A literature and arts lesson plan for kindergarten, completed in 1 1/2 hours.

“What a beautiful day for a walk on my fine legs.”

– Bob 2016 - present

Students make a mixed media image of Bob, inspired by the book Bob The Artist, by Marion Denchars.

Materials:

Playing & Learning Beeswax Crayons 

Black Constuction Paper 12x18 (can cut in 1/2) White Construction Paper 12x18

FC Multi-Colored Construction Paper Pad

Craft Pipe Cleaners– Black, 12 in.

Black Googly Eyes– Xtra Large

White pencils, scissors, bottled glue

Glue gun

Vocabulary:

body image, confidence, individuality, stencil, trace, design

National Core Art Standards—Visual:

Creating –
#1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
#3: Refine and complete artistic work

Presenting –
#5: Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

Responding –
#9: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

Bob The Artist

Written and illustrated by Marion Denchars

 

Bob The Artist is a very clever story of a bird’s personal journey to feeling confidant and happy with himself. Bob is a blackbird who becomes very self- conscience when other creatures tease him about his skinny legs. After several unsuccessful attempts to “fix” his own legs, Bob one day visits a museum. He becomes excited and inspired by the art he sees, and decides to get creative himself, and paint his beak. The results are wonderful, and he receives many compliments from all of the other creatures on his creativity and sense of style. His newly discovered talent gives him a boost of confidence and pride; his skinny legs are no longer the focus.

Begin this project by gathering students on the carpet, and read Bob The Artist aloud, then discuss! This is a great book for addressing body image, confidence, and creativity, and helping young children understand the idea of acceptance and appreciating individuality.

In this lesson plan, young students will make a simple mixed-media image of Bob, complete with artistic beak and cute skinny legs.

Prepping bird bodies

In prepping this project, you could certainly simply pre-cut all 3 pieces out of black paper for each student and have them begin with that. However, there is much value in allowing your kindergartners the chance to practice their tracing and scissor skills, and their own child-like cutting will result in a much cuter and more interesting bird– it will contribute greatly to each bird’s quirky character!

Make several sets of stencils for your students to use. The bird bodies are composed of just 3 simple shapes. Cutting them out of manila folders works well. Also, pre-cut lots of beaks out of colored paper for the children to decorate.

Plan a day that you have a classroom Aide and 3 parent volunteers, so that you can have 5 centers with 6 students each. Choose a block of time to spend approximately 1 1/2 hours of classroom time, with a recess or lunch break after the first 45 minutes. This is to allow time for you and your assistants to fire up the glue guns and hot glue the bird legs to each bird body (very easy!) Children finish the project when they return.

Trace and cut

Set up each station with a few sets of stencils, white pencils, 8x11 black construction paper and scissors.

Show students how to use a white pencil to trace the 3 stencil pieces onto their black paper, then cut the pieces out. This is Bob’s body!!

 

Coloring beaks

Set out the pre-cut colored paper beaks (some beaks pictured here are open) along with a variety of crayons at each station.

Encourage children to choose a colored beak, and then design it in any way they want, just like Bob did! Suggest polka dots, stripes, wiggly lines, letters, words, little pictures, or any way they want!

Legs

Now hand out Bob’s pipe cleaner legs! Demonstrate how to make his feet in a few simple bends. However kids do it will be funny and cute!

Plan for lunch or recess at this stage of the project. Ask your volunteers if they would remain at their station and hot glue the bird legs (with feet) to the back of each student’s body piece. This should take no more then 10 minutes– the glue will be safely dried by the students’ return.

Assembling Bob

Hand out the white 12x18 paper, Googly Eyes and glue bottles, and have children assemble Bob! He can be positioned in all sorts of funny ways as seen in the book, or he can be just like what you see here. Have students glue all 4 pieces into position– head, beak, tail and body with attached legs (hot glued side down.) Do not glue the legs down though, they hang loose and bendable.

Students now glue Bob’s big Googly Eye into place. Now tell them that they can gently bend Bob’s long legs into any position they want– so cute!

Finally, have your students sign their name with a colorful crayon. Smile as you hang all of your little “Bobs” up on the walls for all to enjoy!

Download the entire lesson plan here!