Name Painting

In this lesson, patterns played a large role.  To begin, we each folded a white piece of construction paper in 12 equal sections.  Then, we created a checkerboard design on this using 6 squares of construction paper of a different color.  This was the first pattern we created.  Once the paper had been folded to create the squares, we glued it onto a large piece of construction paper to use as a background/border.  Next, we wrote our names on our projects, one letter per square.  We were allowed to either write our first name, last name, middle name, a combination, or our initials.  To color the letters, we used oil pastels and were told to push down firmly to ensure bold colors.  Depending on the letters that we used, we could create another pattern.  Our next step was to use watercolor paint to paint the squares that were white.  Because we used oil pastels, the letters resisted the paint and remained their original color.  Painting the white squares was another way we could create a pattern.  

The colors that were used in our projects needed to include a combination of two of the following: one secondary color, one intermediate color, or one shaded color.  In my project, I used orange construction paper as my background, with the letters of my name being red and blue.  Because my name is four letters, it fit nicely in the layout of the squares.  To complete the requirements, I used orange watercolor paint as my secondary color and blue-green as my intermediate color.  

Another way to use this activity is to focus on patterns in math.  When learning about fact families, students could write addition and subtraction sentences using the same three numbers to show how the numbers go together.  I would have the students make each number in the sentence a different color, but to keep each number the same in the following sentences.  This would show the students how the same numbers can be manipulated in various ways to produce different outcomes.