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crafts

How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

August 27, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

How to make a chalk pastel bird nest easy drawing. Also, you’ll love this Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests.

.A chalk pastel bird nest easy drawing project gives your child some creative freedom in recreating some of the most common types of bird nests as they learn about them.

While they are a bit messy, they are wonderful for creating soft and hard lines as well as blurring, they are very forgiving.

How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

They can be made from natural materials like sticks, twigs, hay, grass, and leaves but they will also use scraps of string, cloth, paper, and plastic bits that humans leave out.

There are many different types of nests but most fit into 1 of 5 categories -cupped (or half-cupped), cavity, pendant, scrape, and burrow and these are the ones we are going to explore here.

Types of Bird Nests

  • Cup- a cup-style nest is the most seen, it is a cup-shaped build that offers eggs some protection and still allows momma bird to sit on her eggs. They are usually built on the fork of tree branches but will also be built on the ground, in bushes, and even in porches and barns. Tiniest cup nest belongs to the hummingbird at about 1”.
  • Cavity- Just as the name implies this Nest is made inside the cavity of trees, bird’s houses, and in the cavities of building structures such as chimneys. There are roughly 85 different bird species that use this method like woodpeckers, wood ducks, and owls. Some birds create their own cavity while others use already-formed openings.
  • Pendant/Suspended cup- This type of nest resembles a hanging sack. It can either have a cuplike structure or a tunnel shape with openings throughout.  Weavers, Orioles, Sunbirds, Swallows, and Martins are the most common tenants of this style.
  • Scrape/Ground- Killdeer, Ostrich, and the arctic Tern as well as a few other birds find that making their nest by using or making hollow depressions in the ground.  They use little or no nesting materials, commonly it would be down feathers, grass, and weeds.
  • Burrow- Some birds use a burrow for a nest like the puffin, kingfishers, kiwi, and the burrowing owl. They prefer it for maintaining an even temperature as well as protection from predators and weather. They often use a hole that was dug and abandoned by other animal species.
How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

No Nest –Emperor and King penguins do not make nests at all, rather they hold the egg on top of their feet.

Next, look at these fun resources and books for learning about birds.

17 Books, Resources, and Activities About Birds

You'll love these fun resources if you're studying about birds. Besides, you can study about birds anytime of the year.

So, add one or two of these to your unit study, nature journaling, or just fun for the day.

Image for 1. A Place for Birds

1. A Place for Birds

In simple yet compelling language, Melissa Stewart showcases twelve North American birds, from the familiar eastern bluebird to the rare Kirtland's warbler. Her clear narrative shows the threats these birds face, and informative sidebars describe a wide variety of efforts to save them. In addition, remarkable full-color illustrations vividly and accurately depict the birds within the ecosystems that support their survival. Range maps and additional bird facts are also included.

Image for 2. Feathers: Not Just for Flying

2. Feathers: Not Just for Flying

Young naturalists explore sixteen birds in this elegant introduction to the many, remarkable uses of feathers. A concise main text highlights how feathers are not just for flying. More curious readers are invited to dig deeper with informative sidebars that underscore how feathers of all shapes and sizes help birds with warming or cooling, protect them from the sun, help them swim, glide or even
dig.

Image for 3. A Nest Is Noisy (Family Treasure Nature Encylopedias)

3. A Nest Is Noisy (Family Treasure Nature Encylopedias)

This gorgeous and informative look at the fascinating world of nests, from those of tiny bee hummingbirds to those of orangutans high in the rainforest canopy.

Image for 4. Big Book of Birds (The Big Book Series)

4. Big Book of Birds (The Big Book Series)

The book draws in children and parents alike with captivating information about and charming illustrations of hummingbirds, peacocks, flamingos, bald eagles, secretary birds, puffins, red-crowned cranes, and more. The book also invites young bird-watchers to protect birds where they live and make their gardens bird-friendly. The text is chatty, funny, and full of remarkable facts.

Image for 5. Peterson Field Guide To Birds

5. Peterson Field Guide To Birds

For decades, the Peterson Field Guide to Birdsof Eastern and Central North America has been a popular and trusted guide for birders of all levels, thanks to its famous system of identification and unparalleled illustrations. Following the Spring 2020 update to Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America, this guide will feature updated text and range maps, and art updated to reflect current knowledge in ornithology. 

Image for 6. How to Feed Backyard Birds: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids

6. How to Feed Backyard Birds: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids

How to Feed Backyard Birds: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids is the perfect resource for beginners who are young (and not so young) to discover the joy of attracting birds to your yard. Bird lover and expert Chris Earley wants to share his passion for our colorful singing and flying neighbors with the whole family.

Image for 7. Wingspan Board Game - A Bird-Collection, Engine-Building Game

7. Wingspan Board Game - A Bird-Collection, Engine-Building Game

Competitive, card-driven, engine-building board game.

Challenging strategy game recommended for those ages 14 plus

Game includes 170 unique bird cards, 26 bonus cards and 16 Automa cards, 103 food tokens and 75 egg miniatures, 5 custom wooden dice and 5 player mats, 1 birdfeeder dice tower and 2-piece Game Trayz custom tray, 1 goal mat and 8 goal tiles, 1 first-player token and 40 action cubes, 4 clear plastic resource containers, 1 scorepad, and 3 rulebooks.

Image for 8. Beaks!

8. Beaks!

Young naturalists explore a variety of birds, their habitats, and how their beaks help them build, eat, and survive. From the twisted beak of a crossbill to the color changing bill of a seagull, readers will learn fun facts about how beaks are designed and used as tools by birds of all shapes and sizes.  Bright, bold cut-paper illustrations create amazingly realistic tableaus of birds in their natural
environments with their beaks in action.

Image for 9. Bird Figurine Toy Birds for Kids Realistic Bird

9. Bird Figurine Toy Birds for Kids Realistic Bird

Set of bird figurine toys, which contains 7 different small plastic birds. The weight of bird figure toy is 96G / 0.2LB. The set of small plastic bird contains 7 pecies of toy birds,such as robin, bluebird, oriole, woodpecker, etc. Please refer to the picture for the actual size and color.

Image for 10. Professor Noggin's Birds of North America Trivia Card Game

10. Professor Noggin's Birds of North America Trivia Card Game

PLAY & LEARN: Professor Noggin’s series of educational card games encourages kids to learn interesting facts about their favorite subjects.

FUN FACTS: Everything young birders need to know about the most common and interesting Birds of North America. Learn to identify different species and discover fascinating facts about their habitat and behavior.

CARD GAME: Each of the thirty game cards combines trivia, true or false, and multiple-choice questions. A special three-numbered die is included which adds an element of unpredictability.

Image for 11. Audubon's Birds of America Coloring Book

11. Audubon's Birds of America Coloring Book

Including the red-winged blackbird, painted bunting, wood duck, great blue heron, ruby-throated hummingbird, purple finch, and blue jay, 46 different species of birds from all parts of the United States are included in this book. The pictures have been faithfully redrawn by Paul E. Kennedy from originals by John James Aububon (1785–1851), the most famous American painter-naturalist.

Image for 12. The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon

12. The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon

If there was one thing James loved to do more than anything else, it was to be in the great outdoors watching his beloved feathered friends.In the fall of 1804, he was determined to find out if the birds nesting near his Pennsylvania home would really return the following spring. Through careful observation, James laid the foundation for all that we know about migration patterns today.

Image for 13. Attracting Birds to Your Backyard: 536 Ways To Turn Your Yard and Garden Into a Haven For Your Favorite Birds

13. Attracting Birds to Your Backyard: 536 Ways To Turn Your Yard and Garden Into a Haven For Your Favorite Birds

Enjoy your home and garden as never before when you have a yard that's filled with colorful birds and bird songs as well as flowers. This A-to-Z guide includes:Terrific tips and plans for building bird feeders, birdbaths, and birdhouses.Recipes for making bird food that is sure to be a hit with your feathered friends--including Chickadee Doughnut Delights and Easy Bird Treat Mini-Muffins.The 25 best plants to grow to attract birds to your yard--including columbine and honeysuckle, hummingbird favorites.How to identify and attract goldfinches, chickadees, cardinals, and more than 50 other favorite birds to your yard. Plus, you'll learn what their songs and antics really mean.

Image for 14. Field Guide to the Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds

14. Field Guide to the Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds

Describes all species found in the North American region and offers information on breeding cycles, nesting habits, and provides pictures of nestlings and eggs

Image for 15. What's That Bird? Teacher Guide

15. What's That Bird? Teacher Guide

This study guide accompanies What's That Bird? published by Storey Publishing in 2005, incorporating facts to know, comprehension questions, and characteristics of specific birds. Sections include: 'Meet the Bird', 'How Birds Live', and 'The Wider World of Birds'. Student Book and What's That Bird? sold separately.

Image for 16. Paint by Sticker: Birds: Create 12 Stunning Images One Sticker at a Time!

16. Paint by Sticker: Birds: Create 12 Stunning Images One Sticker at a Time!

Nature's Masterpieces—ready for paintingPeel the sticker,Paint the sticker, And watch your painting come to life.Paint by Sticker: Birds celebrates the rainbow of colors and shapes of the avian world: a red-headed woodpecker, a blue jay, an orange and black Baltimore oriole, an electric bright hummingbird.

Image for 17. Sibley Backyard Birding Flashcards

17. Sibley Backyard Birding Flashcards

The Sibley Field Guide to Birds is now transformed into 100 easy-to-reference cards housed in one handsome pull-drawer gift box. Divided into one stack of 50 common Western and Eastern North American birds, and one stack of 50 common birds found across North America, each card features precise illustrations and text concerning habitat, behavior, and voice description necessary for easy identification. Edited with the backyard birder in mind, each bird card is accompanied with a regional map as an additional guide to migratory patterns.

Next, look at some other activities I have here for you to include a study of birds.

More Activities to Learn About Birds

  • Galapagos Islands Animals Fun and Simple Watercolor Flamingo Tutorial
  • Free Peregrine Falcon Lapbook And Fun Unit Study Ideas
  • Free Homeschool Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet
  • Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play
  • How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock
  • Free Bird Journal – Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages)
  • Bird Nest Designs – How Do Birds Make Nests Is a simple look at the different ways birds make their nests.
  • Cardinal Birds in Winter and Birch Trees Easy Watercolor Kids Activity
  • Free North American Robin Bird Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Bird Craft For Kindergarten Make an Adorable Fun American Robin Foot Print
  • 15 Most Amazing Nests Built By Bird Architects YouTube
  • Beautiful Bald Eagle Fun Facts And Torn Paper Bird Craft
  • Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests
How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing
  • Dynamic Delightful Bird Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    Dynamic Delightful Bird Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    $4.00
    Add to cart

Finally, look how to make this fun chalk pastel bird nest easy drawing.

Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

You will need:

  • Chalk pastels
  • Art paper
  • Scissors
  • Cotton balls or pompoms
  • Book for reference
How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

I started with 9×12 paper and cut it into 4 rectangles.

How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

After researching and deciding on the types of nests they want to draw, have them lightly sketch out the outlines.

For a cup nest-an oval with a small oval in it gives a good start, it kind of resembles a fried egg.

Once they are satisfied with their general outline, they can begin filling it in a bit starting with lighter colors.

How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

Continue to layer on dots, lines, and slashes to create the look of a woven nest.

Experiment with going back and forth on lighter and dark colors to create some depth and interest.

How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

Use a fingertip or pompom to smudge some of the chalk and fill in the white spots.

How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

Blow off the excess chalk as you go.

Finally, they can add in some eggs if they like.

How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

Encourage them to draw all the basic nest types like a cavity in a tree.

How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

Or a tiny hummingbird’s nest with a bird peeking out.

How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

How about a pendant nest?

How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

To preserve your drawing spray with a light coat of aerosol hairspray to set the chalk.

How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: birds, crafts, earth science, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, life science, science

9 Australian Animals Art Ideas and Fun Koala Handprint Craft

August 26, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Turn a sweet little handprint into an Australian animals art project by creating a cuddly koala out of it. Also, look at this Hands-On Geography: Australia Awesome and Deadly Animal Art.

Are you learning about Australia as a country? Just Australian animals? Marsupials specifically?

This easy craft project is perfect for all the above, or even just because you want a cute handprint craft.

9 Australian Animals Art Ideas and Fun Koala Handprint Craft

Kids love to get involved fully hands-on and moms love to see their little ones’ handprints in art projects.

This is a very sweet option to create a keepsake while they learn.

It’s a simple and fun way to talk about Australian animals, their habitats, eating habits, characteristics, and where they live in the world.

9 Australian Animals Art Ideas and Fun Koala Handprint Craft

3 Koala Questions and Answers

  1. Where are koalas from? Australia, in the open forest and woodland areas.
  2. What do they eat? Mostly eucalyptus (Gum Tree) but will sometimes snack on other trees.
  3. What is a marsupial?  They are a group of mammals that are known for carrying their young in a pouch.

Also, look at more hands-on activities to learn about animals in Australia.

9 Australian Animals Art Ideas

Make it a full lesson on the creatures from the outback.

Image for Koala Craft
Photo Credit: www.notimeforflashcards.com

Koala Craft

My goal for this lesson was not creativity ( process art is much more appropriate for that) or even specifically learning about koalas.

Image for Wombat Printable Craft
Photo Credit: learncreatelove.com

Wombat Printable Craft

Wombats are cute, pudgy marsupials that are found in Australia.

Image for Australia Awesome and Deadly Animal Art

Australia Awesome and Deadly Animal Art

My son began his research at the library, checking out various books on Australia in general, and a few on the animals themselves. For further investigation, we also watched a YouTube video and looked at various pictures of aboriginal art online.

Image for Kookaburra Craft (Frog Spot)
Photo Credit: frompond.blogspot.com

Kookaburra Craft (Frog Spot)

Turn plain boring cups into the laughing Kookaburra Craft.

Image for Kangaroo Ears Headband
Photo Credit: woojr.com

Kangaroo Ears Headband

 I’m excited to show you how to make this fun Kangaroo Ears Headband that’s great for a kangaroo lesson or just for your little one to hop around with!

Image for Paper plate Ringtail possum
Photo Credit: www.thecrafttrain.com

Paper plate Ringtail possum

Make an adorable paper plate possum using our latest printable template. This easy craft for kids is based on the Ringtail possum which is common all over Eastern Australia.

Image for Paper-bag Perry the Platypus Craft
Photo Credit: cookcleancraft.com

Paper-bag Perry the Platypus Craft

 I made Perry the Platypus from the TV show Phineas and Ferb, complete with his own little hat.

Image for Easy How to Draw a Kangaroo Tutorial and Kangaroo Coloring Page
Photo Credit: artprojectsforkids.org

Easy How to Draw a Kangaroo Tutorial and Kangaroo Coloring Page

You’ll find an easy step-by-step tutorial for how to draw a Kangaroo and a Kangaroo Coloring Pages

Image for Quokka Craft
Photo Credit: www.craftprojectideas.com

Quokka Craft

Conservationists want people to take selfies with quokkas? Quokka’s are considered a vulnerable species and the internet fame quokkas have acquired in recent years have put their names on the map! 

And you’ll love adding these resources.

Australian Animals Art Ideas and Resources

To expand upon this simple koala handprint activity, you can:

  •  Help your child find Australia on a map. I really like the scrunch maps because they can be taken anywhere and are easy to pull out onto the floor for investigating.
9 Australian Animals Art Ideas and Fun Koala Handprint Craft
  • Watch Wild Kratts Koalas on YouTube together to learn more about these sweet creatures.
  • Grab some eucalyptus even if it’s dried or artificial for your child to examine the main food of the koala.
  • Add some of these adorable Australian animals to a sensory bin or just strew them around with books and other props to build interest.
  • Play a fun and silly game like Koala Capers.
  • Include an interesting book like Explore My World Koalas with lots of photos and information to help them learn more.

Finally, look at how to make this adorable koala handprint keepsake.

How to Make a Koala Handprint Craft

You will need:

  • Cardstock
  • Grey craft paint
  • Brown craft paint
  • Green craft paint
  • White craft paint
  • Paintbrushes
  • Black markers

Have your child paint a tree trunk that is wide enough for their entire handprint on the center of the paper as well as some branches sticking out here and there.

Allow it to dry completely.

9 Australian Animals Art Ideas and Fun Koala Handprint Craft

Once the tree trunk is completely dried, paint your child’s entire hand gray; you’ll want the thumb pointing upwards on the tree.

9 Australian Animals Art Ideas and Fun Koala Handprint Craft

Press it down firmly to make a good solid print.

9 Australian Animals Art Ideas and Fun Koala Handprint Craft

Use a paintbrush to draw a round head over the top of the thumb and a half circle on either side for ears.

9 Australian Animals Art Ideas and Fun Koala Handprint Craft

While this part of the painting is drawing, put a small amount of green paint in a dish and have your child dip one finger into it.

They can then stamp little leaves all over the branches with little fingerprints.

9 Australian Animals Art Ideas and Fun Koala Handprint Craft

Once everything is dry go back and add details like a little claw on the end of the paws.

9 Australian Animals Art Ideas and Fun Koala Handprint Craft

Draw on an oval-shaped koala nose and mouth, as well as eyes and any details you like to the ears.

Let this final part dry completely and it’s ready to go up on display.

9 Australian Animals Art Ideas and Fun Koala Handprint Craft

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: Australia, crafts, elementary science, handprint, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, koala, life science, science

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

August 24, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

One fascinating area of botany to learn about is carnivorous plants for kids. Also, you’ll find more ideas on my page Carnivorous Plants.

They are clever plants which lure in their prey, trap them, and devour them like the fiercest predator.

There are over 600 carnivorous plant species known to science and a handful of them are commonly known, one being the Venus Flytrap.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

This activity today is a bit exaggerated and resembles Audry from Little Shop of Horrors but gives kids an idea of the anatomy and how the Venus fly trap works in a fun and silly way.

First, look at some of these resources for studying about these fascinating plants.

Carnivorous Plants Resources for Kids

11 Carnivorous Plants Resources

Add some of these books and resources for a carnivorous plants unit study for multiple ages.

Image for Eaten Alive by Carnivorous Plants: Grades 2-4

Eaten Alive by Carnivorous Plants: Grades 2-4

Eaten Alive by Carnivorous Plants. This is a natural science book for a young audience. There are over 760 different kinds of meat-eating plants in the world. They attract, capture, and digest their prey in order to supplement the nutrients that are deficient in the soil they grow in. This book describes all four major types of traps used by the meat-eating plants. Children will learn all the tricks these plants have in store for their unsuspecting prey.

Image for Killer Plants: Growing and Caring for Flytraps, Pitcher Plants, and Other Deadly Flora

Killer Plants: Growing and Caring for Flytraps, Pitcher Plants, and Other Deadly Flora

Carnivorous plants: they're weird, they're gorgeous, and they're the perfect addition to your urban jungle of pothos, snake plants, and succulents. However, they can also be intimidating to grow and care for. Let Killer Plants be your guide as it walks you through the different types of carnivorous plants and how to keep each variety alive and well.

Image for Carnivorous Plants Coloring Book: Carnivorous Plants Gift With Venus Fly Traps, Pitcher Plants And More

Carnivorous Plants Coloring Book: Carnivorous Plants Gift With Venus Fly Traps, Pitcher Plants And More

This Coloring Book is a lovely tool to express your creativity and embody your colorful ideas.

35 pages to color With custom sized pages (8,5" x 11") and soft cover this book is perfect for keeping it at hand wherever you go. With it's artful cover page this coloring book will always brighten up your life and be an eye-catcher for everyone else.

Image for Meat-Eating Plants -A Carnivorous Plant Story: Science for Young Readers

Meat-Eating Plants -A Carnivorous Plant Story: Science for Young Readers

Meat-Eating Plants - a carnivorous plant story. There are over 760 kinds of meat-eating plants in the world. They developed this amazing meat-eating habit in order to survive in their mineral-poor environment. There are four major types of traps used by carnivorous plants: pitfall trap, sticky-leaf trap, snap-trap, and suction trap in the water. All these trap mechanisms are explained using amazing color images. Youngsters will explore the wonders of nature as they read along about these amazing plants!

Image for Predator Plants: 20 Questions Kids Ask About Carnivorous Plants

Predator Plants: 20 Questions Kids Ask About Carnivorous Plants

Get ready to dive into the thrilling world of carnivorous plants with "Predator Plants"! This enchanting guide is designed to captivate the minds of both kids and their parents. With 20 fascinating questions answered, this comprehensive book unravels the mysteries of these
botanical wonders, exploring their unique characteristics and abilities.

Image for Elizabite: Adventures of a Carnivorous Plant (Curious George)

Elizabite: Adventures of a Carnivorous Plant (Curious George)

Elizabite is a carnivorous plant who eats insects as appetizers and enjoys hotdogs for snacks. Whether it walks, talks, flies, or barks, Elizabite is ready to make a meal of it. Her cheerful, hungry smile and infinite appetite attract much attention - a scientist examines her, a professor studies her, and everyone agrees that she is one of a kind. In an effort to control her diet and her unpredictable temper, Elizabite's admirers chain and muzzle her. But not even a barbed wire fence can prevent her from following her heart's (and stomach's) desire! Only when her unique appetite prevents a crime does Elizabite win the respect she deserves.

Image for Nature Venus Fly Trap - Fun and Easy to Grow Kids Terrarium Set

Nature Venus Fly Trap - Fun and Easy to Grow Kids Terrarium Set

  • Easy And Fun To Grow - Franki "The Ferocious" Fly Trap - Great Kids Gift
  • Just Add Water! - Everything Else To Keep Your Terrarium Is Included.
  • Watch Out Flies! - Plants Will Grow Into Bug Eating Monsters!
  • Each Kit Comes With A Genuine Jasper Stone (Color Varies)
Image for Hungry Plants (Step-into-Reading, Step 4)

Hungry Plants (Step-into-Reading, Step 4)

This book offers readers a bug’s-eye view into the strange and fascinating world of carnivorous plants. From the “jaws” of the Venus flytrap to the pretty sundew plant whose delicate tentacles entrap its prey, the unique anatomy and behaviors of meat-eating plants are detailed with clear, engaging text and art.

Image for Plants that Eat Animals (Rookie Read-About Science: Plants and Fungi)

Plants that Eat Animals (Rookie Read-About Science: Plants and Fungi)

Discover a variety of carnivorous plants, including the Venus fly trap, sundew, pitcher plant, and bladderwort. The natural world comes alive for young readers (Ages 6-7) with Rookie Read-About "RM" Science! With striking, full-color photos and just the right amount of text, this series immediately involves young readers as they discover intriguing facts about the fascinating world around them.

Image for DK Readers: Plants Bite Back! (Level 3: Reading Alone)

DK Readers: Plants Bite Back! (Level 3: Reading Alone)

There are plants that prickle, sting, and even munch insects for lunch! So, never bite a strange plant—it might bite back!   Stunning photographs combine with lively illustrations and engaging,
age-appropriate stories in DK Readers, a multilevel reading program guaranteed to capture children's interest while developing their reading skills and general knowledge.

Image for Venus Fly Trap - Kids Terrarium Kit -   Grow Your Own Seeds. 6 Plants That EAT Bugs

Venus Fly Trap - Kids Terrarium Kit - Grow Your Own Seeds. 6 Plants That EAT Bugs

Live Carnivorous Plants Including Venus Fly Traps, Sundew and Pitcher Plants.

Just Add Water! - Everything Else To Keep Your Terrarium Is Included.

Next, look at some of these facts about carnivorous plants for kids.

4 Fascinating Carnivorous Plants For Kids to Learn About

  1. Venus Flytrap- While this exotic-looking plant looks like it comes from the depths of the Amazon rainforest it is only native to North and South Carolina. They primarily eat spiders and ants and only 5% of their diet is winged. This plant has tiny little hairs that when disturbed trigger a reaction from the plant, if the bug stays for longer than a few seconds the “mouth” of the Venus flytrap closes over the poor unfortunate bug. They dissolve the bug into liquid and absorb it. Fun fact, they rarely eat their pollinators.
  2. Pitcher Plants- Are composed of modified leaves known as pitfall traps, a mechanism with a deep cavity that is filled with digestive liquids that attract and drown its victims in the nectar inside. There are pitcher plants that grow in wetland areas of the eastern part of the US and Canada as well as in places like Australia and Madagascar. They can be anywhere from 6 inches to 36 inches tall.
  3. Butterwort- This particular plant feasts on gnats, springtails, and other small insects. Their method of capture is using their leaves that are covered in fine translucent hairs to secrete a greasy sticky substance. This substance smells like nectar and gleams attractively in the sun.  It secretes enzymes and acids to kill and dissolve prey that the plant absorbs.
  4. Sundews- These are similar to fly paper, they attract insects with a sweet and sticky substance that also holds them fast. Their tentacle-type leaves then curl around it and smother them. About 50% of the species is found in Australia.  While it only takes 15 minutes for a sundew to kill their prey it can take weeks for them to digest it.
Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Moreover, you’ll love these other resources and a few YouTube videos.

Activities to Learn About Carnivorous Plants

  • Free Carnivorous Plants Lapbook
  • Carnivorous Plants Unit Study
  • Watch this interesting video The Wild World of Carnivorous Plants on YouTube.
  • Free Carnivorous Plants Notebooking Pages & Easy Hands-on Science Activity
  • What’s Inside a Venus Flytrap? Goes along very well with today’s craft, letting them see and understand each of the parts of the Venus flytrap.
Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Finally look how to make this fun Venus Fly Trap paper plate craft.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids – Venus Fly Trap Craft

You will need:

  • A paper plate
  • 2-3 straws
  • Red craft glue
  • Green craft glue
  • White cardstock
  • Small terracotta pot
  • Beans or small pebbles
  • Green tape or tissue paper
  • Green tissue paper
  • Hot glue gun/sticks
  • Scissors
Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

First, paint the inside (the eating surface) red, leaving a small lip unpainted all the way around for the green. Wipe off excess paint with a dry brush to speed up drying time.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Paint the backside of your paper plate green all over.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

 And the small lip on the other side. 

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

While your main plant piece is drying you can work on the other parts. To create a sturdier stem, I taped 3 straws together with green tape. You can also wrap and tape green tissue paper around instead.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Cut the “teeth” which are called marginal spikes out of white cardstock. Bend a bit of the end to give a flat surface to glue them in place.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Once the paint on the plate is dry, fold it in half with the red on the inside, and give it a sharp crease.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Open it back up and glue the spikes in place all around the inner lip.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Hot glue the stem into place on the bottom, you will need to use a good puddle of hot glue and hold it in place until it cools. Glue on a piece of green tissue twisted into a leaf shape.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Fill the pot with beans, rice, or small pebbles to weigh it down and create “soil”. Push the stem into the pot to hold it securely.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: carnivorous, crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, homeschoolscience, life science, science

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

August 23, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This is a fun wildlife craft mountain gorilla layered art project. Also, look at my pages Free Africa Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning | Free Continent & Country Reports and 6 World Wildlife Day Activities to Learn About African Lions.

September 4th is National Wildlife Day and what better way to observe it than with a wildlife craft to highlight one of the most loved wild animals – the gorilla.

You don’t have to just specifically study just gorillas.

Also, you can cover all the primates – chimps, orangutans, gorillas, baboons, monkeys, and more.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

But I wanted to focus on the mountain gorillas because they are so seriously endangered.

Eastern Mountain Gorillas are found in the Virunga Mountains that border the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.

The rest can be found in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.

This wildlife craft is easy and requires little setup.

Not only does it further your study of gorillas but it introduces multiple art techniques, maybe some that your child has never tried before.

Books About Gorillas

Gorilla and Other Primate Resources

Grab some of these resources for your study of gorillas.

Image for The One and Only Ivan

The One and Only Ivan

This unforgettable novel from renowned author Katherine Applegate celebrates the transformative power of unexpected friendship. Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla known as Ivan, this illustrated book is told from the point of view of Ivan himself. 

Having spent twenty-seven years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes.

Image for Gorilla mysteries

Gorilla mysteries

Discusses the habits of gorillas, giant apes of frightening appearance but gentle behavior, long misunderstood by their human close relatives.

Image for Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

Julia Rothman's series of Anatomy books are beloved by children and adults alike. In Wildlife Anatomy, Rothman captures the excitement and distinctive attributes of wild animals around the world. The book is packed with hundreds of her charming, original illustrations, detailing the unique features of animals of the rainforest, desert, grasslands, oceans, and much more. From lions, bears, and zebras to monkeys, mongoose, bats, elephants, giraffes, hippos, and much more, Rothman's visual guide covers all the key features, right down to the anatomy of a lion's claw and a wild horse's hoof. All the illustrations are accompanied by labels, intriguing facts, and identifying details, such as: When is a Panther Not a Panther? and What Makes Aardvarks So Odd? Rothman's characteristic combination of curiosity and an artist's eye makes this wildlife treasury rich and full, and promises new discoveries every time it's opened

Image for Good Morning, Gorillas (Magic Tree House #26)

Good Morning, Gorillas (Magic Tree House #26)

Gentle giants or giant monsters? That's the question Jack and Annie have about gorillas when the Magic Tree House sweeps them to the mountains of Africa. There they meet a group of amazing and sometimes frightening mountain gorillas. Annie knows how to play with the creatures right away. But Jack is left out. Will the gorillas be able to teach him some special magic?

Image for Terra by Battat – Gorilla Family

Terra by Battat – Gorilla Family

Experience the Strikingly human-like characteristics of the mighty Gorilla family!
Realistic details: exquisite miniature animals with realistic, accurate detail and beautiful design
Includes: 1 male and 1 female adult Gorilla and 2 infant gorillas

Image for Koko's Kitten (Rise and Shine)

Koko's Kitten (Rise and Shine)

Koko the gorilla uses sign language to talk to her handlers. When she asks for a pet, her handlers search high and low for the perfect companion.

Then add a few more resources.

  • Gorilla & Me Handprints
  • Easy How to Draw a Gorilla Tutorial and Gorilla Coloring Page

More Wildlife Craft Activities

  • 6 World Wildlife Day Activities to Learn About African Lions
  • Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts
  • How to Make Wooden Peg Easy Arctic Animal Crafts
  • 8 Animal Camouflage Activities and Resources & Fun Camouflage Art
  • Galapagos Islands Animals Fun and Simple Watercolor Flamingo Tutorial
Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Next, look at these facts about gorillas.

8 Gorilla Facts

  1. There are two species of gorilla, eastern and western. Within these two they split into subspecies- eastern lowland, eastern mountain, western lowland, and western cross river.
  2. A Primatologist studies the behavior, biology, evolution, and taxonomy of primates. Famous ones include Jane Goodall (Chimpanzees) and Dr. Dian Fossey (gorillas)
  3. Gorillas are incredibly intelligent and have been observed making and using tools for all kinds of tasks such as turning them into silverware and even using them as tools to measure water depth.
  4. Just like our fingerprints are unique, gorilla nose prints are special and different from one another.
  5. Hanabi-Ko “Koko” was a female western lowland gorilla. She learned over 1,000 signs and understood more than 2,000 English words in her lifetime. She lived to be 46 years old.
  6. They are very social creatures and live together in groups of 5-30 gorillas called troops. Each troop generally contains a dominant male, several females, and their young offspring.
  7. Adult males are called Silverbacks. On average a silverback gorilla weighs almost 400 pounds and stands over 5’ tall on all fours.
  8. Unfortunately, gorillas are critically endangered due to habitat destruction as well as poaching.
Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Finally, look how to make this fun mountain gorilla art project.

Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

You will need:

  • Cream or white construction paper
  • Colorful construction paper
  • Black chalk pastel
  • Glue stick
  • Scissors
Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

First, start by drawing a jagged/fluffy outline of a gorilla’s head and shoulders on your light paper with a black chalk pastel. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just a general clear shape.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Next lay the chalk pastel flat and drag it across the page to fill in the inside of your outline.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Smudge the chalk to smooth it out and fill it in more solidly with your finger, or you can use a tissue to blot and smear it.

Then cut a circle out of gray construction paper that is a little smaller than the gorilla head you drew, and cut a small dip into the top, kind of like a heart to create a gorilla face.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Draw on features like eyes, nostrils, and a mouth with your black chalk pastel then glue in place.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

For the next layer tear up green construction paper into small pieces as well as a few colors to create flowers. We are going to have our gorilla peek out from the thick foliage.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Glue your torn green paper around the gorilla to frame him.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Layer on a few or many-colored pieces for flowers to brighten up your picture.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Finally, use a pen or marker to add a little detail to your flowers like petals.

To keep your chalk from smudging you can spray your paper lightly with a bit of aerosol hairspray.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: animals, art, crafts, gorilla, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, homeschoolscience, jp, life science, science

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

August 20, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a fun way to learn anatomy shark vocabulary. Also, look at this Shark Unit Study for more fun ideas.

You do not need to grab expensive box curriculums or load your learner down with tons of worksheets. They can learn so much with things like this shark vocabulary hands-on anatomy activity.

I thought this activity would be just in time for celebrating International Whale Shark Day on August 30th. 

Yes, a whale shark is a shark, not a whale.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

I used a great book for reference, a few plastic shark toys, and a sheet of cardstock to create a simple activity that can be used over and over to help teach about sharks from snout to caudal fin.

This activity is easily adaptable for older and younger children by adding more or less of the anatomy words to be labeled.

Too, changing up the type of vocabulary words like choosing species, layers of the ocean that you might find each shark, etc. will increase the depth of facts to introduce.

Shark Vocabulary Anatomy 

One resource I reach for time and again is Ocean Anatomy by Julia Rothman.

When thumbing through it I found this great shark anatomy page that gave me a great idea for an activity.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

This book is not a one-hit wonder though, besides the anatomy diagram there is information on their teeth, eating habits, size, and different species of sharks.

That is just the information on sharks, there is literally a whole ocean of information in the book.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

We are also adding in some typing skills by having children do as much of the activity as possible from start to finish.

Below you will find a couple shark vocabulary lists to choose for them to create their own anatomy or species labels.

Shark Anatomy Words

  • Nostril
  • Eye
  • Mouth
  • Spiracle
  • First Dorsal Fin
  • Second Dorsal Fin
  • Precaudil Pit
  • Caudal Fin
  • Caudal Keel
  • Anal Fin
  • Pelvic Fin
  • Pectoral Fin
  • Gill Openings
  • Gill arch
  • Backbone/Spine

Shark Species

Also, look at these species of sharks.

  • Lemon
  • Great White
  • Mako
  • Tiger
  • Whale
  • Leopard
  • Hammerhead
  • Nurse
  • Black Tip
How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

Then, add some shark books and fun hands-on resources about sharks while learning about the anatomy of sharks.

Homeschool Shark Unit Study Resources

Add one or two of these fun shark books and resources to your study about sharks.

Image for Sharks! (Animal Planet Chapter Books #1)

Sharks! (Animal Planet Chapter Books #1)

Dive inside the world of sharks with this guide to the most incredible creatures in the sea. Photographically illustrated chapters highlight kid-favorite species such as Great Whites and Hammerheads, with a focus on behavior, senses, breeding, and feeding. Sharks! is the perfect overview for developing readers ready to explore this popular animal subject on their own. Special features include full-color photography throughout, "Meet the Scientist" sidebars, and "In Your Newsfeed" articles about amazing new discoveries.

Image for DKfindout! Sharks

DKfindout! Sharks

Supporting STEM-based learning, this fact-filled book for shark aficionados ages 6–9 is the ultimate guide to sharks, from hammerheads to great whites. Entertaining and educating young readers through a combination of close-up images, quirky trivia facts, quiz questions, and fascinating tidbits, it’s the perfect book for any kid who can’t get enough of these ferocious fish.

Image for Professor Noggin's Life in The Ocean Trivia Card Game

Professor Noggin's Life in The Ocean Trivia Card Game

PLAY & LEARN: Professor Noggin’s series of educational card games encourages kids to learn interesting facts about their favorite subjects.

FUN FACTS: Explore underwater and learn about the amazing creatures in the sea. Discover facts about common mammals, plants and other Life in the Ocean.

Image for Sharks Top Trumps Card Game

Sharks Top Trumps Card Game

Find out if the Nurse Shark or the Tiger Shark is the most mysterious, or if the Spiny Dogfish Shark or the Whale Shark has been involved in the most incidents

Image for Bag of Genuine Shark Teeth - Fossilized

Bag of Genuine Shark Teeth - Fossilized

30+ genuine (broken) fossilized shark teeth from Morocco! These are broken and partial teeth fossils! Each bag will have about 2-3 small full shark teeth, the other teeth will be broken and chipped!

Image for LEGO Creator 3in1 Deep Sea Creatures Shark

LEGO Creator 3in1 Deep Sea Creatures Shark

This sea creatures toy building set features 3 sea animal figures: a scary shark, a posable crab with a box of treasure and a wide-mouthed Angler Fish

The dark-blue and white colored toy shark figure has an opening mouth, pointy teeth, posable fins, movable body joints and reflective eyes

Image for Eyewitness Kits Shark Casting Kit

Eyewitness Kits Shark Casting Kit

  • Fun
  • Educational
  • Learn While Having Fun
  • Comes With Everything You Need
  • PerfectCast 5 Times Stronger Than Plaster
Image for Sharks 100 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

Sharks 100 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

 100 Piece Puzzle

Image for Ocean Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of the World under the Sea

Ocean Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of the World under the Sea

Julia Rothman’s best-selling illustrated Anatomy series takes a deep dive into the wonders of the sea with Ocean Anatomy. Follow Rothman’s inquisitive mind and perceptive eye along shorelines, across the open ocean, and below the waves for an artistic exploration of the watery universe. Through her drawings, discover how the world’s oceans formed, why the sea is salty, and the forces behind oceanic phenomena such as rogue waves. Colorful anatomical profiles of sea creatures from crustacean to cetacean, surveys of seafaring vessels and lighthouses, and the impact of plastic and warming water temperatures are just part of this compendium of curiosities that will entertain and educate readers of all ages. 

Image for 6PC Realistic Shark Figurines Set

6PC Realistic Shark Figurines Set

✔ SHARK FIGURINES BIG PARTY - Includes whale shark, hammerhead shark, tiger shark, blue shark, mako shark, zebra shark. Totally includes 6 sharks figurines. Kids would like to spend more time to observe and play with them.

✔ REALISTIC EMULATIONAL DETAILS - This sea animal figures set was made by hand painted with high realistically detailed appearance, cute face and childish eyes. Their uniquely molded textures and richly painted details make the animals vivid. And all the animal figures stands up very well, they do not fall over. Children would like to spend more time to observe and play with them.

Additionally, look at more ideas for learning about sharks.

More Activities to Learn About Sharks

  • How to Make A Megalodon Shark Tooth Fun Homeschool Project
  • How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages
  • Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Finally, look at this fun way to learn shark anatomy vocabulary.

Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

You will need:

  • Oceans Anatomy
  • or Shark Anatomy Diagram
  • Cardstock
  • Plastic shark figures
  • Small basket
How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

First, for older children, have them type (or write) all the shark vocabulary words from the list. Then print it out on cardstock. Cut out each word and place it in a basket.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

Add a few plastic sharks that have enough detail that your child will be able to find each of the words.

You will want something close to 6” or larger so there is enough room to put down all the labels.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

Give them the book or a printout of shark anatomy to use as a reference.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

Now your child can use the words to label each part of the shark.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

To make it harder after they initially label each part you can remove some of the words and see if they can recall what is missing.

For example, cover the words on the diagram one by one until they know all the parts, or close the book together and see how many they can get on their own.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

For younger children, you could simplify it by only giving them a few words like snout, nostril, eye, dorsal fin, mouth, and caudal fin.

Also, you can use shark species as another type of vocabulary to learn.

In the same manner as above, type up some species to match the sharks you already have or print out photos of them.

Let your child match the name with the correct shark.

These small sharks offer a variety and are great for labeling species but would be too small for the anatomy activity.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: crafts, elementary science, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, life science, ocean, science

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