Students identify, create new animals in art

Washougal — Gause Elementary School third-graders are learning animal classifications as part of the new Core Knowledge Language Arts curriculum, and as part of the unit, the students are creating some animals of their own. They are working with Young Audiences’ teaching artist Peggy Ross, who was funded by the Gause Boosters through the school’s Artist in Residence program to create animals using characteristics from two of the vertebrate groups. Gracie Hack created a “Ficock,” which is part fish and part bird, based on her love of peacocks, according to a release from the school district. After creating the animal, students had to write a story about discovering the new creature. “One of the reasons I like to teach art in concert with school curriculum is the way it can deepen learning about the subject,” Ross said in the release. “Not only are students learning about design basics and collage techniques, they are also more deeply exploring their knowledge of vertebrates. They are thinking creatively and critically, using kinesthetic as well as visual spatial ‘intelligences,’ and having fun doing it.”