Materials
Swimmy by Leo Lionni
sponges scissors
tagboard
12 "x 18" blue paper
newspaper
paint smocks
black and red paint
shallow containers
crayons
Instructions
1. Beforehand, cut sponges into small fish shapes. Make a copy of the fish
pattern (see next page), cut it out, and trace around it onto tagboard. Cut one
out for each child.
2. Over several days, read Swimmy frequently so that the children are very
familiar with it. During circle time, demonstrate how to print with sponges
how to put paint on the sponge, scrape off the excess on the edge of the
container, and print over and over again until the paint is used up.
3. Cover the work surface with newspaper and ask the children to put on paint
smocks. Give each child a 12" tagboard fish pattern, crayons, and a 12" x 18"
piece of blue paper. Ask the children to trace the tagboard pattern onto their
papers, making the outline of the large fish.
4. Show them how to dip the sponge into the red paint to make fish on their
papers, reminding them to print over and over again until the paint is gone.
Ask the children to fill in the entire fish outline with smaller red fish.
5. When the children finish filling the large fish outline with small red fish prints,
remind them to add a small black sponge print to be the eye. Let dry.
