Elementary Children's Book Art Lesson - Elmer the Elephant

Children’s Book Art Lesson

Everyone’s Different

Connecting Story and Personal Experience

Lindsay Abramo - Master of Arts in Teaching - School of the Art Institute of Chicago

The lesson is based on David McKee’s illustrated story about Elmer the patchwork elephant

Elmer

by David Mckee

Exemplars

The students will be asked to create their own unique elephants using black markers, paper, and colored pencils

Creating their own unique elephants allows students to celebrate how great it is to be different

Student Artwork Kindergarten and 2nd Grade

CICS Loomis Primary - 9535 S. Loomis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60643

Lindsay Abramo - Master of Arts in Teaching - School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Lindsay Abramo Children's Book Lesson Plan TITLE: Everyone’s Different: Connecting Story and Personal Experience Using Markers and Colored Pencils GRADE LEVEL: Early Elementary TIMELINE: One 40-minute period DESCRIPTION: Everyone is different. The picture book, Elmer, by David McKee is a funny story about celebrating individuality. After hearing the story students will discuss what it means to be different and how they can celebrate what makes them unique. The students will be asked to create their own unique elephants by using black markers and colored pencils. By creating their own elephants the students will be able to celebrate how great it is to be different.

Essential Questions: • What makes us different from one another?

• Why is it important to celebrate what makes us unique?

• What visual details in your drawing will show the uniqueness of your elephant?

• How can texture and pattern add to your drawing?

OBJECTIVES: • Students will be able to connect their personal experience to the story and create their own unique version of Elmer the elephant using markers and colored pencils.

• Students will be able to use line, texture, and pattern in their drawings.

• Students will be able to use markers and color pencils properly.

STATE GOALS: STATE GOAL 27: Understand the role of the arts in civilizations, past and present.

B. Understand how the arts shape and reflect history, society and everyday life.

27.B.1 Know how images, sounds and movement convey stories about people, places and times.

STATE GOAL 26: Through creating and performing, understand how works of art are produced.

B. Apply skills and knowledge necessary to create and perform in one or more of the arts.

26.B.1d Visual Arts: Demonstrate knowledge and skills to create visual works of art using manipulation, eye- hand coordination, building and imagination.

STATE GOAL 25: Know the language of the arts.

A. Understand the sensory elements, organizational principles and expressive qualities of the arts.

Lindsay Abramo - Elementary School Children's Book Lesson Plan - Everyone’s Different

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25.A.1d Visual Arts: Identify the elements of line, shape, space, color and texture; the principles of repetition and pattern; and the expressive qualities of mood, emotion and pictorial representation.

MOTIVATION / ACTIVITIES: • Before reading the teacher will show the class the cover of the story, Elmer, illustrated by David McKee. • The students will be asked, what type of animal they think Elmer might be? How do you know Elmer is an elephant? Have you ever seen an elephant before?

• The story will be read aloud.

• The teacher will ask the children what they think is happening in the pictures and have them articulate their reasons for their responses. (Example: Elmer is different from the other elephants. We know that because he is covered in colorful patchwork and we have never seen an elephant that looked like that.)

• The students will discuss what it means to be unique or different. (What does Elmer think about being different? What do the other animals think about Elmer? Is being different a good or bad thing?)

• Students will create their own unique elephants by first drawing the elephant with black markers.

• Drawings must be large, filling the paper, almost touching the top and bottom. (Examples will be shown) • After completing the drawing in marker, the students will use colored pencil to add color, texture, and pattern to their elephants (Examples will be shown). The drawings must include at least three textures or patterns.

• If the students have time they will be able to draw scenery around their elephant drawing.

CLOSURE: • Student will describe how the elephant they created is unique and what makes their elephant special • Students will have a unique elephant parade to show off their artwork ADAPTATIONS FOR EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS: • If the students have difficulty drawing their own elephants, they will have the ability to use pre-drawn elephants that they can decorate and make their own. This will allow students to play an active role in the project.

MATERIALS: • Book: Elmer by David McKee • Black markers or sharpies • Assorted colored pencils • White paper

Lindsay Abramo - Elementary School Children's Book Lesson Plan - Everyone’s Different

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VOCABULARY: • Unique - being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else; special • Texture - feeling; the way something looks (Example: bumpy) • Pattern - a repeated decorative design; repeated shapes (Example: stripes) • Patchwork - checkers; squares in a pattern SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS: Visual vocabulary for texture, pattern, and patchwork.

ASSESSMENT RUBRIC:

Child’s drawing meets the following criteria:

Rated 1-6 (six being the highest and one being the lowest)

Drawing represents their own unique elephant Included details specific to their elephant Drawing fills the page Drawing has at least three textures of patterns Used media appropriately Worked throughout the period with care and focus

Lindsay Abramo - Elementary School Children's Book Lesson Plan - Everyone’s Different

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Children’s Book Art Lesson

VISUAL VOCABULARY Patterns

Patchwork

Zig-Zag

Circles

Stripes

Texture

Big

Smooth

Small

Lindsay Abramo - Master of Arts in Teaching - School of the Art Institute of Chicago