OLEY VALLEY ARTS DAY LESSON PLAN

BIG IDEA: Throughout time and across cultures, people have observed animals.
TITLE: Twisty Zoology
GRADE LEVEL: 2
TIME ALLOTMENT: One 40 minute class

OVERVIEW

LESSON SUMMARY: Students will consider the characteristics of animals that enable us to

identify them. Students will pick an animal that interests them and then create a line drawing of

that animal that accentuates its unique features. After a demonstration on how to use Twisteez

craft wire, the class will create animal sculptures in their choice of 2D or 3D.

ARTISTS:

ALEXANDER CALDER: (1898-1976) American

‘Wire Elephant’ 1928 ‘Cow’ 1929 ‘Sow’ 1928

ELIZABETH BERRIEN: (1950-) American

‘Daschund’ ‘Fox’ ‘Wren’

KEY CONCEPTS:

1. People can identify animals by their unique features.

2. People can draw inspiration from animals to create art.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

1. What are some defining features of an animal?

2. In what ways can animals inspire artists?

STANDARDS:

1. NATIONAL STANDARDS:

a. VA: Cr3.1.2a Discuss and reflect with peers about choices made in creating

artwork.

b. VA: Re.7.1.2a Perceive and describe aesthetic characteristics of one’s natural

world and constructed environments.

2. PA STANDARDS:

a. 9.1.3.A Pennsylvania’s public schools shall teach, challenge and support every

student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and

skills needed to: Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to

create works in the arts and humanities.

i. Elements: Visual Arts: color, form/shape, line, space, texture, value

ii. Principles: Visual Arts: balance, contrast, emphasis/focal point,

movement/rhythm, proportion/scale, repetition, unity/harmony

OBJECTIVES

1. KNOWLEDGE: Students will identify key characteristics of an animal of their choice.

 2. SKILLS: Students will create a 2D or 3D animal using Twisteez wire.

3. DISPOSITIONS: Students will reflect on their ability to create/identify animals while

playing an animal guessing game with the rest of the class.

PROCEDURES

1. INTRODUCTION/MOTIVATION: 5 minutes.

a. Buckets of animal figurines and stacks of animal picture books will be set up on

the center table.

b. Once students are settled in, gather them to look at the books and figurines and

ask them to select one book or toy that has an animal that interests them.

2. DEVELOPMENT: 25 minutes:

a. (1 min) Discuss how each animal has unique features that are different from one

another. Point out that some animals have soft ears, tusks, long necks, scales,

patterns, bright or dull colors, etc. (Ask EQ: What are some defining features of

an animal?) Ask class to name some animals and their key characteristics.

b. (4 min) Select an animal and demonstrate how to sketch a general line drawing of

it (no shading, not many details) while emphasizing that animal’s most

recognizable characteristics.

c. (4 min) Students return to their seats and create a line drawing of their animal.

d. (5 min) Demonstrate how to sculpt wire animals based on the sketch, showing

how to build the structure and, if applicable, incorporate patterns or textures on

the animal. Demonstrate both a 2D and 3D animal since the students will have a

choice.
 e. (14 min) Students will return to their tables and sculpt their animal from wire.

3. CLOSURE: (7 min)

Students will participate in an animal guessing game. Individual students will volunteer to

display their animals then the class will guess what the animals are and tell why. Return to the

essential questions during the game (How do you know what the animal is?--What is the defining

feature?). Ask if anyone can think of other ways artists incorporate animals in their artwork. (In

what ways can animals inspire artists?). Ask if anyone has other ideas of how they would like to

use animals to make more art.

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES

STUDENT MATERIALS:
● Twisteez wire (2 per student)
● Animal figurines
● Animal picture books
● White construction paper
● Pencil with eraser
● Scissors (for cutting wire if needed)
TEACHING RESOURCES:
● Exemplars
● Alexander Calder / Elizabeth Berrien wire animal printed images for reference and
inspiration (one per table)

WRITTEN BY: Corrine McConville, Britta Hyneman, Erika Walter, Rachel Zimmerman