Aidan OBrien

Lesson
Title/Focus

Scranimals (art)

Date

November 12 2014

Subject/Gra
de Level

Art/ELA grade 2

Time
Duratio
n

60m

Teacher

Aidan OBrien

Unit

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General
Learning
Outcomes:
Specific
Learning
Outcomes:

A Creative Experience: contemplating possibilities and exploring the

imagination as a source of images and as
problem-solving devices.
Component 1
A. Natural forms have common physical attributes according to the class in
which they
belong.
B. Natural forms are related to the environment from which they originate.
C. Natural forms have different surface qualities in colour, texture and tone.
D. Natural forms display patterns and make patterns.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will:
1. Students will observe natural forms in plants and animals, noting their commonalities and
differences (reflection). Students will practice representing plants and animals based on their
observed proportions (depiction and composition). Students will reflect and speak about their
representations and what they mean to them (expression).

ASSESSMENTS
Observations:

Key Questions:

Products/Performan
ces:

Do students represent the features and proportions of the animals and

plants they are representing.
Can students recognize and correct issues of representation between their
first and second copies.
Can students correlate their animals features to an environment
(landscape)?
What features does your animal have?
What would this animal eat?
How would it move?
Where would it live?
Students will produce a draft sketch of their animal, present it to
me and explain their choices.
Students will produce a final copy after answering some
questions about their animal and how it is represented (key
questions).

LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED

Scranimal Island
Alberta Program of studies

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

White sketch paper, hard and soft

pencils, erasers and pictures of
unusual fruits, vegetables and
animals.

PROCEDURE
Prior to lesson
Attention Grabber

Introduction
Students have read Scranimals by Jack Prelutsky; an illustrated
book of poems describing animals that have been hybridized
with fruits, vegetables and plants. Students will be asked for
their observations about how the forms of animals and plants
have been combined. Does it make sense? Why do they think
the author and illustrator made the choices they did? Show

Adapted from a template created by Dr. K. Roscoe

Time
2-5m

Aidan OBrien
Assessment of
Prior Knowledge
Expectations for
Learning and
Behaviour
Advance
Organizer/Agenda
Transition to Body
Learning Activity
#1

Assessments/
Differentiation:

Learning Activity
#2
Assessments/
Differentiation

Learning Activity
#3
Assessments/
Differentiation

Assessment of
Learning:
Feedback From
Students:
Feedback To
Students
Transition To Next
Lesson
Sponge
Activity/Activities

some illustrations from the book.

Ask the students to interpret what the scranimals are. What are
their components? Can they remember any after reading the
book? (I may need to read some passages again). What are
some things the students already knew about these animals?
Students are expected to produce a draft of their animal and
answer some basic questions about it before getting a piece of
cardstock to begin their final version.
Make sure the process is understood, sketch, discussion, final
piece.
Hand out the sketch paper and ask the students to begin in
light pencil.
Body
Students will produce a draft of their imagined scranimal,
remind them of the parameters of the assignment. The
scranimal is a combination of animals or of an animal and food.
The students should consider what it looks like where it lives
what it eats and how it moves. They will represent these
choices in their drawing.
Some students may have some difficulty beginning and may
need prompting. Other students may work very slowly and
might not complete a finished final. If absolutely necessary they
may colour their draft as we will not have any more dedicated
class time to work on this again. I will leave the book out for
students to look at in class.
As students begin to finish their draft I will circulate and ask
them questions about their animal. I will also address any
glaring problems with representation e.g. the subject is tiny and
indistinguishable. There are not enough details included etc.
Some students will need a lot of prompting, but I do not want to
give out too many suggestions. I will ask questions such as
what kind of animals head does it have? What does that animal
eat? What kind of legs does it have could it run fast? Does this
animal have fur feathers or scales? What colour(s) is the
animal?
Now that students have reconsidered some aspects of their
sketch they will start working on a full size piece on cardstock,
making any changes they felt were appropriate.
This version should be well finished. (Neat graded colouring)
The animal and its features should be clearly distinguishable.
Closure
The main focus will be on the changes made between the first
draft and the finished piece. Were changes made that reflected
the students thinking of their animals habits and environment?
Im curious if they found this sort of open ended work
challenging, or difficult to start.
I would like to show some great examples of student work and
explain what makes it exceptional
Have the students clear their desks place both copies in their
writing folder. Clear the room for end of day.

2-5m

1m
3m

Time

10-15m

ongoing

20-30

Time

5m

Finish their letters from Wednesday

Reflections from the

lesson

Adapted from a template created by Dr. K. Roscoe