Kindergarten Art Activity for Black History Month
- Share with kindergartners information about Martin Luther King, Jr. Listen and watch his March on Washington speech on thekingcenter.org. Discuss how King was an activist for black rights and how he used his speeches to motivate and educate others. Have each student think about what he would wish for, or have a dream about for the future. Make note of each student's wish with her name.
- Look at and read stories by Faith Ringgold, such as "Tar Beach." Discuss how Faith Ringgold is an artist and uses quilts to tell her stories about growing up and being African-American. Discuss what an illustration is and how it explains an action. Using 6-inch-square pieces of paper, have kindergartners use crayons, markers, watercolors and pencils to illustrate their dream or wish for the future. Encourage them to use detail and color to express themselves. When they are finished, write each kindergartner's wish on the square with a black marker and have them sign their artworks.
- Explain to kindergartners they are creating a wish quilt sharing their dreams for the future, just like Martin Luther King, Jr., and Faith Ringgold. Have each kindergartner share with the others what her square says and how she illustrated it. Using a large piece of sheet paper or a bulletin board, have each kindergartner glue or tack on his square. When all squares have been placed, fill in any blank areas with solid colored squares and add a decorative border. Create a title or theme for the quilt and place it at the top. Find a location to put the kindergartners' wish quilt for others to see.