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Lighthouses!

Hope Creek Studios
May 23, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Apr 21

Lighthouses of North America (Grades 1–4)

As part of our Art Around the World unit—this time focused on North America—we explore the important and iconic lighthouses that dot the U.S. coastline. We talk about their history, purpose, and how they vary in style depending on where they’re found. Like did you know that lighthouse keeping was one of the first U.S. government jobs available to women, going back to the 19th century. Also that the U.S. is home to the most lighthouses. After getting some history behind us we look at lighthouse styles, purpose, etc. I will then put up a chart that has several Lighthouse styles and students get to pick their own.

This is a great project for looking at values, landscapes, warm and cool colors, and observational drawing — this project kind of hits all of it. For this project, students use warm and cool tissue papers to build vibrant backgrounds with clear foreground and middle ground. Then we layer on collaged patterned papers to bring each lighthouse scene to life. The youngest students keep it simple, while older students get to play more with layering and detail.

Why it works: It’s the perfect blend of architecture, landscape, and collage—with a strong sense of place. Plus, it introduces young students to the concept of backgrounds and layering, all while making some truly beautiful art. These make me long for a hazy summer day at the coast!

And while we always love the lighthouses (especially glowing against sunset skies!), I’ve also adapted this format for other themes—like adding seals for a coastal twist or using the technique to create cross silhouettes at Easter.