Is it a snake? A garden hose? A worm? Design and decorate a Sparkling Serpent mask that lets your imagination—and creativity—run wild.

• 1.

  Read Claire and the Friendly Snakes. What objects did Claire think were snakes (but really weren’t)? How were these objects similar to snakes? How were they different? Find pictures of snakes and look closely at their markings.

• 2.

  Look around your classroom and at home. What things can you find that look similar to snakes?

• 3.

  Use Crayola® Model Magic to sculpt your own colorful snake mask. Be imaginative, so nobody will mistake it for a real snake!

• 4.

  Use Crayola Glitter Glue, chenille stems, fake jewels, and other items to decorate your mask. Attach them firmly with Crayola School Glue. Air-dry your mask at least 24 hours.

• 5.

  Share your serpent mask sculptures with your classmates. What different snakes are represented?

Standards

• LA: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
• LA: Know and use various text features (e.g., headings, tables of contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text.
• LA: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade level topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• LA: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
• SCI: Obtain information that animals have structures that allow them to respond to stimuli through instinct or memory.
• VA: Use different media, techniques, and processes to communicate ideas, experiences, and stories.
• VA: Use visual structures of art to communicate ideas.

Adaptations

• Possible classroom resources include: Snakes - Facts About the Most Polarizing Animals on Earth Plus Videos by Mark Farley; 25 of the Most Poisonous Animals in the World! by IP Factly; Incredible Snakes by Mark Smith; Claire and the Friendly Snakes by Lindsey Tate
• Encourage students to investigate several types of snakes. Make masks of each that was investigated, being certain that appropriate markings are on each. Display the masks in the classroom.
• Students investigate familiar household objects that look like snakes. Make a list. Use the list to sculpt snakes representing the objects. Display the masks with the household objects that inspired the artwork. Ask classmates if they can identify why inspired the mask.