Chameleon Sculptures!

My student teacher is working on Chameleon Sculptures with the second grade, and I'm just as nuts for them this year as last! It's great for working those tactile skills, forming a sculpture that the kids TOTALLY DIG, and studying a little science. (For next year, I've ordered Chameleon's Colors and A Color of His Own to use, adding a literary connection.)

This is a popular project that I've seen on several blogs: Artolazzi, smART Class, and Art with Ms. Gram are a few.

Taking a cue from other teachers, we used the following video to get pumped!

That music gets me every time.

Assembling the chameleons is a little time consuming and can be difficult for some kiddos, but it's totally worth it. For step-by-step instructions, I highly recommend any of the websites mentioned above; Ms. Gram provides a nice graphic for assembling these little lizards.

At one point, a group of girls all started to whine about the folding part, saying, "we can't do this!" So I said:
Mrs. Connell: "Oh good, that's what every teacher wants to hear--I can't!"
2nd graders: "Haha, noooo, you're being silly!"
Mrs. Connell: "You're right. I was being sar--"
2nd grader: "Casket!"

It's true; I am very sarcasket.

On the second day, kiddos finished decorating and cutting their bodies before creating legs...

Making eyes...

And adding a tongue to finish 'em off!

For whatever reason, we had very few early finishers this year, whereas last year the kids were manufacturing these suckers like nobody's business. In that instance, I told kiddos to make their new pet a birth certificate. Not only does this incorporate a little writing, but it's hilarious!

This project is awesome. Go do it right now! And if you need any more visual encouragement, here are two videos that my kids love:

I have major doubts about that last one being legit, but MAN-O-DAY, is it cool to watch! Does anyone else say "man-o-day"? My mother has said it for years and it makes zero sense to me. But now I say it. Uh oh.