Wild Things

When I picked Mr6 up from school the other day I noticed these big beautiful coloured pictures of 'Wild Things' on the windows. I think the kids designed them based on the book, Where the Wild Things Are (which I loved as a kid) as their drawn pictures had an array of animal features, combined to create their own special creature. I was really impressed by how great they looked and how many artists are in Mr6's class... very talented students in there! Knowing Mr6 is studying animal features at school, I thought some extra practise wouldn't hurt, and then we could discuss the concept of adaptation, environments and features to Miss3 too. I drew one for Miss3 don't laugh, I am NOT an artist, crafter maybe, but in NO way an artist and Mr6 created a new one. While Mr6 drew, coloured and painted his I asked a million questions to get him thinking and was happy his brain was functioning and the point of the lesson was getting through...days like this I feel like I can be a teacher one day . So all we had was oil pastels (Cray Pas), food colouring (diluted for paint) and our imagination, but we had LOADS of fun and learning and now we have some great wall decorations to remind Mr6 to think about creature features

• Where does it live? Mr6- In a tropical rainforest, thats why he is so colourful so he can camouflage in the trees and flowers.
• Where is does it make it's home in the rainforest? Trees, but it can swim in water too.
• What does it eat? Toucans, leaves and insects. It has a beak and sharp teeth so it can chew the Toucan and fish, and the beak can dig into things for insects and rip leaves.
• Why does it have a big eye? So it can see small insects! (seriously mum, dont you get it?!)
• Why does it have a tail? Umm, to help it swim.
• What special things can it do? hmmm, it can makes sounds like a Toucan so it can trick it then catch it and eat it (yup, thats my boy, I was impressed with this answer)

Final look of Mr6's Wild thing

We might extend on this and make a 3D animal I think... maybe playdough with plenty of bits for features (leaves, stickes, shells, sequins, beads, googly eyes, felt etc)... would make for more thinking and we could even make it a home/environment to display it in.... next rainy day activity maybe.