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Hardworking Backhoes
by: Christy Hartman
Grade Level: K - 1

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Instructional Objective:  The students will understand and apply media, techniques, and processes. The student will use their knowledge of structures and functions.     Curricular Integration: Kindergarten and First Grade students usually study Communities as a part of their Social Studies curriculum including jobs that are found in the community.   Small children find large pieces of equipment and machinery fascinating to observe and to play with; in conjunction with the Communities unit I felt that I could develop a project that dealt with the reality of a large piece of machinery and to give it a personality through the use of interesting facial features.   At this time the students can be introduced to the use of personification in literature and movies and there are many exception pieces of literature that could be incorporated into this unit.   Materials and Equipment:  White drawing paper Assorted colored construction paper cut to size:  7” square yellow construction paper, 3”X 5” rectangular white piece of construction paper, 2- 2”X 4” rectangles of black construction paper, 4” diameter circle yellow construction paper, 1”X 12” strip of yellow construction paper.  Black permanent markers oil pastels watercolor paints scissors glue color wheel Resource Materials: I’m Dirty by Kate McMullan and illustrated by Jim McMullan. Mike Mulligan and his Steamshovel by  Virginia Lee Burton Dynasty/FM Brush -:  Oval: White Bristle Assortment KD-700 Flats:  Black Bristle Assortment KD-600   Project Requirements: This project allows the student to develop a collage through the use of basic shapes and cutting techniques.  Multi media approach.    Using color families the student will learn to paint using watercolor wash techniques to achieve a pleasing result.   Project Introduction: Read aloud the story I’m Dirty by Kate McMullan.  This story is a humorous look at the job of a backhoe driver by giving the backhoe a personality and a tremendous work ethic.  Discuss with the students what jobs a backhoe does and how a backhoe works as well as the shape of the backhoe.  I also have a toy backhoe that I bring in to illustrate how an actual backhoe looks which gives us the opportunity to discuss the basic shapes that are involved.   Art Production:  Paint the background first by introducing color families to the students using the color wheel; discuss what colors would work well for the sky and how those should be painted depending on the color family that is chosen.  Students do not need to use the traditional blue for the sky but can opt to use a variety of colors depending upon the color family chosen. It is necessary to stress to the students that too much mixing and painting can “peel” their paper as well as form a muddy colors.  Because this is a hard working backhoe the ground needs to be painted using shades of brown.  We also discuss watercolor techniques of blending and bleeding.    After the paint is dry begin assembling the backhoe by gluing the shapes together to form the body of the backhoe and the windshield.  Round the wheels slightly with scissors and glue them onto the body of the backhoe, cut the strip of paper if the students want the arm of their backhoe to be bent and glue that to their paper.  Cut the end of the circle in a zigzag line to form the bucket and glue onto the paper.      Using a pencil draw the eyes and mouth onto the backhoe prior to coloring and outline with a black permanent marker.  Using oil pastels color in the eyes and mouth on the body of the backhoe, add tire treads and mud on the backhoe and any additional details that the students prefer.    Mount the picture onto another piece of construction paper and display these pieces in your school.      Evaluation:  Teacher observation, record keeping and a continued conversation about the color wheel.   Teacher Tip:  Kindergarten and First Grade students tend to be very enthusiastic in their painting and tend to paint until the paper will be worn away.  It is important to remind them how to paint so that they have beautiful brilliant color while retaining the integrity of the paper.  Developmentally kindergarten students are very concrete and like their work to look very similar to what you have done while first graders tend to be more creative and like to add more detail above and beyond what you have instructed.  Understanding this difference when designing projects for this age group will allow your students to feel successful and you will have fewer opportunities for tears from your students. Hard Working Backhoes   © Christy Hartman 2007 www.chartmandesigns.com