Shape Collage: Cutting out Shapes like Matisse

So kindergarten and first grade geared up for their next challenge: Scissors and Shapes! They looked at a book about Matisse and how he used shape cut outs to create art. They worked one class to cut out shapes and then a second class period to put the shapes together into a collage. Many of the students created non-objective art and a few of the students created abstract works about people and robots referencing Matisse's Creole Dancer and the work about Icarus. Students were saying things like look at me, I'm cutting out shapes like Matisse. We practiced a reading strategy of any time they heard the word Matisse they would shout it. The students even seemed to remember his first name too.