Using photo references, fourth graders practiced observational drawing by combining characteristics of two different animals to create a hybrid.

Supplies:

• Pencils, erasers
• Photo references of animals
• Sets of 24 colored pencils
• 9″ x 12″ drawing paper

Downloadable PowerPoint: Hybrid Animals

I wrote my hybrid animal lesson plan the first year I was teaching. I had middle school students, and it was the perfect mixture of silly and structured for them. This year, I decided to try out a variation of the lesson with my 4th graders. They really enjoyed it!

I start off the project by showing them examples of Photoshopped animal hybrids, which always grabs their attention! Then I give them a pep talk about drawing realistically. The main point is that drawing is all about teaching your eyes how to see because your hand already knows how to draw the simple straight, curved and angled lines that everything is made up of. I let them choose two photos to use as reference for their animal. I inherited a whole notebook full of animal facts that have great photos, but I also take requests and put photos of specific animals up on the board.

The first day is spent sketching their animal. We talk about the different ways that the artists of the Photoshopped examples combined their animals. I spend this class period running around and helping students to “see” the lines and shapes so that they can draw their animal how they envision it. It helps that the final outcome is supposed to look kind of weird and crazy; it takes the pressure off for the drawing to be perfect.

If they have time on the first day, they can start drawing their background. I talk with them about habitats and ask them to imagine what kind of habitat their animal might live in. I start off the second class period with a brainstorm about ways that you can color neatly. The kids write their ideas on scraps of paper and I randomly draw several to add to our poster. I have found that this step makes a huge difference in encouraging them to take their time when they start using the colored pencils.

Once the first student is ready to start coloring, I have the class circle up to watch a demonstration. I show them several ways to add texture to their artwork using the colored pencils. I usually demonstrate leaves, bark, rocks, fur, feathers, and scales. Then, I’ll ask if anyone has any other textures they’d like to get ideas for. I also show them how they can blend colors by overlapping them.

The coloring part of the project goes at wildly different paces for different students. Some students finish in just one day and others need extra time during centers after the assignment is over. When they finish early, their sketchbook project is to draw their animal at different stages during its life cycle. If a student finishes that project early also, they can draw anything they choose in their sketchbook and color it with colored pencils.