Roberto the Insect Architect: A Scobey Classic

Here's a yearly project I do with 1st graders. It's simple to execute, but teaches them lots of new vocabulary words. It also builds a foundation for the rest of their "art career" with me....think of all the architecture we talk about as art teachers...now I can always say...remember "Roberto the Insect Architect" ....and it all comes back.

Day One: We write about "Architects" in our Idea Books...(I think next year we shall be calling our idea books, "iBooks"...gotta love apple.)

We do 3 sketches of houses for bugs in our Idea Books. They will be choosing their favorite for their large blueprint drawing. After reading the story, writing in our books, sketching time and the demonstration, we usually get the pencil drawing done of the big house and that's all we have time for!

The key to this project is drawing a large bug first, then adding architectural details to the bug to transform it into a house.

Day Two :We outline our Bug House in blue permanent marker and then we paint with blue watercolors to create the "blueprint" effect. I have loosened some of the reigns and added greens and purples to the paints so they can paint grass and windows different colors.