Fourth-grade students are at a critical stage of self-awareness and personal exploration. Self portraits are a great way to make kids keenly aware of their perception of their own features and expressions. Teachers who assign this project may dictate specific rules --- caricature versus realism; color versus black and white --- but students must be given room to use their imagination in creating the drawings. Instructors may also tie this activity in with an autobiography assignment to round it out with some writing lessons.
Cement the theories and rules of color by assigning projects based on the color wheel. By the fourth-grade level, students should be familiar with basic color theory, but fun activities can illustrate important concepts in new ways. Challenge each student to invent the most creative color wheel, perhaps out of nontraditional household materials, and bring it into class for a presentation. They should be able to speak comfortably about primary, tertiary and secondary colors by creating and displaying their unique wheel projects.
Collages made up of photos, drawings, and other glue-able items are fun to create and make lovely keepsakes for years to come. Youngsters can use a collage project to put their individual interests and passions on display for the whole class. This project is the perfect springboard for conversation and further discussion about identity and aspirations. For example, a vision board activity consists of a collage featuring aspirational images. Young students will appreciate the chance to put their dreams on paper.
Kids can collect smooth rocks from home, a field trip, or the playground and display their artistry by painting them with colorful acrylics and a variety of brushes. Popular designs include animals, plants, fruits and insects; but students should be told to come up with their own original ideas for customization. Students can learn history lessons about rock art and display their work as decoration around the classroom once completed.