Submitted by: Alice Cunningham, a K-5 elementary art teacher for Cassadaga Valley Central School, in Sinclairville, NY.
Objectives:
We Maybe Fish of a Different Kind, but in This School We Swim Together
Our school district recently completed a theme year of "Eric Carle and Our Very Hungry Learners" This is one of our integrated lessons that we used to create a bulletin board, for the school main entrance.
Talk about what a collage is and how it is made. (If possible, watch Eric Carle Picture Writer video)
Pass out watercolor paper and ask students to writer their name in the corner with pencil.
Demonstrate the application of paint:
Apply water with large brush to cover entire surface of watercolor paper.
Place small drops of liquid watercolor on paper -- colors will "bleed" together.
Place on drying rack.
On large white roll paper paint, create wavy lines and spatters with liquid watercolors to create a watery background.
Encourage students to do as demonstrated.
Second lesson: Create collage seahorse
Pass out watercolor papers from previous lesson.
On the back of the painted papers, have students draw large seahorses (using the book as reference). Make sure students know not to draw spikes along back and head (these will be added later).
Students cut out the seahorse shape.
Students cut out triangles out of metallic and corrugated papers to create spikes for the back and head.
Students add details with oil pastels and glitter.
Place on drying rack.
Teacher To Do List:
Staple the background paper to the bulletin board.
Cut out letters to create the words "We maybe fish of a different kind, but in this school we swim together" and place onto bulletin board.
Eric Carle - Picture Writer
In this video, the beloved artist-storyteller invites you and your children into his very own studio where he reads from: The Very Busy Spider, The Very Quiet Cricket, Draw Me A Star and shows how step by step he prepares his colorful tissue papers and creates brilliant collage pictures.
Recommended Books:
Mister Seahorse
by Eric Carle
In this tribute to fathers, fish, and otherwise, Carle adds an element to his signature painted tissue-paper collages that makes his art exceptionally striking.
KinderArt® Lesson/Activity 
