Materials:

• 12x18" white paper
• Sharpies
• markers in primary colors and black
• punchinella
• hole punches & primary color scrap paper
• rulers
• pencils

Lesson:

Prezi here

​Fifth graders discuss global issues such as global warming, homelessness, and disease. They then imagine themselves as a global superhero to help solve one of these issues. 

We review human proportion from fourth grade, but talk about how proportion can be altered in superheroes. 

They fill out a "Superhero Identity Card" front and back that asks them details such as what their powers are, what their origin story is, and of course their superhero name!

When they are done planning out their hero, they can sketch their hero in action. The clues such as the background need to tell us what the global superhero does to help the world. No weapons or violence are allowed. I also review how to show the illusion of space/depth and ask them to use these techniques for the background.

I introduce Roy Lichtenstein and point out that he used only primary colors, white, and black in his work. In the prezi, I zoom into parts of his work showing that he makes our eyes mix colors; he makes skin look peach using red dots on white background, while he makes pink by using white dots on a red background! I tell students that this is how printers work- they don't just print images; they print and layer dots to create new colors! After all, most printers only use 4 colors of ink!

When students are finished with their sketches and have them approved by the teacher, they can move on to drawing their hero in action on 12x18" white paper. Pencil first, then outline in Sharpie, and lastly erase the pencil lines. Students are using primary colors and black in their work just like Lichtenstein. I teach 3 ways to create dots:

1. ​Use a ruler to create a grid. The grid should be drawn lightly with a pencil so it can be erased. They can make dots where the lines intersect as small or large as they need to be. 
2. Use punchinella as a stencil. Punchinella is the leftover stuff from punching out sequins! They make awesome dot stencils. Make sure students do not just color over the punchiella; the dots need to be treated like stencils for this to work and requires some careful coloring.
3. It is difficult when students want to do light dots (yellow or white) on top of darker colors, so I let them punch out circles from primary colors of paper and glue them to their paper.

I have done this as a painting+printmaking project. Paints were available in primary colors and black, and for dots, punchinella was available as a stencil. Punchinella and bubble wrap were also painted then printed with, but this is a far messier way of doing this project. It is fun though!