PURPLE PEOPLE EATER – Colour, Contrast

Students use marker and coloured pencils to design a one-eyed creature based on their interpretation of the Purple People Eater song.

Required Time

80 Minutes

Grade Level

Grade 4 to Grade 8

Subject

Language Arts
Visual Arts
Media Literacy

Vocabulary

colour contrast line

Materials

Crayola Coloured Pencils Crayola Glue Sticks Crayola Permanent Markers - Black Crayola Marker & Watercolour Paper - 22.9 cm x 30.5 cm (9" x 12") - 1 per student Crayola Scissors Recycled Magazines

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Steps

PURPLE PEOPLE EATER – Colour, Contrast - Step One

Step One

  1. Choose an eye from a magazine image.
  2. Cut it out.
  3. Glue it to your paper to be the eye of your creature.
PURPLE PEOPLE EATER – Colour, Contrast - Step Two

Step Two

  1. Find clues about the creature in the lyrics of the Purple People Eater song, for example,
    - one eye
    - one horn
    - wings or something that allows it to fly
    - gruff voice
    - rock and roll
    - feet turned inward
    - small
    - music comes out of the horn
  2. Make a few rough sketches that include these characteristics.
  3. Test some colour combinations and layered colours.
  4. Choose the ideas you like best.
  5. Draw your creature in pencil first.
  6. When you are satisfied outline the drawing in black marker.
PURPLE PEOPLE EATER – Colour, Contrast - Step Three

Step Three

  1. Choose 2 or 3 colours from the same colour family as well as a contrasting colour to work with.
  2. Layer 2 or more colours and vary the pressure as you colour to create contrast.
  3. Add last minute details and clean up any pencil marks.
  4. View the work with fresh eyes.
    - Does your design fit the mood and details of the song?
    - What do you see that makes you say that?

Learning Goals

Students will be able to:

  • design a creature based on the lyrics of the Purple People Eater song;
  • layer 2 or more colours and vary the pressure to get light and dark areas of coloured pencil;
  • demonstrate technical accomplishment and creativity;
  • explain their process.

Extensions

Have students:

  • follow the Flat Animation Puppets lesson plan available on this website to create a puppet of their Purple People Eater;
  • use the puppet to create an animated version of the song;
  • share their video with others.

Prepare

  1. Download and listen to the Purple People Eater song.
  2. Print copies of the lyrics - enough for students to share with a partner.
  3. Download and display the Colour and Contrast posters available on this website.

Introduction

  1. Listen to and discuss the song.
    - What is your first reaction?
    - Who has heard this song before?
    - Listen to it again and try to imagine what the Purple People Eater looks like.
  2. Give pairs of students copies of the song lyrics or project them on a Smart Board if you have one. 
  3. List the descriptors of the Purple People Eater on a chart paper.
    - one eye
    - one horn
    - wings or something that allows it to fly
    - gruff voice
    - rock and roll
    - feet turned inward
    - small
    - friendly
    - music comes out of the horn
  4. Introduce the challenge

Activities

The Challenge

  1. Design a creature based on the lyrics of the Purple People Eater song.
  2. Layer 2 or more colours and vary the pressure to get light and dark areas of coloured pencil.
  3. Demonstrate technical accomplishment and creativity.
  4. Explain your process.

The Process

  1. Make sure everyone understands the challenge.
  2. Establish success criteria with your students, for example,
    ​I know I am successful when I have:
    - used my own ideas to design my creature
    - included characteristics identified in the song
    - layered at least 2 colours of coloured pencil
    - used different pressure to create light and dark colours
    - used an eye from a magazine picture for my creature
    - explained my process
    - kept the paper clean and in good condition 
  3. Guide students through the steps outlined in the lesson plan.
  4. Observe students as they work.
  5. Provide individual assistance and encouragement.

Sharing

  1. Display the drawings as a body of work.
  2. Play the song as students look at the drawings.
  3. Once the music has stopped discuss the drawings as a class.
    Ask student to look closely at the drawings.
    - Choose one that speaks to you and share why.
    - How are the drawings the same?
    - How are they different?
    - What effect does layering colours have on the overall impact of the drawing?
    - How does the kind of eye chosen affect the drawing?
    - If everyone heard the same song, why aren't the drawings all the same? 
  4. Encourage students to view the drawings over the next few weeks, seeing them with fresh eyes and looking for things they didn't notice the first time.

Assessment

  1. Observe students as they work – thoughtful focus, discriminating, seeking more information, elaborating, experimenting.
  2. Observe students as they discuss their artworks – speaks with a clear voice, looks at audience while speaking, points to areas in the artwork, provides accurate information, answers questions from the audience effectively.
  3. Observe students as they listen – looks at presenter, asks effective questions, supports ideas with evidence found in the artwork.
  4. Use a checklist to track progress. (Downloads - PurplePeopleEater_tracking.sheet.pdf)
  5. Have students reflect on their own artworks in their sketchbooks. Ask students to write: 
    - What do you like best about your drawing? Why?
    - What would you change or do differently next time? Why?
    - How does your design reflect the lyrics in the song?
    - What would you say to convince someone to use your drawing to promote an animated version of the song?

Downloads

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