The fourth graders took a creative journey to the Rainforest and learned how to draw many rainforest inhabitants.

We studied how snakes wind themselves around trees, how sloths hang upside down and what lurks in the shallow waters. The students were free to draw whichever animal they pleased except for birds (we already had that lesson). The first step was drawing the animal in pencil, adding proportional leaves, vines, trees and flowers then outlining all pencil lines with a black waterproof marker.

Once the pencil lines were erased, students either colored their animal with prismacolor markers or painted them in watercolor. These were my guidelines: small shapes: color with markers. Big shapes: fill with watercolors. I handed out palettes of liquid watercolors. They are ready to use and easy to apply. Most students colored their animals with markers and painted their backgrounds with watercolors.
The art lesson was inspired by “An All Encompassing RainForest” by art teacher Cheryl Crumpecker, Arts and Activities Magazine March/07 issue

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