Negative Space

Materials

paper

Instructions

l On large pieces of easel paper, cut one small hole in each paper. The shape
can be any geometric shape or an abstract shape and can be anywhere on the
page.
What to Do
1. Fasten a piece of paper to the easel and ask the children to use paint to create
around the negative space. Note: This activity also works well on tabletops.
2. Without giving directions, let the children decide what they want to do with
that space. There is no right or wrong. Rather, this is a chance for the children
to create and think about their process.
3. Also consider adding cutout shapes to glue on the paper as an extension on
another day. You can also put shapes cut out from dark-colored paper behind
the white paper so that the shapes show through. What will the children do
with that shape now?
Teacher - to - Teacher Tip
l Children do not need to make a recognizable creation with the shape. The
process is more important than making a recognizable product.
Assessment
To assess the children's learning, consider the following:
l Ask each child which shape he would like cut out of the paper before he
paints. Hold up a shape and ask if it is the shape he named. Then see if he
recognizes that shape by name.
l If shown a shape or told a shape name, can each child find similarly shaped
objects in the room?