'Drawing From Nature'
A SCIENCE AND ART LESSON FOR KIDS
This appeared on June 6, 2004  in the Los Angeles Times

THE KIDS’ READING ROOM

By Carol Felixson
Special to The Times

June 6, 2004

"Beep-BEEP ­ Beep-Beep" goes the Road Runner when he's running from Wile E. Coyote! If Wile E. were a real coyote and not a cartoon character, what sound would he make?

Here's a clue: The coyote's scientific name means "barking dog" or "song dog." That's because coyotes howl, yap, bark and even scream.

Andrea Sork, 11, and her sister Danielle, 8, of Los Angeles learned about coyotes, then made these masks.

The sisters learned that coyotes live primarily in rural areas but also roam closer to the city in search of food and water.

"Even though they look friendly, don't play with coyotes," Danielle cautions, "because they are dangerous wild animals." They are about the same size and shape as a small to medium-size German shepherd dog.

Andrea discovered that "masks are common in almost all the world's cultures." They are worn as a disguise. Masks can also symbolize a spirit or natural force.

To make their masks, the girls first drew outlines of coyote heads on pieces of thick brown construction paper. Then they cut them out, making fur-like cuts along the edges. For the noses, muzzles, mouths, ears (on one mask) and tongue (on another), they glued flattened cotton and layers of colored paper. Finally, they drew whiskers and eyelashes with markers.


About the series: Carol Felixson introduces children to a subject from nature and an art technique. The children then apply what they have learned in an illustration. She is director of education and community outreach for UCLA's Stunt Ranch Reserve and Mathias Botanical Garden. July 4 lesson: Red, white and blue wildflowers, cotton balls and candy art. Previous projects can be seen at nrs.ucop.edu/Reserves/stunt/newsforkids.html.


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Hear this story read aloud at latimes.com/kids or by calling 1-800 LATIMES, Ext. 4KIDS (1-800 528-4637, Ext. 45437).

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Carol Felixson
Director of Education/Community Outreach
UCLA Stunt Ranch Reserve & Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden
310 206-3887, nrs.ucop.edu/Reserves/stunt.html, www.botgard.ucla.edu
LA Times Science/Art Lessons for Kids: http://nrs.ucop.edu/Reserves/stunt/newsforkids.html

Contributing to the understanding and wise management of the Earth and its natural systems
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