Eric Carle's Cats

Setup

Setup 4 stations with supplies ahead of time

STATION 1 – Tempera Paint, Paint Brushes, White Art Paper

• Create patterns using different sized paint brushes and different colors of paint.  Fill the entire sheet of paper with patterns.

STATION 2 – Tempera Paint, Sponges, White Art Paper

• Sponge paint patterns over the entire sheet of paper.

STATION 3 – Watercolor Paint, Brushes, White Art Paper. 

• Create paint patterns using watercolor paint.

STATION 4 – Watercolors, Crayons, Large Brushes, White Art Paper

• Create paint resist patterns using crayons and watercolor paint.

Day 1 & 2

1. Share examples of illustrations by Eric Carle and explain how he makes his paper. 
2. Demonstrate how to use materials at all four stations. 
3. Divide students into 4 groups, one per station.  The divided groups should stay at one station and continue through each station until they have created a pattern sheet at each station.

Day 3 & 4

1. Students should select from their pattern pages one or two to be used as a border. Borders need to be approximately 1” wide (teacher: you may utilize a paper cutter)
2. Student should glue the 1” strips to the heavy white paper to create their border. Be sure to trim off any border pieces that overhang the art paper.
3. Students should select from their remaining patterns to cut and use as parts of the cat. The head, ears, eyes, nose, whiskers, body, legs and tail should all be make from different patterns. 
4. Lay out the cut pieces in your cat shape then firmly glue to the middle of the art paper.
5. Sign your name in a dark or contrasting color at least 1” from the paper edge.