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Woodland Owl Project

Here's a project we thought might be a great fit for the Square1 Fundraiser because the kids can customize their owls and add tons of personality. It requires minimal prep and should take between 1 and 1 1/2 hours. 


SUPPLIES

  • Tempera paint in various colors (Art Closet)
  • Paint brushes (Art Closet)
  • Black oil pastel or black crayon, 1 per child (Art Closet)
  • Square1 paper
  • Large pieces of paper to protect desks from paint splatters (Teacher Workroom near 1st Grade classes)
  • Optional: Oil pastels in a variety of colors, to decorate the owls after paint has dried (Art Closet)
There are many different types of owls that live in Glendale, and even in Verdugo Woodlands. You’ll find Barn Owls, Great Horned Owls, Western Screech Owls, and more. With this project, kids can learn about owls and then paint their very own.

READ Barn Owls (younger grades) by Tony Johnston or Owls by Gail Gibbons (both books are in the Art Closet).

DISCUSS and point out the features of various owls. You can use Owls (pages 6, 7 & 9 show a wide variety and explore the different facial patterns) or find images from the internet.   
  • Compare and contrast shapes, colors, textures, patterns etc.  
  • Do some have feathers on their ankles?   
  • Do some have feathers that stick out near their ears?  
  • It might be nice to tie it back to the specific owls that live in the Woodlands (Barn Owls, Great Horned Owls, and Western Screech Owls).  
  • Point out circles, triangles, ovals, and colors.

START THE ART PROJECT

Here is a link to a step-by-step guide to drawing owls from Deep Space Sparkle: 
http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/2015/03/18/colorful-painted-owl-art-project/

Please have the kids draw their owls first with BLACK oil pastel or crayon (not yellow like in the lesson). Once the drawing is done they can start painting their owls and the background. If you have time to come back for a second session, you can put out oil pastels so the kids can decorate the owls after the paint has dried.

There are a few handouts in the Art Closet that the kids can use as reference.






If you have time, you could show this owl video or another you have pre-screened from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzy-Fio2tjo

Here are a few other sites for reference on owls: 
Afterwards, you can review what the students have learned, and /or have an impromptu “gallery showing” where students get up and walk around the room to view other students’ work. Ask them to look closely at the patterns, textures, facial features, colors, etc. that their fellow students chose to use in their artwork.

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