What started out as a one-shot-deal, easy 5th grade lesson for a substitute teacher while I was at the EdTechTeacher Innovation Summit for two days ended up evolving into so much more. The activity was to take the first initial of one’s first name and morph it with animal features and characteristics until it became the animal. When I came back and saw what the kids had done with construction paper crayon, they were a little lacking in enthusiasm and creativity and I knew they had more in them. I kept the initial animals around until the kids were finishing up their family portraits so the early finishers had something to work on while waiting for the others.

Amazing things happen when you give kids choices and tell them to experiment, explore, have fun and make their art look like a finished piece. I put out watercolor pencils, metallic and colored sharpies, construction paper crayons and pattern scissors like a little art supply buffet, and the students helped themselves to the tools.

I’m so thrilled with the personality each of the initial animals has, thanks to the artists.

This is a great example of imagination at work.

Phoebe, the bird lover, jumped at the chance to turn her P into a bird.

Check out the rest of the initial animals on Artsonia in the Initial Animal gallery. Enjoy!