30 minute class period, beginning of the school year

Concepts: Murals, manners and appropriateness, inhibitive control, working memory

Materials: markers, butcher paper, masking tape, pictures of wall and ceiling murals, the book “Purple, Green, and Yellow” by Robert Munsch.

Set up: Cover the tops of the tables with butcher paper. Move tables slightly so that there is an open space in the middle of the room. Place a container of markers at each table.

Students come into the room and sit in the middle of the floor. The teacher sits at the front of the classroom and reads “Purple, Green and Yellow” by Robert Munsch. At the end of the book, talk about what things Brigid drew on that were not appropriate.  Ask for examples of places that are not appropriate to draw. Then, talk about murals. Show pictures of murals from different societies (Sistine Chapel, Frescoes, etc). Talk about what makes a mural and why it was ok for those artists to paint there (they had permission).

Explain that usually it is not ok to draw on the table, however, today, since we have drawing paper on them, we are going to make murals at our tables. Each student sits at their assigned dot and can color whatever they want in that area. Students must share with their table-mates and respect each other’s drawing space.

Once class is over, students must put the lids back on the markers and put them back in the containers. If time and space permits, hang the murals up on the walls so that the other classes can appreciate their work.