Grouping Swimmy Fish, K-1

1stgrade and kindergarten read “Swimmy,” by Leo Lionni to set sail on learning how to draw fish, make groups of ten and paint water.

Directions:

1- Read or watch youtube reading of "Swimmy," by Leo Lionni.

2- Discuss: What did Swimmy need to do to save himself and all the other little fish?

3- Look at visual examples of single units and groups of ten. Count them and discuss, how many ones are needed to make a ten? What part of the Swimmy story does this idea relate to?

4- Practice drawing fish, using different variations of shapes. This is essential for planning varieties of fish that can be used in your narrative art. (Ovals, triangles and sideways hearts seem to work the best.)

5- Draw and color in your "one fish."

6- Look back at "Swimmy," when he defeats the big, hungry fish.

7- Review ones and tens example and discuss: Let's say the big hungry fish is the size of nine little fish. What will be more likely to scare it away, one little fish, or ten little fish all grouped together?

8- Drawing the ten fish group: Begin by drawing the outline of one big fish (only the fish body outline, not the face or intricate details.) This is essential for planning where the ten little fish swim to create the illusion of the big fish. Draw ten little fish inside the big fish body. To show the "eye," color one fish differently than the other little fish.

9- Extension activity: Creating the fishes home- Students explored varieties of mediums for painting water. My favorite was wax resist salt painting (1. draw waves and water plant life with crayon or oil pastel. 2. Use watercolor to entirely paint the paper. 3. Sprinkle table salt onto wet paint.) Individual tempera brush painting also lead to beautiful water paintings. It was also exciting to watch students collaborate on a water mural, marking butcher paper with paint dabbers, overhearing their unique ideas for how to best represent the fishes' home.

This lesson was initially taught to educate Colorado Department of Education Visual Arts Standards and Evidence Outcomes for 1st grade and kindergarten:

Standard 3- Invent and Discover to create

1stGrade Concept and Skill 3.1- Create art to communicate ideas, feelings, and emotions.

1st Grade Evidence Outcome 3.1.a- Students can use visual art to express ideas, feelings, or emotions.

Kindergarten Concept and Skill 3.1- Create works of art based on personal relevance.

Kindergarten Evidence Outcome 3.1.b- Students can make plans for creating art.

This lesson also educates the following 2020 CDE visual arts standards for older age groups:

5th Grade, Standard 3. Invent and Discover to Create, Grade Level Expectation:2. Apply an understanding of art processes and studio skills to create works of art and design. Evidence Outcomes a. Utilize traditional and contemporary media to effectively communicate intended meaning.

4th Grade, Standard 4. Relate and Connect to Transfer, Grade Level Expectation:1. Investigate and discuss how diverse communities address issues relevant to their culture, place and times. Evidence Outcome a. Identify and describe how visual art and design communicate meaning between any subject, discipline, event or issue.

3rd Grade, Standard 4. Relate and Connect to Transfer, Grade Level Expectation:1. Recognize how works of visual art and design communicate meaning both within a community and between diverse cultures. Evidence Outcome a. Investigate how visual art and design can make connections between subjects, disciplines or events.

2nd Grade, Standard 1. Observe and Learn to Comprehend, Grade Level Expectation:1. Identify how artists make choices using the language of visual art and design to communicate ideas. Evidence Outcome b. Discover how similar ideas can be expressed in multiple ways.