Visual Arts Lending Library Plan:: Animal Parade

Visual Arts Lending Library Plan:
Animal Parade
Angelina Fountain
Animal Parade Watercolor
What is it?
For this project we will be creating a

watercolor painting inspired by the book
Pokko and the Drum Matthew Forsythe.
Concept/Big Idea
Grade: 4th
Students will showcase their understanding of shape language through designing an

animal for a collaborative animal parade mural.
ELA Standards NVAS / Michigan
Key Ideas and details: Grade 4 ● VA:Cr3.1.4a - Revise artwork in progress on the
basis of insights gained through peer discussion.
- Compare and Contrast the point of view from which
different stories are are narrated, including the ● VA:Re8.1.4a - Interpret art by referring to
difference between first- and third-person. contextual information and analyzing relevant subject
matter, characteristics of form, and use of media.
- Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a
story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text. ● ART.VA.I.4.3 - Analyze and reflect on the elements
(eg. a character’s thoughts, words, act). of art and design to communicate ideas.
- Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from ● ART.VA.II.4.4 - Analyze and reflect on the uses of
subject matter, symbols, and ideas to express and
details summarized in the text.
communicate meaning in artwork.
Essential Questions
Grade: 4th
● How do the watercolors influence one another when overlapping?

● What does the design of you animal say about their personality?
● How would your selected animal play an instrument?
● Why did you select the animal you did for the parade?
Key Concepts
Grade: 4th
● Introduce shape and highlight the use of simplified shape language in character design.
(making complex figures into their simplest form.)
● Introduce pattern and repetition to students.
● Introduce how to utilize water colors.

Objectives
Grade: 4th
● Students will be introduced to the book Pokko and the Drum
● Students will be able to break down organic forms into simple shapes.
● Students will be able to effectively use watercolors.
● Students will be able to incorporate the use of patterns into their design.
Resources
Informational Text
Grade: 4th
Pokko and the Drum

MAtthew Forsythe
“Pokko and the Drum is a story about art, persistence, and a family of
frogs living in a mushroom.”
Grades: Pre - 3 Age: 4 - 8 Lexile: AD520L
Inspiration for the project!

Informational Text
Grade: 4th
Boreal Forest Animals: Biome Beasts

Lisa Colozza Cocca
“This NGSS-aligned series is packed with interesting facts and
vivid photos that introduce readers to a variety of land and
water animals. Each book includes a glossary, comprehension
questions, and an activity for home or the classroom.”
Grades: 3 - 6 Age: 8 - 12 Lexile: 860L
Animal reference for children to utilize, alongside learning a bit
about the Boreal biome.

Cocca, L. C. (2020). Biome Beasts: Boreal Forest Animals. Rourke Educational Media.
Informational Text
Grade: 4th
A Walk in the Boreal Forest

Rebecca L. Johnson
“Take a walk in the boreal forest. This biome of tall conifer

trees and shaded, cool paths has long winters and very short
summers. How do the plants and animals of the boreal forest
live? Take a tour of this amazing biome and find out for
yourself how each creature depends on all the others for
survival.”
Grades: 3 - 6 Age: 8 - 12 Lexile: 770L
More in depth exploration about the nature within the biome.
Johnson, R. L., & Saroff, P. V. (2021). A Walk in the Boreal Forest: 2nd Edition. Lerner
Publications.
Informational Text
Grade: 4th
Animal Faces
Akira Satoh and Kyoko Toda
“Can you distinguish one animal face from another? Twenty-one

photos of the seemingly same animal peer out at you from over 20
double-page spreads, each featuring a different species.”
Grades: Pre - K Age: 5 - 6 Lexile: ?
Visual references with a multitude of animals faces. Could help
students break down the shape language of some of the animals
features.
Satoh, A., & Toda, K. (2000). Animal Faces. Kane-Miller Book Pub.
Sequence Plan
Day One
Introduce students to Pokko and the Drum, examine the character's shape language. And examine
Presentation with artist's watercolor paintings.
During this time I plan on asking students for their opinions on the designs and if they recognize any
of the animals from the book. Alongside asking if the students notice anything else that stands out
about the book. (Repetition and Patterns).
Introduce students to the materials that will be used.

Day Two
Re-introduce materials to students, and give a small demo on how the materials are to be used/how
they work.
Introduce Both Boreal Biome books, they will not be read from start to finish. They will be used more
so as an aid for the visual development of the project. I plan on going over some fun snippets of
information from the books.
Hand out water color paper for students and prep the backgrounds for the piece.
Day Three
Continue backgrounds for the project, once that is complete Introduce my exemplar of the animal
design. This will lead into my breakdown of how to simplify the animal into shapes.
Provide students with printed copies of a few pictures from Animals Faces and Pokko and the
Drum. I will have students draw over the pictures with shapes, this will help them exercise their
understanding of how to simplify the form.
Students will then be given the remainder of the time to work on their animals.
Day Four/Five/Six
Mainly consists of a workday. I will be around to help any students that may have questions, as well
as taking time to ask students questions while they work.
This is to gauge their understanding of some of the information that was mentioned previously.
Day Seven
Is the final day for students to finish their work, once they have completed their project I will have
them write a small summary/reflection on what they had painted and why they chose the animal and
instrument they did.
Accommodations and
Assessments
Accommodations
Test paper will be provided so students can explore and play around with their animal design before
creating their final piece.
A few animal stencils will be made ahead of time for students to trace for practice.
Assessments
● I want to have students write a brief summary about why they chose the animal they did,
alongside the instrument they chose.
● Also want to have an open discussion with the class about how they felt about the lesson
and art process.

Visual Arts Lending Library Plan:: Animal Parade

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Visual Arts Lending Library Plan:: Animal Parade

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Available Formats

Visual Arts Lending Library Plan:

For this project we will be creating a

Students will showcase their understanding of shape language through designing an

● How do the watercolors inﬂuence one another when overlapping?

(making complex ﬁgures into their simplest form.)

● Introduce pattern and repetition to students.

● Introduce how to utilize water colors.

● Students will be introduced to the book Pokko and the Drum

● Students will be able to effectively use watercolors.

Pokko and the Drum

frogs living in a mushroom.”

Grades: Pre - 3 Age: 4 - 8 Lexile: AD520L

Inspiration for the project!

Boreal Forest Animals: Biome Beasts

“This NGSS-aligned series is packed with interesting facts and

vivid photos that introduce readers to a variety of land and

water animals. Each book includes a glossary, comprehension

questions, and an activity for home or the classroom.”

Grades: 3 - 6 Age: 8 - 12 Lexile: 860L

Animal reference for children to utilize, alongside learning a bit

about the Boreal biome.

A Walk in the Boreal Forest

“Take a walk in the boreal forest. This biome of tall conifer

Grades: 3 - 6 Age: 8 - 12 Lexile: 770L

More in depth exploration about the nature within the biome.

“Can you distinguish one animal face from another? Twenty-one

Grades: Pre - K Age: 5 - 6 Lexile: ?

Visual references with a multitude of animals faces. Could help

students break down the shape language of some of the animals

Introduce students to the materials that will be used.

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