Guided Drawing: Owls!

Here are the steps the children and I followed to create our owls. I really like guided drawings because they all turn out diffrently, yet the kids have some help. It's also a great lesson for listening!

Egyptian Blue Faience Hippos

Tiny blue hippo figures were created long ago in Ancient Egypt. To the Egyptians who lived and travelled along the Nile river, hippos were considered to be the most dangerous animals in the world and presented a constant danger! The Egyptians believed that to appease these animals, offerings and charms needed to be given to render them harmless. Tiny hippo figures were made from clay and decorated with plants that live along the river. These figures were also buried in tombs with pharaohs when they died. Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art website to find out more about William, the famous blue hippo/mascot of the museum! http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/FAQ/htm/willy.htm

Elephants from India

This is one of my favorite lessons to teach! Indian elephants were used long ago to carry members of the royal family. They are still ridden in processions at important festivals and are decorated elaborately! First graders made their beautiful works of art with oil pastel and watercolor paints. A great book to use is Elephant Dance by Theresa Heine.