Illustrating+the+books

Day 1
Look at farm books from previous years and make a list of characteristics of excellent illustrations, such as:
 * big pictures
 * lots of detail
 * whole page is full
 * lots of color
 * labels?
 * pictures match the words
 * realistic and scientific (no cartoony animals or smiling suns, for example)

Students begin preliminary sketches on 8.5 x 11 paper, pencil only.

Day 2
Think about the shapes in your illustration. Make connection to geometry unit. Plan out where you will put things on your page.

Days 3
Introduce the word draft. Look at the progression of illustrations from a previous year and how many drafts the student did, how the illustration changed over time, etc.

//(For each draft, note on sticky notes how it improved from the last draft and stick it on the draft.)//

Go over how to number drafts -- each time you start again, put your name, the date, and the draft number.

Students then go and either add to their sketch from the day before or begin a second draft.

Days 4
Review list of characteristics of good illustrations. Put up 5 sketches and ask for feedback or suggestions from students. Write feedback on stickies and stick on the sketches. Students then revise their work.

Teacher meets with 5 students to give more feedback in a small group? Or do whole-group feedback at the beginning of each class. Use sentences starters for prompting the students--
 * I like the way you...
 * It would be even better if... //(checking for accuracy, does it look real?)//
 * Maybe you could....
 * I noticed that...

Other Mini-Lessons

 * How to divide the page to show steps or different stages/parts
 * How to write labels (make sure you get the spelling; make a box around your label //after// you write the label; write bigger than you think you have to so you can trace the words, but not too big; make it very neat; draw a line or an arrow to the thing you are labelling)
 * How to make your picture bigger on the big paper
 * How to trace with the black pen (steady hand, cover up the pencil exactly on the lines of the pencil)
 * How to add color and which tools to use for coloring large/small spaces
 * How to color in the background
 * Zooming in on the important part of your illustration