I liked starting off the school year with a BANG! I introduced the well known artist VAN GOGH to my 2nd and 3rd graders! We learned about his sunflower paintings and the non-realistic approach that he used with his lines and perception (they liked that part). I decided to be brave and let the little fingers dig into OIL PASTELS! They loved the bright colors that these created, but had to be careful not to smudge them. I would recommend starting off with a vase template, so that the children do not get frustrated trying to get the vase "just right". This assignment took about four 40 min. class periods, but it was well worth it, as many of my parents got them matted and framed! These are examples from 2nd and 3rd graders...