Teacher Guide:Animal Adaptations, Henri Rousseau,
& Chimera
Amy Zschaber [email protected]@stancoe.org
What are Adaptations?• An adaptation is a feature that helps a plant
or animal survive
Polar BearHow does the color of a
polar bear help it to survive?
Leaf InsectHow does the shape of a
leaf insect help it to survive?
Let’s Review
• Tigers are mammals
• Tigers eat meat (carnivores)
Why do you think. . .• Tigers have stripes?• Tigers have big teeth?
• Tigers have good hearing?• Tigers like to hunt at night?• Tigers have long legs?
Tiger Adaptations
• Stripes• Teeth• Long legs• Hearing• Night-vision
Tiger Adaptation: Stripes• Tiger stripes are an adaptation.• Stripes help tigers hide. This makes it hard for
both predators and prey to find tigers.
Tiger Adaptation: Teeth• Tiger teeth are an adaptation.• Tigers have strong jaws with big teeth that
help them kill, chew, tear, and bite.
Tiger Adaptation: Long Legs• Tiger legs are an adaptation.• The long legs of a tiger are very strong. A tiger
can jump up to 33 feet.
Tiger Adaptation: Hearing• Good hearing is a tiger adaptation.• Tigers have very good hearing. They can hear
things that even other animals cannot hear!
Tiger Adaptation: Vision• Tiger vision is an adaptation.• Tigers have very good vision; they can even see at night
(night-vision). Tigers are mostly nocturnal hunters. This means they like to hunt at night.
Henri Rousseau• This is Henri Rousseau.
• What is Rousseau doing?
• Does Rousseau live today or long ago?
• Where is Rousseau?
• Why was this picture of Rousseau made?
Henri Rousseau• This is Henri Rousseau.
• Rousseau lived 1844-1910
• Rousseau is an artist.
• Rousseau is French.
• Rousseau did not begin making art until he was very old. He retired from his job, and taught himself how to paint.
Rousseau loved painting jungles• Rousseau never
left France.
• There was little photography in Rousseau’s time.
• How do you think Rousseau knew what jungles look like?
Rousseau used his imagination to paint scenes of jungle life.
Rousseau used his imagination to paint scenes of jungle life.
Rousseau used his imagination to paint scenes of jungle life.
Rousseau used his imagination to paint scenes of jungle life.
Rousseau used his imagination to paint scenes of jungle life.
Read: Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown
• Read aloud: https://youtu.be/gh0RzikLtx4
What is the story about?
How does Mr. Tiger feel? What does he do about it?
How do the other animals feel about Mr. Tiger’s actions?
What do they do about it?
Same / Different?
Illustration from Mr. Tiger Goes Wildby: John Brown
Tiger in a Tropical Stormby: Henri Rousseau
Same / Different?
Illustration from Mr. Tiger Goes Wildby: John Brown
Jungle with Tigerby: Henri Rousseau
Do you think Peter Brown was inspired by Henri Rousseau? Why / Why not?
Read What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?
http://goo.gl/Z50Kjp
Chimera • A make-believe “monster” that is made by
combining parts of different animals.
In a way, Rousseau was painting chimera.
• Imagine how animals looked based on descriptions
• Imagine where animals live based on descriptions
• Guess what animals adaptations were based on descriptions
Pretend you are Rousseau:What could these animals be?
Pretend you are Rousseau: What could these animals eat?
Pretend you are Rousseau: In what habitat might these animals live?
Brainstorm. . . & Build a Chimera
http://switchzoo.com/zoo-original.htm
http://bestiary.ca/
Optional: Complete Information About Your Chimera & Print
Design a Chimera
Sculpt your chimera,
and build an environment where s/he
can live
Open your bag
of Model Magic
Remove the
Model Magic
from the bag
Pinch into 3 parts:
1 – head2 – body3 - extras
Sculpt your
head and body. Stick them
together.
Continue to sculpt
your Model Magic
Continue to sculpt
your Model Magic
Continue to sculpt
your Model Magic
Continue to sculpt
your Model Magic
Continue to sculpt
your Model Magic
Continue to sculpt
your Model Magic
Continue to sculpt
your Model Magic
Continue to sculpt
your Model Magic
Continue to sculpt
your Model Magic
Add any other
“extras” to your chimera
Gather materials to color
your chimera.
You can use
markers or
paint
Color your
chimera
Check all sides of
your chimera for color
Gather:-markers-crayons-scissors- 2 white sheets of
paper
Fold one sheet of paper in
half
foreground
background
middle ground
Identify & Define Foreground, Middle Ground, & Background
foreground
background
middle ground
Identify & Define Foreground, Middle Ground, & Background
background
middle ground
foreground
Create an environment where your chimera can
live.
foreground
background
middle ground
On the 2nd sheet of
paper draw a few
“extras”
Draw a “tab” at
the bottom of each
extra
Color and cut out the extras
Fold the tabs down and find your
environment
Glue the extras down
Add your chimera to
your environment