Georgia Standards

 

South Carolina Standards

 

Key Vocabulary

 

Materials

• Blue paper plates for each student
• Construction cut outs of ears and mouth
• 1 set of googly eyes per student
• Clothespin paintbrush (clothespin with cotton ball on top)
• White paint
• Plastic fork for each student
• Plastic cup for fake snow
• Fake snow: 
• Wet wipes to clean hands

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

• Show pictures of snowflakes floating. Ask students what they notice about the snowflakes. Direct students towards noticing shapes and lines. Ask students how they imagine they might feel (warm, cold) and what they might smell. 
• Tell the students they will be learning about using art materials such as white paint and fake snow to create their own “cool” animal, the Polar Bear.

 

Work Session

• Show students where they live on a globe or map for reference. Next, show students where the Arctic is located. Ask students what they think it would feel like to be in this place. What colors would they see? What textures would they feel? Would it be warm or cool?
• Read an informational book such as Polar Bear (Read and Learn: A Day in the Life: Polar Animals) by Katie Marsico. Ask students to connect the information in the book to the photos. Ask students to identify how the photos explain the text.
• Show the students an image of a polar bear and define mammals, arctic, aquatic, and shore. Briefly identify each word so they are familiar with the vocabulary. 
• As a whole group, go over what polar bears do, how the different parts of their bodies help them survive, and where they live. Show students photos and briefly provide information.
• Ask students to identify characteristics of the polar bear such as color, size in relation to other animals, and texture.
  • Explain that next, they will use their art materials to create their own polar bear. 
  • Tell students that artists use color, size, and texture to express their ideas in their art.
• Show the exemplar of the polar bear art. Ask students to describe the texture, lines, and shapes that they see that make the artwork. 
• Demonstrate how to make fake snow (see “materials”). 
  • Help students notice what happens when baking soda is mixed with conditioner. 
  • Put some of the fake snow in their plastic cups for them to touch and feel. 
  • Ask them to describe the texture. 
  • (Teacher note: Remind them that the snow is not real, and we never put anything in our mouths.)
• Go over the directions of how to make the polar bear using a fork to create texture.
  • Place about a tablespoon of white acrylic paint on a paper plate. 
  • Pass out the following materials to each student: plastic fork, blue paper plate (navy works best), two pre-cut/pre-glued shapes for ears and nose/mouth, one set of “googly” eyes. (Give students the choice of what eyes they want to use to personalize their polar bear.)
  • When they have all their materials, explain to students that they will start creating the element of art, texture, by dipping the fork in the white paint and pressing down in the center of the navy-blue plate. When you see their forks in the center, explain that they have to gently press and pull to create the texture look of a polar bear’s fur. They can re-dip when necessary.
  • Explain to the students to keep pressing and pulling until their blue plate is filled up. This will represent the face of the polar bear. 
  • When the students have finished the painting, have them take their nose/mouth and ears and place them where they think a nose/mouth and ears would be on a polar bear. 
  • After the teacher has checked, give students a glue stick to glue the nose/mouth and ears down. 
  • Tell students that next they will “glue” on their googly eyes. Explain that the wet paint will serve as glue for holding down the eyes, nose/mouth.

 

Closing Reflection

• Have each student create and write a name for their polar bear. Remind students that proper nouns start with a capital letter.
• Allow students to verbally introduce their polar bears to their classmates. Have the students say, “Hi, my polar bear’s name is….” The other students will say,

“Hi, (name of polar bear)”. This reinforces their speaking/communication skills.

 

Assessments

Formative

Observation of:

• Collaboration
• Communication
• Creativity
• CompletioN

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

• Students can explain what polar bears do, how the different parts of their bodies help them survive in the Arctic, and where they live. 
• Students can use texture, line, and shape to create a polar bear.

 

 

 

Differentiation

Acceleration:  Students can use their completed polar bear to write their bear’s name and a complete sentence about their polar bear. Remediation:  The teacher should work with identified children to assist with painting. Allow students to work in pairs; pair students who are higher achieving with students who may struggle.

 

 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Optional: An informational text such as Polar Bear (Read and Learn: A Day in the Life: Polar Animals) by Katie Marsico

 

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Ideas contributed by:  Kim Spivey 

Revised and copyright:  2024 @ ArtsNOW