Lesson Plan Haring 

eith Haring – Dancing People (1st Grade, 4 Days)

Objective:

Students will learn about artist Keith Haring and explore how to create expressive, moving figures inspired by his “dancing people” artwork. Over four sessions, students will sketch, outline, and paint their own dancing figure using pencil, sharpie, and watercolor on large paper.

Materials Needed:

• The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing by Kay Haring ( His sister)
  
  

• 11x18 white drawing paper
  
  

• Scrap drawing paper
  
  

• Pencils
  
  

• Black sharpies
  
  

• Watercolors
  
  

• Paintbrushes
  
  

• Water cups and paper towels
  
  

Learning Goals:

• Learn about the life and work of Keith Haring
  
  

• Understand how to show movement using shape and line
  
  

• Develop drawing skills using basic shapes and observation
  
  

• Explore bold line work and simple forms
  
  

• Experiment with watercolor techniques
  
  

• Create a complete artwork that shows movement and expression

Day-by-Day Breakdown:

Day 1: Introduction to Keith Haring & Movement Sketching

• Read-aloud: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing (10–15 min)
  
  

• Discussion: Who was Keith Haring? What do his people look like? How do they show movement?
  
  

• Visual Examples: Show students Keith Haring’s dancing people
  
  

• Drawing Practice: On scrap paper, students practice sketching people in motion (jumping, waving, dancing, etc.)
  
  

• Focus: Use simple shapes and lines to show movement and energy
  
  

Day 2: Final Dancing Figure Drawing

• Warm-up: Quick dancing pose sketch
  
  

• Demonstration: How to draw a full dancing figure on 11x18 paper using basic shapes
  
  

• Drawing Time: Students create their final dancing person (or multiple figures) using pencil on large paper
  
  

• Focus: Big shapes, dynamic poses, and filling the space on the page
  
  

Day 3: Outlining with Sharpie

• Review: What do we notice about Keith Haring’s lines? (bold, black, smooth)
  
  

• Demonstration: How to outline carefully with a black sharpie
  
  

• Sharpie Time: Students trace all their pencil lines with black sharpie
  
  

• Details (Optional): Add movement lines around arms/legs like Haring often did
  
  

• Finish: Erase any leftover pencil once ink is dry
  
  

Day 4: Watercolor Painting

• Review: Keith Haring’s use of bright, simple color
  
  

• Demonstration: Basic watercolor technique (how to clean brushes, pick colors, etc.)
  
  

• Painting Time: Students add color around or behind their dancing people using watercolor
  
  

• Focus: Bright, happy colors and filling the page with energy
  
  

• Drying & Reflection: Let paintings dry; optional short group reflection (“How does your person move? What colors did you choose?”)
  
  

Assessment:

• Participation in discussion and activities
  
  

• Completion of each step (sketching, outlining, painting)
  
  

• Demonstration of movement through figure design
  
  

• Use of bright color and bold lines in final artwork
  
  

Standards 

VA:Cr1.1.1a – Engage collaboratively in exploration and imaginative play with materials.

VA:Cr2.1.1a – Explore uses of materials and tools to create works of art or design.

VA:Cr3.1.1a – Use art vocabulary to describe choices while creating art.

VA:Pr4.1.1a – Select and describe works of art that illustrate daily life experiences of others.

VA:Re7.2.1a – Describe what an image represents.

VA:Re8.1.1a – Interpret art by categorizing subject matter and identifying expressive properties.

VA:Cn10.1.1a – Create art that tells a story about a life experience.

VA:Cn11.1.1a – Understand that people from different places and times have made art for a variety of reasons.