Hidden Safari

 Description:

We first were shown to a presentation on the project as well as artist, Henri Rousseau. This introduction taught us of how he “hid” people and animals in his jungle paintings, like we would with our project. Then we got to create our Hidden Safari by following the steps below:

• Step 1- Select an animal that you want to use. I selected an elephant picture. Then on your paper, recreate your animal by drawing it upside down with a light blue pencil! Must be a light cool color, light blue works best.
• Upside down drawing allows you to focus more on the individual lines as well as the smaller shapes, rather than the photo in it’s entirety. This turned out to be simpler for me!

• Step 2- Using warm colored crayons, draw large designs on top of your animal. At least three layers, of three different warm colors (red, orange, and yellow) must be used.

• Step 3- We completed this step first, but I’m going to add it in here. Students must also create a pair of “Ruby Red glasses” to view their animal hidden in the safari! First you cut out a stencil. Then use that stencil to cut out the outer piece in red construction paper. Glue a piece of red graphic overlay to one side. When you look through the glasses, your animal will show.

Extension Activity: 

When I would use this project in my classroom would be to use it as an integration activity with 3rd grade science. I recently wrote a unit plan on third grade life science, and during that unit I used South Dakota Science standards 3-LS4-2, and 3-LS4-3. I would use these science standard along with this lesson plan because then the students can draw an animal and write about what traits allow this animal to survive in the African savanna. During our activity we had to give some clues about what our animal on a note card and put the note card with our drawing. My students could write about what traits allow this animals to survive and that could be their clues to guess the animal!