Snorkel Scene

Why

Use Crayola® Oil Pastels to draw Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef ecosystem.


Steps

1. Explore various resources to research the location and characteristics of the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem. Note varieties of interdependent living things.


2. Use Crayola Oil Pastels on white construction paper to illustrate a small part of the ecosystem. Include several interdependent components. Refer to illustrations and photographs when drawing details.


3. Try these techniques when using oil pastels:

  • To achieve interesting color combinations, layer colors and blend with a soft cloth or finger.
  • To depict air bubbles in the ecosystem, fill in small circular areas with white and outline with a color.
  • To represent energy from the sun, add radiating lines of color through the water.


    Safety Guidelines

    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.

    Adaptations

    • Younger children view illustrations in books or on the Internet, creating drawings that depict basic interdependent things such as fish, plants, coral, algae, and the sun.
    • Secondary students incorporate this pastel drawing as part of a larger written research project explaining the interaction and interdependence of components within ecosystems. Drawings can be on a larger scale with labels identifying species of plants, animals, and especially coral.
    • Create cards identifying and describing each component in the ecosystem drawing and explain how it is interdependent within the system. Link cards with yarn or string to their representations.

    Related Lesson Plans

  • Lesson Plans

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    Supplies

    crayola supplies
    • Crayola® Oil Pastels
    • Construction Paper
    household supplies
    • fabric (optional)

    Overview

    grades

    • Grades 1 to 3
    • Grades 4 to 6
    • Grades 7 to 12

    subjects

    • Science
    • Visual Arts

    time

    • 30 to 60 minutes
    • Multiple Sessions

    benefits

    • Students research, identify, and describe elements of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef ecosystem.

    • Children identify how specific living and nonliving components interact within the ecosystem.

    • Children create a visual representation of living and nonliving components of the Great Barrier Reef.

    Cirriculum

    Research Canada Standards
    Research UK Standards
    Research U.S. Standards