“Snowflake Art” Visual Arts Lesson Plan

Objective
Students will engage collaboratively in creative art-making in response to an artistic problem.“Snowflake
Art” presents a multimedia experience for students to learn about snowflakes and practice a variety of
skills through creative art-making and design.

Standards
• K.VA:Cr1.2 Engage collaboratively in creative art-making in response to an artistic problem.

• K.DA.Cr1. Respond in movement to a variety of stimuli (e.g., music/sound, text, objects

images, symbols, observed dance).

• K-LS1. Use observations (firsthand or from media) to describe patterns in the natural world in order
to answer scientific questions.

Vocabulary
• Snowflake: a flake of snow, especially a feathery ice crystal, typically displaying delicate sixfold
(hexagon) symmetry
• Watercolor: Artists’ paint made with that is thinned with water, giving a transparent color.

• Texture: the feel, appearance of a surface (such as paper.)

• “Resist” painting technique: 1. Draw designs with solid crisp lines by pushing hard on the crayon. 2.
Paint over the page with watercolor paint and let dry.

Materials
1. Computer

2. Music Video: “Little Snowflake | Kids Songs | Super Simple Songs (2:48) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbbKjDjMDok&feature=emb_title

3. Science Video: “Where Do Snowflakes Come From? Nature Works of Art.” (3:41) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M48RfaWcWA&feature=emb_title

4. (Excerpt from) New York City Ballet Video: Waltz of the Snowflakes (1:04) 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqI8Nvkj9C8&feature=emb_title

5. Overhead projector

6. Print: “Snowflake-Designs.png”

7. Print: “Snowflake-Scenery.png”

8. Watercolor paper, 9x12 trimmed into 4.5 x 6 (2 per person)

9. Individual 8-color, washable paint boxes (Target or Crayola)

10. Coarse ground sea salt (optional)

11. Pencil (write students name on the back)

12. Inspirational Music Video: “8 hrs. of Snow Falling on Lake with Relaxing Music” 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHSawp_TyoE

1. Assessments
1. Formative 1: I will monitor student understanding of the six-sided (hexagon) snowflake design by
asking for a thumbs up, sided-to-side, or down.

2. Formative 2: During guided practice, I will observe while circulating around the room, checking to see
if assistance is needed, and will ask students to raise their hand when they have completed their
“Snowflake Art.” The completed “Snowflake Art” will serve as the student demonstration of lesson
mastery.

3. Self-Check: Students will complete their “Self-Check” to document their level of understanding.

2. Anticipatory Set
“Today we get to learn about snowflakes, how they are formed and how snowflakes inspire art and
dance. Then we will get to learn a new painting technique and create “Snowflake Art.” Let’s begin!”

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Essential Questions Discussion

Display “Snowflake-Designs.png” as visual inspiration for discussion.

1. What are snowflakes made of? Frozen water droplets. Rain turns into snowflakes
when it is cold.

2. How do snowflakes form? When an extremely cold water droplet freezes it

creates an ice crystal.

3. Why are snowflakes different, no two look the same? They take shape
depending on weather conditions including temperature and humidity.
Temperature determines the shape of snowflakes.

4. How many sides do snowflakes have? All snowflakes have 6 sides (hexagon).

3. Teaching Inspiration (10 min.)

1. PLAY Music Video: “Little Snowflake | Kids Songs | Super Simple Songs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbbKjDjMDok&feature=emb_title

2. PLAY Science Video: “Where Do Snowflakes Come From? Nature Works of

Art.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M48RfaWcWA&feature=emb_title

3. PLAY (Excerpt from) New York City Ballet Video: Waltz of the Snowflakes


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqI8Nvkj9C8&feature=emb_title

4. Distribute supplies

5. Now that we have been inspired through videos and discussion it’s time to
create our snowflake art!

4. Model (10 min.)

Use the overhead projector to display the teacher sample to demonstrate step-by-
step instruction.

Design #1:

GOAL: Create 3 unique, six-sided snowflakes and paint background with 3 colors.

• Please begin by writing your name on the back of each sheet.

• Note: We will use a white crayon to draw 3, six-sided snowflakes on the paper,
one at a time. Press hard for a solid line design.

• STEP 1: Draw one snowflake outline by making a super wide “x” letter shape.
Draw a line through the middle to make 6 total lines.

• STEP 2: Repeat two more times anywhere on the page and vary the size to add
interest.

• STEP 3: Using a brush, mix watercolor paint with water.

• STEP 4: Brush the watercolor paint over the paper to see the snowflakes appear! Cover the entire
sheet with paint.

• STEP 5: (optional) When the paint is still wet, pour a few grains of salt into your hand and and place
a few grains at a time. Less is more.

• STEP 6: Because the grains of salt act like little sponges, they soak up the paint that is around them
and look like frosty circles. When paint is dry, brush away grains of salt to finish your artwork.

• STEP 7: Let dry overnight.


Teacher note: If paintings aren’t flat, rub a damp cloth on the back side of each painting to make it
slightly wet, after the paint is dry. Iron on low heat between two sheets of parchment paper with the
paint side facing down.

Design #2 (or extra for early finishers):

• Repeat with “free draw.” Students create any design (snowflake, heart, their name), etc.


5. Check for Understanding

• Ask students if they have any questions.

• Encourage students to enjoy the process as they design 3, 6-sided snowflakes, experiment by
mixing colors, and adding salt grains to make frosty circles.

• Ask the class to use their imagination for the second design.

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6. Guided Practice
• Play Music Video: “8 hrs. of Snow Falling on Lake with Relaxing Music” 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHSawp_TyoE

A winter aesthetic/instrumental video will play to inspire creativity through the
peaceful, instrumental sounds and sights of nature.

• Once students understand instructions, walk around the class. Provide support
if needed; however, encourage independent art work.

• Hand out self-checks and ask students to answer both questions.

7. Closing
• GREAT EFFORT, Kindergarten creators!

• We have achieved today’s goal to engage collaboratively in creative art-making in response to an

artistic problem.
• Today we learned the “resist technique” that unveiled our unique snowflake art.

• Congratulations on demonstrating excellent effort and doing your best! :)

• Did think that the white crayon would be covered by the paint? Instead, the crayon resists the paint
and shows through like a secret message! The reason is polarity. (Water is a polar substance, which
means the molecule as an attractive force. Wax (which is what the crayon is made of) is a non-polar
substance, which means it’s molecules don’t have an attractive force.)

• Would you like to create “resist” artwork again in another project?

Next Steps:
• We will continue to learn about winter wonder when we create a seasonal snow scene using real
sticks for tree branches!

• We will continue to explore, learn, discuss, process, express, and create!

“Snowflake Art” Rubric

1 point: Beginning 2 points: Developing 3 points: Mastery
Criteria Total
Does not meet standard – yet Nearly meets standard Meets standard

Student demonstrates lesson Student demonstrates lesson

Student does not meet
Objective 1:
 understanding by creating mastery by creating
standard yet. Only 1 unique,
Create 3, unique six- “Snowflake Art” with 2 or “Snowflake Art” with 3 or
six-sided snowflake was
sided snowflakes. more, unique, six-sided more, unique, six-sided
created.
snowflakes on one piece. snowflakes on one piece.

Student does not meet Student demonstrates Student demonstrates

Objective 2:
 standard yet as the watercolor understanding of technique mastery of technique by
Paint background using wash background was by creating a watercolor wash creating a watercolor wash
3 colors created using only 1 color.
background using 2 colors on background using 3 colors on
one design. one design.

Total

Total: _ points (out of 9 possible points)

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Name Name

Circle your answer. Circle your answer.

-GVIEXIHWMHIHWRS[ÀEOIW -GVIEXIHWMHIHWRS[ÀEOIW

completed need more have questions, completed need more have questions,
time would like help time would like help

I mixed 3 colors in the background. I mixed 3 colors in the background.

completed need more have questions, completed need more have questions,
time would like help time would like help

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 STEP 1:

Use a white crayon

to draw 3, six-sided
snowflakes on the
paper.

Press hard for a solid

line design.

STEP 2:

Using a brush, mix

watercolor paint with
water.

STEP 3:

Brush the watercolor

paint over the paper
to see toy
snowflakes appear!

Cover the entire

sheet with paint.

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 STEP 4:

When the paint is

still wet, pour a few
grains of salt into
your hand and and
place a few grains at
a time.

Less is more.

STEP 5:

Because the grains

of salt act like little
sponges, they soak
up the paint that is
around them and
look like frosty
circles.

When paint is dry,

brush away grains of
salt to finish your
artwork.

STEP 6:

If paintings aren’t
flat, rub a damp
cloth on the back
side of each painting
to make it slightly
wet, after the paint is
dry. Iron on low heat
between two sheets
of parchment paper
with the paint side
facing down.

:)

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