Lighthouse Seasons 5th grade project

This is a great lesson to teach the standards of problem solving and using symbols to show an idea.  For this project my students look at photographs (many from calendars) of lighthouses. Here in Michigan we have many lighthouses on the shores of great lakes so most of the kids are familiar with them and feel a connection to this type of architecture.

 

This is done as a pencil drawing with the guidelines that the lighthouse must be the same shape and color, but the season around it may be changed.

 The season must be CLEARLY communicated in their drawing, this requires some planning and decision making as they work.  After completing the drawing, students trace their pictures with ultra fine point sharpie marker. They use colored pencils to color their project and then we mount it on colored paper.  The last step is to complete the season idea by making small pictures or symbols or writing words on their frame to enhance the seasonal feeling of the lighthouse picture.