Lesson 5: Turkeys Gone Wild

I loved this next art lesson we did, and I think the kids did too. Mrs. Olsen showed me a variety of Thanksgiving books she had in her collection to draw from for an art lesson. We settled on "A Plump and Perky Turkey." The gist of the illustration is centered around a village searching for a Thanksgiving Turkey. They entice a turkey through beckoning him to become a judge for their turkey contest. The townsfolk all create models of turkeys with soap, rope, potatoes, camo, fabric, leaves, etc,. I read the book to the kids and then directed them to create their own turkeys from various materials (beans, pasta, pom poms, cotton balls, stickers, stickers). I had already created and copied a generic turkey cutout for the kids to build off of. They loved it! They were excited to take them home. :)

 They are so creative! I love how some of them used materials that resembled the bird itself, while others were much more abstract and imaginative!

 The kids are great about cleaning up if you REMIND them. haha!

They have learned a lot this year about sharing as we don't have enough glue for everyone!

I learned that giving the kids a model is good, but greatness in teaching art comes from showing less of your ideas and letting them create their own!