Op Art Stars & Stripes: Patriotic Art Activity

Create an eye-catching patriotic display that will sure to be a show-stopper.  This is a great lesson to do before the 4th of July, Veteran’s Day, President’s Day, Flag Day, MLK Day, or anytime you want to show some patriotic spirit.

I’ve included a lesson on how to draw a star that gives some unique strategies for spacing the star tips.  This will help those students (and adults) that are intimidated by trying to draw a large symmetrical star.  Using circles and a ruler and the sheets I’ve included will make drawing a star a breeze!

Use more color combinations (than red, white and blue) and you have a splendid lesson for any time of the year!

You students will have so much fun creating some vibrant Op Art Stars that they won’t notice how much they are learning!  They will be thrilled with their results, but behind the “pretty picture” they will also learn several integrated concepts.

Your students will:

• Learn about Op Art and how implied contours are created.
• Learn how warm and cool colors can create an illusion.
• Learn how to use a compass, ruler, clock and/or protractor to make a star.
• Make one of 7 Op Art Stars and Stripes designs.
• Fill out a label and rubric.

Optional Activities:

• Write critically about their artwork.
• Make a collaborative op art star project.
• Write about the meaning of freedom.

INTEGRATE

• Color Theory – warm  & cool, monochromatic
• The Science of Op Art – implied contours
• The Elements of Art – positive & negative shapes, color, line
• Telling Time
• Geometry
• Writing

This art lesson packet includes the presentations, handouts, writing activities, rubrics and labels to help you from start to finish!  Just print and go!

If you are short on time or want to create a collaborative project, I’ve also made a lesson for that!  Op Art Star Collaborative has a star inside a square for students to draw on and cut out.  The 6.5” squares can be taped together or assembled on a larger paper for a quilt-like group project.   This would also help you out if you need to differentiate this lessons for students with special needs. There is also a writing alternative in this set that has the star inside the square for students to draw on.  Then, instead of cutting it out, they complete the sentence “Freedom is…” at the bottom of the page.  This lesson is included in this set, or you can buy it separately.

 What you get:

• Table of Contents (great as a reference)- 3 pages
• Definitions – 4 pages
• Labels & Rubrics – 4 pages
• Instruction Sheets for Teachers – 17 pages
• Handouts for Students – 24 pages
• Art Criticism Writing Activities – 3 pages
• PDF Presentation on Op Art Stars – 33 slides
• How to Draw A Star – 12 pages
• Op Art Star Collaborative – 13 pages

A total of 113 pages

This lesson contains the following product (also sold separately):

•  Op Art Star Assemblage Class Project and Writing Pages
• Drawing A Star

Take a look at this blog post that will give you some technique ideas.

If you’d like some coloring pages, take a look at Patriotic Coloring Pages.

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Easily download this PDF with a link that is automatically emailed to you immediately after your purchase and you can begin making art right away!

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If you have a Mac computer, just click on the zip file and it will create a folder (almost magically) filled with all the goodies you just purchased.

Windows uses File Explorer to open zipped files.  Here are some easy instructions from Microsoft in case you’ve not done this before.