Collaborative Mural: Animals in Habitats

Overview

Students will work collaboratively to create large-scale habitat murals. They will: draw, make collages of animals, add color to a large background, and collage plants and other features to create a habitat. The border will be made of vocabulary words that describe this habitat —animal and plant names, climate, etc.

This unit connects to studies of the different habitats of the earth. Each class can choose a habitat (desert, ocean, rainforest, savanna, Arctic) to research, write about, and discuss.

Grade Level

1-5

Media

Drawing, Collage, Painting

Teaching Guide
Teaching Tools

Lessons

Lesson 1: Planning the Mural and Drawing Animals

Lesson 2: Making Painted Paper with Textures and Patterns

Lesson 3: Making Collage Animals

Lesson 4: Adding Details to Animal Collages

Lesson 5: Collaging Habitat Features and Details

Lesson 6: Creating the Habitat Background

Lesson 7: Assembling Murals

Lesson 8: Finishing Murals

Lesson 9: Making Individual Collages

Lesson 10: Collage or Drawing and Reflection

Materials and Tools

Ebony drawing pencils
White drawing paper – 9 x 12”
Construction or fadeless paper – 9 x 12” or 12 x 18”
Black paper – 9 x 12”
Large paper for mural background
Tempera paint
1” and ½” paint brushes
Water containers
Sponges
Combs and tools to create texture
Scissors
Glue
Oil pastels

Resources

Photos of habitats

Photos of animals

Photos of plants

Henri Rousseau,*The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope,* 1905, oil on canvas

Paintings from John James Audubon, *The Birds of America*, 1827-28

BOOKS:

Zoo-Ology by Joelle Jolivet

Credits

Collaborative Mural: Animals in Habitats

Written by Vicki Behm, Artist Instructor

Studio in a School NYC Team
Andrea Burgay, Associate Director
Julie Applebaum, Senior Director
Hasna Muhammad, Ed.D., Chair, Board of Directors, Studio in a School Association
Alison Scott-Williams, President, Studio in a School NYC