Amazing Animal Alphabet

This lesson originally appeared on the Sanford-ArtEdventures website.  It is not up and running at this time, so I will post a link when available!  This lesson can be used to enhance basic writing exercises or even biology lessons such as classifications!

 

Try This: Amazing Animal Alphabet

Create a page about your favorite letter of the alphabet.  Or get together with friends to make a page for each letter of the alphabet and make a whole book!

You Will Need:

- alphabet books to look at such as Graeme Base's Animalia (optional)

- a dictionary (optional)

- sketch paper

- drawing paper

- pencil and eraser

- crayons, markers, colored pencils, or watercolor pencils

Step 1: Brainstorm

If you like, go to a library or bookstore and look at some alphabet books for inspiration.  Graeme Base's Animalia is a great one.  Notice how authors and illustrators make interesting works of art about the alphabet.

Now choose a letter of the alphabet and brainstorm a list of words that start with the letter you chose.  A dictionary can be very helpful.

Combine words to write silly sentences about your letter; "Humming hares hammer in hard hats.  Hairy horses hike happily.  Hilarious hippos have hiccups."

Choose your favorite sentence to illustrate.

(example: "Proud Peacocks Preening Perfect Plumage" from Animalia)

Step 2: Sketch

On scratch paper, make a sketch illustrating your sentence.  You can include other objects from your list that start with your letter too.

Step 3: Final Drawing

Draw lightly with a pencil to make a final drawing of your alphabet page on drawing paper - don't forget to include the poem!  You can draw over your pencil with a thin black marker, if you want a dark outline.  Write a key of the hidden words that start with your letter on the back of your drawing.