The Dragonfly Pre-K class is in the midst of an exciting Pet Study. They have become obsessed with fish – talking about fish, learning about types of fish, making pet store trips, talking to fish owners, etc. During this time, they decided to turn their block area into a 3-D fish tank. They worked on it over many days, exploring a range of materials to achieve a collective artistic vision.They started out by painting on a large roll of vellum that covered the area from wall to wall. They used small and large brushes, did some finger painting and drip painting (much like abstract expressionism). They then used glitter and cotton balls to give this background layer more texture. They cut out strips of vellum and used green butcher paper to make long strips that resembled seaweed that they taped on and around the mural Next they observed images of marine life (from non-fiction books) to inform our watercolor & marker paintings of sea creatures. They cut these out and hung the paintings from ceiling to create a floating/moving effect. They also taped some of these creatures on to the mural. Next they made sculptures using household sponges to evoke coral and sea sponges. Lastly, they made prints by dipping bottle caps, cups and cardboard tubes in paint and on to colored paper. These created repetitive circle patterns that resembled bubbles. Once their mural was completed, the Dragonflies studied some photos of underwater structures/shipwrecks for some under water building using blocks, shells, stones and marine animal toys. They created a multi-media underwater wonder!
Pet Study Timeline
