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Drawing On Imagination

Young students will dream up and illustrate imaginary creatures.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Paper

Steps

  • Step 1

    Sometimes children have scary dreams that wake them in the middle of the night. Or they have trouble going to sleep because there might be "monsters under the bed." Experts suggest that it's helpful for children to address these fears by recounting their dream and then giving it a funny or happy ending, or by drawing the creatures they imagined with silly polka-dotted underpants, bows in their hair, or other items that make them look harmless.

  • Step 2

    Read a book to the class such as "Good Night Thoughts" by Max Greenfield and James Serafino or "The Monster at the End of this Book" (spoiler alert: it's Grover from Sesame Street) by Jon Stone and Michael Smollin. Have students talk about some of the things that help them when they have scary dreams.

  • Step 3

    Ask children to draw an imaginary creature. Perhaps it's one they've seen in a dream or one they imagine on the spot. Ask them to present their creature to the class and talk about the features they illustrated. Have them act out a conversation they might have with this creature.

Standards

LA: Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges.

SEL: Self-Awareness: Recognize one's strengths, emotions, and limitations with a well-grounded sense of confidence and purpose.

SEL: Self-Management: Manage one's emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations.

Adaptations

Ask children to make up a story that has scary characters but a funny and happy ending.

Ask children to draw an imaginary animal - perhaps a dog with the head of a fish or a dolphin with wings. Have them present their animal and tell the class what it's called, where it lives, what it eats, who its friends are, etc.