Preschool Halloween Skeletons in Motion

Preschool Art Lesson Plan: Halloween Skeletons in Motion

Theme: Halloween Skeletons in Motion

Age Group: 3-5 years

Duration: 45 minutes

Lesson Objectives:

• Introduce skeletons and movement through art.

• Develop fine motor skills by using cotton swabs, scissors, and glue to create dynamic skeleton figures.

• Encourage creativity and imagination in depicting motion with cotton swabs.

Materials Needed:

• Black construction paper (one piece per child)

• Cotton swabs (several per child)

• Safety scissors (for older children)

• Glue sticks

• White markers or crayons (optional for additional details)

• Smocks or aprons for children

Lesson Procedure:

1. Introduction (5 minutes):

   • Discussion (2 minutes): "Today we’re going to make skeletons that are moving and dancing for Halloween!"

   • Introduce the Theme (3 minutes): "Skeletons are made of bones, and today we’ll use cotton swabs to create their bones and show them in action, like dancing or jumping." Show a simple example of a skeleton in action, with cotton swabs forming arms and legs in various dynamic positions (jumping, dancing, etc.).

2. Activity Explanation (3 minutes):

   • Instructions (1.5 minutes): "You will use cotton swabs to make a skeleton that is moving. You can create a dancing skeleton, a skeleton jumping, or any other pose that shows motion!"

   • Materials Overview (1.5 minutes): "We will glue the cotton swabs onto black paper to create the skeleton's bones. You can cut the cotton swabs into smaller pieces to make the arms, legs, and other body parts, and we’ll glue them in a way that shows the skeleton moving."

3. Hands-On Activity (20 minutes):

   • Creating the Moving Skeletons (17 minutes):

     • For younger children: Provide pre-cut cotton swabs and let them arrange the pieces on the paper to create a skeleton in motion. You can show them how to form legs, arms, and a spine, and encourage them to place the pieces to show action like dancing or jumping.

     • For older children: Allow them to cut the cotton swabs into smaller pieces and arrange them to form dynamic poses, such as arms raised in a jump or legs bent in a dance. They can create their own skeletons and glue them onto the black paper.

   • Walk around to provide guidance, helping children cut, glue, and position the cotton swabs to express movement.

4. Clean-Up and Reflection (7 minutes):

   • Clean-Up (2 minutes): Encourage children to clean up their workstations, putting away scissors and glue sticks.

   • Reflection (1 minute): Gather the children to share their skeletons. Ask questions like, "What kind of movement did your skeleton do?" and "How did you show the skeleton in action with the cotton swabs?"

Key Vocabulary:

• Skeleton: The bones inside a body.

• Movement: The act of moving or being in action.

• Dynamic: Something that shows energy or action, like dancing or jumping.

• Cotton Swabs: Small sticks with cotton on both ends, used for crafting and cleaning.

Learning Goals:

• Fine Motor Skills: Children will practice using scissors (older children) and gluing, as well as arranging small materials like cotton swabs to show motion.

• Creativity: Children will create unique dynamic skeletons by imagining and depicting movement.

• Understanding of Motion: Children will begin to understand how to represent movement in art, using cotton swabs as "bones."

Assessment:

• Engagement: Observe how children engage with the activity and whether they understand how to show motion in their skeletons.

• Fine Motor Skills: Check how children use scissors and glue, especially for younger children.

• Creativity: Assess the variety of poses and movements that children create with their skeletons.

Extension Ideas (Optional):

• Skeleton Dance Party: After finishing the activity, invite the children to stand up and "become" their skeletons by dancing or jumping around.

• Skeleton Story Time: Read a Halloween-themed story about skeletons moving or dancing, such as The Skeleton Dance by Steve Haskamp.