Rainforest Wildlife
Investigate how living things depend on each other for survival needs, then use color blending to make a unique rainforest landscape of animals, plants, and insects.
1. Become familiar with living things in the rainforest through books, video, and computer experiences. Make a list of plant and animal life in the rainforest. Discuss how plants and animals depend on each other in that natural environment.
2. On a large sheet of white paper, outline a rainforest scene, including both plants and animals, with Crayola® Crayons.
3. With Crayola Washable Kid's Paint and Paint Brushes, mix red, blue, yellow, black, and white to blend unique colors. Mix hues on a washable surface such as a recycled foam produce tray, or on a paper plate. Experiment to find ways to lighten and darken colors.
4. Paint over and inside the crayon outlines to illustrate a richly dense Rainforest Wildlife environment.
Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project. Observe children closely and intervene as necessary to prevent potential safety problems and ensure appropriate use of arts and crafts materials. Some craft items, particularly beads and buttons, are potential choking hazards for young children. Avoid use of such small parts with children younger than 3 years. Craft items such as scissors, push pins and chenille sticks may have sharp points or edges. Avoid use of materials with sharp points by children younger than 4 years. Read all manufacturers' safety warnings before using arts and craft supplies.
Recycled Foam Produce Trays—Wash in hot, soapy water. No meat or poultry trays should be used.
- Assess children's understanding of the types of plant and animal life found in the rainforest.
- Each child chooses the role of a living thing from the rainforest. Children divide themselves into two groups: consumers (those that eat other living things) and producers (those that provide nourishment for other living things). Identify life that could be in both categories.
- Younger children act out the movements and sounds of their animals, perhaps as a dramatic response to a story about the rainforest.
- Younger children and those with special needs may benefit from short practice sessions experimenting with blending colors. Students can cut out their small painted objects made during experimentation sessions and add them to a class mural of animals and plants. Then create individual final artwork.
Word Worms: Spelling or Vocab Game
Insect or Arachnid?
Fragile Reefs
