Chilp

This book is found NOWHERE on the internet...maybe because it was published in 1967?  I scored this copy from our library here at school and picked it up because of the striking illustrations and who can pass up an adorable lesson idea on birds??   I have dabbled with bird projects in the past and just love how whimsical and fun they can be.  But, I have been stuck in a bird rut with my own lesson plans for the past couple of years.  I think this is the perfect lesson to bring me back to bird paradise :) 
First, we read the book, Chilp.  Cute story about a bird who is unhappy with the way he is and decided to change himself by adding feathers from different varieties of birds. 
I demonstrated how to draw a few options for a bird's body on the white board. I don't like to make the students copy everything I do, so I figure if I give them options, they can use some of my ideas and some of their own.  Next, the students added feathers by drawing them & adding patterns on the feathers with crayons.  They colored over the crayon patterns with markers to reveal the interesting patterns.  Lastly, we added watercolor paint around the birds and feathers on their birds.  And Viola!

 Aaron's Bird

Tramond's Bird