Okay, I have to share these sleepy little bears because they turned out SO cute!
This Hibernating Bear lesson (or Bear’s Big Sleep, as I like to call it!) is a cozy winter art project designed for K–3 students. It mixes together a little bit of science, simple drawing, texture and mixed media—all tucked into one very sleepy bear den.
And as always, one of my favorite things is seeing just how different every student's artwork turns out!
Breaking Our Bears Into Shapes
One of the things I really wanted to focus on with this lesson was showing students that drawing animals doesn't have to feel complicated. We talked about how we can look at an animal and break it down into really simple shapes—circles, ovals, etc.—and then build our drawing from there.
Instead of thinking, "How in the world am I supposed to draw a bear?!” we can slow down and ask, “Okay...what shapes do I actually see?” I also had a step by step guide of how to draw the sleeping bear on hand, because at this age I really want my students to build their confidence when making their art.
We talked about actual texture vs. implied texture and experimented with different ways to add both to our artwork.
What would the inside of a bear's den feel like? Rough? Scratchy? Soft? Would there be leaves? Sticks? Dirt? Snow? There are so many directions students can take this part, and it's where their artwork really starts to take on its own personality.
Why I Love This One
In addition to making an adorable project, students learned all about several different artists that use animals in the art, learned about implied vs. actual texture and of course all about hibernation (a perfect cross curricular lesson!) This project covers a surprising amount without feeling overwhelming for younger artists.
We're working with shape, texture, drawing, mixed media, nature and science, but there's still plenty of room for students to make their own choices along the way.
And can we talk about how cute THE BEARS turned out?!
They're just so stinkin' cute.
If you're looking for a cozy winter art project for your K–3 students that isn't another snowman or snowflake lesson, this is such a fun one to add to your winter lineup!
You can find my complete Bear's Big Sleep lesson here!
Happy creating, friends!
