigation into 3 different parts. Each part we did on a different day to help keep my young learners interested and engaged in the activity.
Part 1: Exploring Printmaking with Bubble Wrap
Materials: Bubble Wrap, Cardboard Tube, Several sheets of Cardstock Paper, Paint
Inspired by Warhol’s use of screen printing in his art, I set up an easy and simple printmaking activity with bubble wrap!
I prepped the activity by taping bubble wrap around the end of a cardboard tub. Everything else was up to my artists to explore.
Lil B and M-Woww each stamped, printed and explored how the colors mixed with the bubble wrapped brushes. We had two different sizes of bubble wrap so it was fun to observe the different size marks.
Part 2: Observing Candy Corn
While our bubble wrap prints were drying, we began to take a closer look at candy corn.
“What shape is the candy corn”
“Why do you think there are three colors”
“Why do you think it is called candy corn”
We also used our 5 senses to describe candy corn.
“What do you see”?
“What does it feel like”
“What does it taste like”?
“How does it smell”?
Of course, Lil B and M-Woww were most excited that they got to taste the candy corn. Personally, candy corn is not my favorite candy but they loved it.
Part 3: Create a candy corn work of art that has a repeating pattern.
Materials: 3 painted sheets of paper, pencil, scissors, glue and colored construction paper
Step 1: Once your painted papers have dried. Turn your painted bubble wrap paper upside down and draw a triangle on the backside.
Lil B was able to draw his own triangle shape but M-Woww had a little trouble, so I made three dots to represent each corner of the triangle and had her draw a line to connect the dots.
Step 2: Cut out your triangle and use it as a stencil to cut out 2 more triangles on different sheets of painted paper.
Step 3: Cut each triangle into three pieces (thirds) like the three parts of a candy corn.
Step 4: Lay out all the cut pieces and arrange the shapes into a pattern re-creating a candy corn shape.
I love when I give a creative challenge and my two artists come up with two completely different solutions.
Lil B repeated the pattern of the triangle shape of the candy corn on his paper.
While M-Woww, made a pattern with the 3 colors within the triangle of the candy corn.
So, do you think an everyday object like candy corn can be a work of art?
SCIENCE CONNECTION: I can observe and use my 5 senses to describe candy corn.
MATH CONNECTION: I can identify and create a pattern.
ART CONNECTION: I can create a print.
Check out our Creative Preschool Friends for more “corn” themed learning activities.
Candy Corn Pizza Craft | Artsy Momma
Preschool Corn Counting Activity with Printable| I Heart Crafty Things
Easiest Cardboard Rainmakers ever! | Pink Stripey Socks
Printable Candy corn Bingo Game| School Time Snippets
Popcorn Science | A Little Pinch of Perfect
Leave a Reply