Penguin Painting for First and Second Grade

Penguins are a popular request in first and second grade. Students study Antarctica and are quite familiar with penguins and their habitat.

Drawing:
I begin the lesson by showing the kids how to draw a penguin, providing plenty of "options" so that each painting will be uniquely theirs.
Starting with a black oil pastel, draw in one large oval for the body and one small circle for the head. Connect these shapes with two graceful lines (neck).
Add wings, claws and perhaps an egg!
Next, we draw an iceberg or an ice shelf in the background. I explain what a horizon line is, and then show how a wall of ice can make a great back drop.

Painting:
Despite wanting to dip into the black paint and begin painting the penguins, I tell the children that it helps to paint the sky first. This way, the messy black paint won't muddy up the beautiful sky or the crystal blue ice.
Using orange, yellow, white and light blue, I show the children how double-loading the paintbrush can create a pretty amazing sunset.
Details:
When the painting is dry, use the oil pastel to trace over all black lines.

March of the Penguins: Ceramic Lesson

Forty little penguins, in various shades of black, yellow and sometimes, blue, marched across the art studio this past month, completing Mr. Fenelon's and Mrs. Mancuso's art rotation for this school year.

With a wad of clay in their hands, each student received a paper printed with various sized circles indicating the size in which to roll out small balls. The feet, wings and head were approximately the same size, with the body taking up most of the clay. The kids used the pinch pot method of creating a hollow form to make the body and then attached the head. They used tools to scrape and shape a tiny beak. Some kids said the heck with that and just painted one on later. Wings were created by flattening one of the clay balls and cutting it in half. Some kids shaped their wings while others just pressed it on as is.

After the penguin was dried an fired, the kids painted their penguins using a reduced color palette of black, grey, blue, yellow and orange.

We used a dipping glaze for the final step.

How cute are theses?