Fly Guy Math

This is a fun activity for math.  First, I taught the children how to draw Fly Guy.  He is a very simple figure to draw.  Next, I had the children draw bugs with Fly Guy.  They had to write a math sentence to go with their drawing.  The room was a peaceful quiet as they joyfully created Fly Guy.

Here's how to draw Fly Guy:

 Step One: Draw a good sized circle.

 Step Two:  Draw a backwards C for the other eye.

 Step Three:  Draw a long thin U for his body.

 Step Four:  Draw two dots for the eyes and a nose shaped like a water faucet.

 Step Five:  Draw a u for the mouth.

 Step Six:  Draw another u and add teeth!

 Step Seven: Add the legs - one is a line out with three little line toes.  The other leg is the number 7 with three little line toes.  Add an arm - curved line up with little line fingers.  Now, add the first wing which is an oval shape.

 Step Eight: Add the other arm curved line down with little line fingers.  Add the other wing behind the first - it is like a J shape.  Add a line on the first wing.

 Step Nine:  Add the antennae.  Two curvy lines with tiny dots on the end.

 Step Ten:  Now for the most important step!  You will add what artists call "hatching".   It is those straight lines along the edges of the eyes (see above) and around the body.  Add a few on the top of the eyes.   Ta Da!  Fly Guy!

Too cute for words!  Love Fly Guy!

Drawing + Word Work

I think it was five or six years ago that I went out to San Francisco to visit my BFF Mimi. Her daughter, Fifi, attended an arts based charter school and her kindergarten teacher welcomed me into his classroom for the day.

As the children arrived, they would draw the picture and word he had drawn on the chalkboard. I was amazed at the children's ability to reproduce his images. It was a simple task but I saw so many rich and wonderful processes at work. First, and perhaps most obvious, was the eye-hand coordination. There was the visual perceptual development and spatial perceptions. But what truly captured me was the incredible power of image and word dancing together. What would it be like to do this day after day - new words, word family words, theme based words all linked with a picture symbol.

Five years later, I am hooked.  I begin this process mid-year as their fine motor skills have developed a bit further. 

My drawing on the white board with the word written below. There is no instructions given.  The children just look up on the board - draw and write the word at the level they can do it. 

A sampling of the children's work:

I love the little details the children will add like the tree in the background.

Another student adding details.

Another Way to Draw the Cat in the Hat

 Draw a "U" in the lower half of your paper.

 Draw a line across the top of the "u."

 Make that line into a very thin rectangle.  

Now add a long rectangle to the top of that - 

almost to the top of your paper.

 Add the stripes to the hat.

 Draw another u for the mouth with two smaller u's at the ends. 

 Draw two black dots for the eyes and an upside down u for the nose.

 Draw a circle around the dots to finish the eyes.  

Add three lines from the cat's cheeks for the whiskers.

Make a square under the cat.

Add two triangles on either side with the point facing in.  Now you have the bow!

Add simple ears if you wish.

All you need is red watercolor paint.  

Paint the stripes an ABAB pattern (red, white).  

Paint the bow.  Done!

Drawing Bats

There are several different ways to draw a bat. Here is one:

Draw a circle with an opening at the bottom.

Draw two swooping curve lines for the top of the wings.

Draw "bumps" for area under the wings.

Draw dots and curve lines for eyes, a u shape for the mouth and triangles for the fangs and ears.

Connect the two sides of the wings and add legs.

Drawing a pig

Drawing a pig is very easy for kindergartners.  Here are some of the drawings from my class during the three little pigs unit:

 I begin by telling the children to make a circle on the top half of the page.  Next we add an oval in the middle of that circle for the snout with two dots.  I made the eyes with two curved lines.  The ears are triangles.

 I tell the children to draw an oval for the pig's body.  The legs are rectangles with upside down V's.  Finally, we add a curly tail.  They can add a horizon line and a barn if they wish.  Or any other details they desire!