In Like a Lion...
With 2 to 4 inches of snow expected in the Chicagoland area today, Spring has certainly come in like a lion. In second grade we talked the phrase, "In like a lion, out like a lamb," and what it means. Then we watched the story, In Like a Lion Out Like a Lamb, by Marion Dane Bauer on YouTube.
Next, we created a drawing of a lion's head. We did a "my turn, your turn," drawing and the students worked along with me step by step.
Lion Project
Materials used: Brown construction paper for drawing of head, pencil, Sharpie, oil pastels (white, yellow, and brown), scissors, glue stick, colored construction paper for background, liquid tempera paint (white, yellow, and brown), paint brushes.
Concepts/Skills covered:
I can use simple lines and shapes to draw a lion's head.
I can color with and blend oil pastels to create the texture of fur and give the face form.
I can paint with tempera paint to create the texture of fur.
Concepts/Skills covered:
I can use simple lines and shapes to draw a lion's head.
I can color with and blend oil pastels to create the texture of fur and give the face form.
I can paint with tempera paint to create the texture of fur.
We started with a pencil drawing and the students work step by step with me. Initially, when I showed the class the finished picture they all doubted that they could do it, but as we worked they realized that they we were drawing lines and shapes that they already knew how to draw. It's all about how you put those lines and shapes together. We also discussed how you could tweak a few things and make a variety of different animals, using the same steps.
Once we completed the drawing, they traced it with Sharpie and we began using the oil pastels. I demonstrated using the brown first then coloring over with yellow. This blending will create the texture of the fur, as well as give the face form. If we colored with only one color the face would have a flat look to it. (We did something similar to this at the beginning of the year with chalk pastels.)
The following week, we cut out the head and glued it to a colorful piece of 12" x 18" construction paper. Using liquid tempera paint, we painted the mane. Again, we used the colors white, yellow, and brown. I demonstrated how painting with wet paint on wet paint allows the colors to blend a bit and make nice streaks, creating the texture of the hair. We didn't even rinse out our brush in between color changes.
Now that we've finished up these lions maybe Spring will start to act more like a lamb!