TeachKidsArt: Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Yesterday (March 2nd) we celebrated a very special birthday in our Kindergarten classes.... that of beloved children's author/illustrator, Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka "Dr. Seuss". In his lifetime, Dr. Seuss published over 40 children's books which have inspired both reading and imagination for generations of children. His birthday has fittingly been adopted as the date for the annual "National Read Across America Day", an initiative of the National Education Association. To honor Dr. Seuss on his special day, my kinders created Seuss-inspired creatures of their own, based on his book, "There's a Wocket in My Pocket". I think Dr. Seuss would have been proud of these charming, imaginative creatures!

Materials:

12x18 white construction paper
pencil
black "F" Sharpie
crayons (some broken with paper peeled off)
jiggle eyes and white craft glue (optional)

Directions:

1. Read the story, There's a Wocket in My Pocket, by Dr. Seuss. Ask students to pay special attention to what each of the creatures in the story have in common (long, skinny arms, legs, necks, tails, fingers, and toes... stripes, polka dots, bright colors... crazy hair, fur... big eyes, eyelashes, etc.).

2. Working vertically on your paper, lightly sketch a circle or oval just above the middle of your paper. Then lightly sketch a larger circle or oval just below the middle of your paper. Make sure you leave some empty space between them. Now put your pencil away... you'll be finishing your drawing just using your Sharpie! (It's harder for Kinders to trace over their pencil lines than it is to just "go for it"!)

3. Using the two shapes you drew as guidelines, draw some fur on both shapes with a zig-zag line using your Sharpie.

4. Then, connect the two shapes with a long, skinny neck. Add long, skinny arms, legs, fingers, toes, tail, etc. Don't forget some feathery, crazy hair! Fill your whole paper... make your feet touch the bottom of your paper and your crazy hair-feathers touch the top! Add stripes and polka dots, eyes (with eyelashes), nose and mouth. You can even glue on some jiggle eyes for extra fun, if you wish!

5. Now, it's time to name your creature! Start by thinking about where he/she might be. In a park? At the zoo? On the beach? Then make a silly, rhyming word by changing the first letter of that word. Write this on your paper, right above your signature.

6. Finally, play "Hide the White Paper", and color your creature with bright colored crayons. Use the sides of broken crayons (with the paper peeled off) to fill in large areas quickly.