An observational drawing is a drawing of what you see in front of you. In this collection, you will have access to several images of individual flowers and plants to use to create your drawings. When creating your drawing of the flower, consider the size, color, and shape of the flower. Your drawing can become a scientific observational drawing by adding labels to the different parts of a flower. 

As you continue to browse this collection, consider revising your work several times. Like true artists, your first draft is never your last. Have students work with a partner to critique each other's work. Consider correct labels, accurate coloring, adding details, and finally, giving your observational drawing a title for your audience. Review the student friendly rubric in this collection to use to help them consider examples and non-examples.

Attached you will find a general rubric to use for high quality observational drawings.

Essential Questions:

• What are the different parts of a plant?
• What does high quality work look like?
• How can I give kind, specific, and helpful feedback to a partner?

Big Idea: As students work with this collection to answer the essential questions, they will understand that:

• Plants can have a stem, leaf, and flower.
• High quality work means returning back to the work several times and using a rubric to guide you.
• Students make noticings and wonderings and provide specific next steps for giving feedback.

Lesson Sequence:

• Show images of flowers to students or have them see them in your local or school garden.
  • Look at colors, shapes, and lines
• Learn the parts of a plant and correctly label them.
  • Stem, leaf, flower
• Review the rubric for high quality observational drawings.
• Practice drawing flowers in real life or use images found in this collection.
• Review the Kind, Specific, and Helpful feedback protocol with students.
• Have students critique each others work.
• Revise their work based on peer feedback.

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Keywords: flower, observational drawing, revision, revise, plants, scientific, draw, artist, high quality