The student will transform the classroom into a giant aquarium.

Transcription

1 Classroom Aquarium The student will transform the classroom into a giant aquarium. Colorful paper Fish designs Fish books Colorful cellophane Decorations of oversized aquarium tank accessories This lesson would be most effective if used in conjunction with preparations for a Parent's Night event. Challenge the students to transform the entire classroom into a giant aquarium. Decorate the bulletin boards, windows, desks, chalkboards, computers and other classroom equipment to look like fish or the accessories that are normally found in an aquarium (plants, colorful rocks, gravel, treasure chests, castles, shipwrecks, coral, etc.) Students should spend some time brainstorming on the types of decorations, and the teacher can delegate the decorating tasks to groups of students. Perhaps the school's art teacher can give the students some ideas and some unusual artistic techniques for this lesson. Students can dress in fish costumes or fish hats in keeping with the aquarium theme. Be sure to spotlight any of the students' essays, stories, poems or artwork with fish themes. Invite parents to a special event or time the debut of the classroom aquarium with a schoolwide Parent's Night activity. Parents will take a tour of the classroom aquarium. Take lots of photos to display on the school's bulletin board.

2 Rainbow Fish The student will be able to create an original rainbow fish. Blank piece of colored paper (1 per student) Fish pattern (following) Wiggle eyes (1 per student) Colored stamp pads Assorted colors of paint Small sponge pieces Assorted colors of construction paper (scraps are OK) Assorted colors of tissue paper (scraps are OK) Scissors (class set) Glue or glue sticks (class set) Copy of a fish book such as The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister or another book with very colorful fish Select one or more books with a short tropical fish story that can be read aloud. Also, have some pictures of colorful tropical fish on hand. 1. Have the students draw a fish on a blank piece of paper, or give each student a fish pattern and have them glue or trace their fish onto a piece of colored paper. 2. Have the students add features to their fish (eyes, mouth, fins). Give each student a wiggle eye to add to their fish. 3. Have the students add colorful scales to their fish by using their thumbs and a stamp pad, sponges and paint, and construction paper or tissue paper. 4. Have the students complete their picture by drawing a habitat around their fish. 5. Read a fish story aloud to the class. Ask the students if the fish in the story is like them in any way. 6. Invite students to write a new story about their rainbow fish and have them share these stories and pictures with the kindergarten students. Students always gain a greater appreciation for both literature and art when the two can be combined for a more enriching learning experience. Encourage students to make a shoebox diorama in which to display their rainbow fish. The front can be covered with blue cellophane to look like an aquarium. Portions of this page are copyrighted by SeaWorld.

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4 Japanese Fish Printing The student will be able to create a Japanese fish print using a large fresh or frozen fish from the grocery store or seafood store. Background Information: The Japanese invented gyotaku (gyo=fish, taku=rubbing) in the 1800s as a means of recording their catch (a fish print always tells the truth!). Gyotaku (pronounced ghio-ta-koo) has since evolved into an art form. A large fish (preferably 8 inches or larger) that is fairly flat and has obvious scales. This fish can be purchased from the seafood section of most grocery stores. A fresh fish kept on ice is best; frozen fish should be thawed under cold water shortly before use. Newspaper Paper towels Newsprint paper and/or rice paper (stiff paper does not work well) Water-based paint or textile ink (dark colors work best) Wide, stiff-bristled paint brushes and several fine-tipped ones Modeling clay and pins Gently wash the fish with soap and water to remove the mucus, being careful not to damage the scales. This will ensure a clean, crisp print. Dry thoroughly! Plug the mouth and gills, and any other openings, with paper towels so your fish will not leak onto the paper. Lay fish on a newspaper-covered table. Spread the fins and put modeling clay under them for support. You may have to put pins in the clay. (This may be necessary with a very flat fish.) Paint the fish, brushing from head to tail. Take care not to use too much ink or the result will be an indistinct blob of paint. Do not paint the eye. Paint fins and tail last, since they tend to dry out quickly. When you are ready to print, brush the fish from tail to head. Reversing the direction will catch ink under the edges of scales and spines and improve the print.

5 Carefully lay a piece of newsprint over the fish (rice paper is the nicest when you get really good at fish printing). Taking care not to move the paper, use your hand to press the paper to the fish. Use your fingers on the fins and tail. Be careful not to wrinkle the paper or you will get a blurred or double image. Peel the paper off and let it dry. You may re-ink the fish and make up to 10 prints. When the print is dry, paint the eye with a small brush. The finished print not only will teach students a new art form, but also will provide students with an entirely different way to study the body structure of a fish. Allow students to share prints. Invite them to write a Haiku poem about their fish print. Reprinted courtesy of the National Aquarium in Baltimore

6 Aquarium Sun-Catcher The student will be able to create a paper and cellophane sun-catcher using cut-outs of aquarium plants, fish and animals. Aquarium Sun Catcher Worksheet (following) Sheet of blue cellophane approx. 12" square (one per student) One-inch x 12-inch strips of black construction paper (3 per student) Sand Crayons or colored markers (class set) Scissors (class set) Glue or glue sticks (class set) Ask students if they know what a sun-catcher is and, if so, what elements would make the best sun-catcher. 1. Have each student color and cut out the plants and animals that will go in their aquarium. 2. Give each student a sheet of blue cellophane. Have the students spread glue across the bottom of their cellophane and sprinkle sand on top of the glue. Have them shake the excess back into the sand container. 3. Have the students glue their plants and animals onto the blue cellophane. 4. Give each student three strips of black construction paper, each strip measuring one inch x 12 inches. Have the students glue one strip onto each side of their cellophane, except for the top. 5. Tape the sun-catcher aquariums onto a window and watch them shine! By displaying their aquarium sun-catchers in the window, students can share their enjoyment of the classroom aquarium with the rest of the school. Allow students to suggest ideas for another sun-catcher with an aquarium theme but using brand new cut-outs that they have created. Portions of this page are copyrighted by SeaWorld

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