2nd Grade Dr. Seuss Prints

I had originally found a variation on this lesson while I was doing a Google image search for printmaking art lessons. I adapted the original landscape scenes within the lesson to Dr. Seuss style landscapes particularly from The Lorax.

 
 My students studied the life and work of Dr. Seuss along with landscape artist Thomas Cole.  I showed them Cole's work so they would have an understanding of foreground, middle-ground, and background and be able to draw a type of landscape that showed depth.
 
The great thing about this lesson is the small twist of using black paint with white ink as opposed to the more traditional white paper and black or dark color print.  To add color to the print I had students use construction paper crayons, and if the white of their print came out bright and clear they were able to get some really fantastic results.

 Because the print was 9x12" I had them create a rubbed texture border using rubbing plates and either silver or white crayons (oil pastels would work too).  They trimmed the edges of their print with fancy edged craft scissors and then glued it into the rubbed border. 

 The students really loved this project and I will definitely re-use it or something like it in the future.