Youth between 9-12 years old, How to teach new art activities?

Question

Hello, I am going to start teaching ART for the youth in my church and I feel kinda lost. There ages is between 9-12, I don't want to dissapoint them teaching things that they are not interested in, I taught kids between the age 4-6 before and this time is different because of their age. What should I start thinking when dealing with this age group?, What kind of things are they interested in?, how should I introduce this things to them?... I have some ideas, but I would like to get ideas from anybody who is willing to give one. Thank you

Answer 1

Start out with a color wheel, you do not go far in art if you can not master a color wheel. All you need is the three primary colors (red, blue, yellow) and they need to make all the colors from those three.

This will teach them basic mixing and formulation of colors, give them a referance to complementry colros and understand the connection and relation of colors-why certain color schemes are pleasent to look at while others just seem wrong.

When they figure this out (which is FUN, I mean really, I loved doing my colors, even at 18, you can do this with playdoh very easily aswell as traditional paint and you get a diffrent understanding because it is a diffrent media) they are able to do anything with a pleasing artistic eye. Maybe show them diffrent styles (abstract is totally diffrent then impressionism for example) everyone has a diffrent style which they flourish in, you may have a Pollock in your class who feels his or her work is no good compared to the Monet when both are equally talented with wildly diffrent styles. When they learn and see famous art they will gain an appreciation for their own and hone their own skills while learning about the styles.

Within those contexts you can do anything! paintings recreations, interpretations, models, compositions and collages,mixed media. You can relate the work back to their own life. If they can relate they will create!

Answer 2

That age group is very "hands on" so teaching them about art concepts and reading literature would definitely not be the way to go.  The best thing for them would be to have them sculpt a clay model, bake it in the oven, then paint it when it gets out.  Also, before this (to get them into the creative artistic mind) have them sketch an item at home, anything, like a pencil or a computer, anything.  Then have them paint a still picture in class like a bowl of fruit or something.

For this age group the best thing is to have them try a large variety of things.  Eventually a student will find their artistic style, which can be used in a final project.