Jellyfish Painting


Minnesota K-3 Visual Art Standards Used in This Lesson:

  • 1. Identify the elements of visual art including color, line, shape, texture and space.

  • 2. Identify the tools, materials and techniques from a variety of two- and three-dimensional media such as drawing, printmaking, ceramics or sculpture.

  • 4. Create original two- and three- dimensional artworks to express ideas, experiences or stories.


    • Additional Tie-ins

  • Watercolor techniques
  • Responsible Cleanup
  • Color mixing/blending

    • Learning to use paints, mix colors, and cleanup responsibly

    "Don't Crush the Brush"


    The first painting lesson 3rd graders do is a Jellyfish painting exercise

    Jellyfish pictures are shared with the class first. Then the teacher demonstrates how to paint without crushing the brush, how to mix colors, and how to hold the paper up to make the paint run. (The running paint drips become the jellyfish tentacles.)