Lily Pad Life

crayola supplies

Markers

household supplies

recycled newspaper
white paper
paper towels
spray bottle filled with water

Why

Croak! Kerplop! Bzzz! When you draw pond life on wet paper, creatures seem to come to life right before your eyes.

Steps

1. Have you ever walked by a pond and heard a couple of kerplops? When you looked in the direction of the sound, do you ever see anything but ripples? Ponds are rich wildlife habitats. You might find everything from one-celled creatures to meat-eating ones. Do insects skim across the water? Maybe a fish comes to the surface? Look for animals above and below the water.
2. Some plants float on the surface or along the edges. Did you see camouflaged reptiles sitting on them, frozen in fear? Watch for their blinking eyelids.
3. Cover your art area with recycled newspaper. To capture a pond scene, mist white paper with water from a spray bottle. Using Crayola® Washable Markers, dot and draw on the wet paper. See how your drawing looks watery!
4. Remember what you saw at the pond. Include plants that shelter or feed animals. Draw a complete habitat where each part of pond life helps and depends upon others. Air-dry flat.

When & Where

"After a pond walk, we drew connecting lines between our list of the living things we saw. Then my kids made these drawings."
- Davey J., dad of 7-, 8- and 10-year-olds.

"This technique helped students create beautiful art. It is a very forgiving drawing method."
- Katie G., special needs craft leader.

Interesting Info

Some insects are able to skim across the surface of a pond. How? The surface tension created by water molecules bonding together is like a “skin” on the surface of the water, and it is strong enough to support the insects’ weight.