Photo Booth Frogs

I saw this photo circulating on Pinterest and it gave me an idea for our last 3rd grade project.  Their teachers asked if I could do a project about frogs with the students, so I thought this photo booth project would be a great way to review the life cycle of the frog!

This project took about three and a half days total.  At the end of our last project, students had to pair up and fill out this worksheet as best as possible (I found this through a google search).  I didn't grade it, only wanted to see what they could remember about the frog life cycle since they learned about it in 1st grade and had just started the unit in class.  I did alter this worksheet a tad bit by place plain white boxes over the words and printing it out for the students.  Then I made a version in the smart notebook program so I could just move the white box out of the way to show the answer when we reviewed the worksheet.


On the first full day, we measured out the boxes.  This was quite a challenge for some students, but very easy for others.  I took large drawing paper and cut it vertically into three strips.  First we measured a 1/2" border around the outside.  Then, we measured and marked at 3" and 3 1/2".  I showed students how to measure and mark on both sides and then connect the dots to make their perfect box.  Then, we relined up the ruler and marked again at 3" and 3 1/2".  If students measured correctly, they had five boxes at the finish.

On the 2nd and 3rd day, students drew and colored their frogs.  Students were allowed to make their frogs look realistic or cartoon-y, but most of which copied the frogs almost exactly from the worksheet.  At this point, we had just enough time to finish this project before the end of the year, so I didn't pull out examples of frogs for students to draw from. Students had to draw out each stage of the frog and then they were allowed to use either colored pencils or shade with drawing pencil.  I really like the black and white versions a lot.  I think if I do this next year, I will have the students do a value scale so they can get the feel of using different pressures on the pencil and then everyone will have to use drawing pencil.

Frogs!

Since 1st graders finished up their Monet ponds not too long ago, and they are actually learning about frogs right now, it only seemed apt that I do a frog project with them!  This is one of those projects that I have found to be very successful and I have done it every year since I started teaching (with little tweaks here and there of course).

This project only takes about three days to do.  I don't present a power point about frogs, but we do talk about what they know about frogs from their classroom.  On the first day, we trace all the parts to make the frog head and glue it onto paper.  On the second day, we draw the frog body together, and then students have to draw an appropriate background habitat and details to go with their frog.  Then they trace all of their pencil lines with black Sharpie.  On the third day, they color!

This is a nice, easy project that reviews using multiple horizon lines for depth, good craftsmanship and coloring skills, and having good details in a drawing.

       

        

My 3rd graders are finishing up their last birch tree project right now...spring/summer birch trees!  Their next project will also deal with frogs, as that is what they are also learning about in science class.  I'm really excited to do their project with them...I recently saw this pin on Pinterest and it inspired me for the next 3rd grade project.  Instead of doing bugs...I'm going to have them do the life cycle of a frog!  Hopefully I'll have some of those drawings to share next week!

YAM 1st Grade: Monet's Pond

One of the first grade teachers borrowed Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies to read to her class.  In that particular book, there is a recipe for scones, which were one of Monet's favorite foods.  So, for her activity, they went to the old home ec. room and made scones!  Here is my connecting activity:

We are making Monet's pond using various mixed media techniques.  On day one, students painted the bottom side of a tray with blue and white acrylic paint to make it look like water.

On day two, I had them cover a half piece of tag board with acrylic gel and tissue paper.  These will become the lily pads.

On day three, students will draw some lily pads on the back of the tissue paper collage.  We'll cut these out and glue them to our pond.

Then, on the same day, we'll add some crumpled tissue paper flowers.  I thought about doing regular, folded tissue paper flowers, but I'm not sure 1st graders would be able to work with something that needs to be precise and small.

For the final day, day 4, of our project, we will make these model magic frogs to glue to our last lily pad!  I brought some Model Magic home with me this weekend to play around with it a bit.  I've sure you may have seen various posts on Pinterest about these frogs, such as this one.  That's what we will make, but I want them to add a silly frog tongue to them as well!

My first year of teaching I did these acrylic Monet paintings on cardboard with 1st graders as well...