How to Draw an Elf

This week we are inside the wonderful tale of the Elves and the Shoemaker.  I love teaching the children how to draw an elf.  It is easy and the results endearing!  I am including my state standards at the bottom of this post that this activity directly addresses.  This activity is reinforces the understanding of shapes, size and positional words.  Materials you will need are:  Sharpie pens, white card stock and watercolor paints.

Here's how to draw an elf:

I ask the children to put their finger in the middle of the page.  Next I ask them to point to the top of the page.  I tell them this is where you will begin your drawing.  "Draw a triangle that is the elf's cap.  Don't make it too big or too small."  It is important to establish a spatial relationship to the white space.

Draw a sleeping "C" under the triangle to make the face.

Draw a rectangle to make the elf's coat below the face.

Draw two smaller rectangles on either side for the sleeves of the coat.

Draw another rectangle below the big rectangle.  Draw a line in the middle to make pants.

Draw a hook shape for the shoes (it looks like a J) under the pants.   Draw a circle for each hand and add a little circle on top of it to make a thumb.

Draw the face - ovals for the eyes, an "L" for the nose and a sleeping "C' for the mouth.  Draw two triangles for the ears.  Add small circles on the shoes and cap.  You can draw stripes, buttons, curvy lines to add details. 

Aren't these paintings adorable?!

Here are some of the Standards in my state that this activity meets:

MATH:

• Identify, name, and describe a variety of basic two-dimensional geometric shapes such as squares, triangles, circles, rectangles, (regular) hexagons, and (isosceles) trapezoids presented in a variety of ways (e.g. with different sizes of orientation).
• Model and use words indicating relative position or direction (e.g., students describe the relationships between self and objects in space using on, above, below, beside, under, on top of, behind, and over).

ART:
Standard 3:    Visual Art Expression - The student will observe, select, and utilize a variety of ideas and subject matter in creating original works of visual art.
1. Manipulate a variety of materials (media).

THE MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES:
Visual-Spatial, Body-Kinesthetic, Intrapersonal

BLOOM'S TAXONOMY: Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Creating


WILLIAM'S TAXONOMY:  Elaboration