The Monster Masher

Posted by abreadcrumboi on March 15, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Objective:

This lesson is designed for 3^rd graders. This is a 2-D lesson that is meant to give students the opportunity to creatively experiment with various mediums and solve a problem by mixing two creatures together and put them into an environment and then using various mediums (fabric, glitter, colored pencils, markers, and pencils) students will be able to experiment with these mediums on their project.

Content Standards:

Creative Expression and Communication

Benchmark A

Demonstrate skill and expression in the use of art techniques and processes.

Creative Expression and Communication

Benchmark C

Recognize and identify a purpose or intent for creating an original work of art.

Analyzing and Responding

Benchmark A

Apply problem-solving skills from other subject areas to solve artistic problems.

Interdisciplinary Connection:

This could be tied in with biology if the students go into more in depth study of the animals that are used in this project.

Materials:

Each child will need:

11×17 white paper
Notebook paper
Pencils
Two different types of cool-aid (preferably two different primary colors)
2 Cups
Markers
Glitter glue
Glue
Various types of fabric
Scissors
Crayons
Colored pencils
2 different names of animals on individual pieces of paper (ex. Bear, deer, lion, rabbit, etc.)
1 name of a type of environment on a piece of paper (ex. Desert, Volcano, Island, Jungle, etc.)

Teacher will need:

Projector
Projector screen
Two containers to mix cool-aide in
Two cool-aide packets (red and yellow cool-aide)
Sugar
Stirring utensil
Examples of the project
2 buckets (1 for animals and 1 for environments)

Pre Class Preparations:

Create an example of the project.
Mix cool-aid and have it poured into cups.
Have materials spread out strategically amongst the tables.
Print out different animals and environments and put them into separate buckets

Stimulation:

Have students take their seats and settle down.
Distribute cups of cool-aide.
Instruct the students to observe the two cups of cool-aide (one yellow and one red) sitting in front of them.
Have the students smell and taste them.
Provoke the students to think about what they would look like, smell like, and taste like if they were to mix the red and yellow cool-aide together.
Tell students that they will be using the scientific method to predict what will happen if you were to mix the red and yellow cool-aid together, and then go through scientific method.
Have the students mix the red and yellow cool-aide together, which will turn orange.
Instruct students to observe the color change, change in smell, and change in taste.
Next tell the students about how you have been mixing things other than cool-aide.

10. Reveal your latest invention the “monster masher”

11. Show examples of how you and your colleagues have began to study animal hybrids (explain what a hybrid is).

12. Show real examples of animal hybrids (liger, wholphins, tigon, grolar bear, zorse, etc.)

13. Then explain how you decided to create your own animal hybrid. Show examples from (http://www.hemmy.net/2006/08/29/photoshop-animal-hybrids-galore/)

14. Finally show your own example of taking two animals from a picture along with an environment and combining them into one.

Process:

Project should be able to be completed from 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Have students pick two names of animals out of a bucket and one name of an environment out of a separate bucket.
Instruct them to think about how they can combine them by giving example of how they could exchange one animal’s features for another animal’s features. Also give ideas behind how they can incorporate different environments into how their animal looks. For example, if a student receives a cave for their environment they could create an animal that has glowing skin so it can see in the cave.
Hand out a piece of 11×17 paper and have students begin by first sketching their creation out with pencil.
Then have them color it in with pencils, markers, crayons, glitter glue, various colored paper, etc., which should be already out on the tables, and remind them that they are mad scientists, so they should experiment with different materials.
After they have drawn their creature have them create their environment. Again, encourage them to experiment with materials in their environment.
When the students are done with their picture pass out a piece of notebook paper and have the students write a quick statement that describes why they decided to make their creatures look like they did.
Give 5 minute warning for clean up
Have students return materials to bins and have the students pile their drawings into the center of the table and go around and pick up the piles.

Evaluation:

Students were given the opportunity to:

Creative Expression and Communication

Benchmark A