By Carol Felixson
Special to The Times

September 5, 2004

In "The Tale of Peter Rabbit," author Beatrix Potter introduces us to Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail, who were good little bunnies, and to Peter, who didn't listen to his mother and ran under the fence into Mr. McGregor's garden. He was looking for something good to eat!

Cristina, 11, sees many rabbits like Peter near her home when they come out to feed in the early mornings and evenings. After she studied the desert cottontail, a species found in California's warmer regions, she decided to bake and decorate a sugar cookie to illustrate it.

"Because their tails look like cotton balls, they are called cottontails," she learned. "And when cottontails are frightened they freeze and scrunch down, blending into their surroundings." They also hop away in a zigzag pattern, or use their big hind feet to kick at the smaller animals that threaten them.

Cristina's mom supervised her bunny-baking project. First, Cristina found a cookie recipe in her mom's cookbook. Then she covered her workspace with newspapers. She gathered her ingredients, including flour, margarine, brown sugar and eggs, and measured everything into a bowl, stirring them with a large spoon. Next, she rolled the dough out on a floured surface with a rolling pin until it was 1/2 -inch thick. Using a blunt knife, Cristina cut out a rabbit shape and put it on a greased cookie sheet. Her mom placed it in a preheated oven to bake and moved it to a cooling rack when it was done.

After her cookie cooled, Cristina decorated it with icing. Her cottontail looked good enough to eat. Which is just what she did.

Good job, Cristina!

 

About the series: Each month, Carol Felixson introduces children to a subject from nature and an art technique. The children then apply what has been learned in an illustration. Felixson is director of education and community outreach for UCLA's Stunt Ranch Reserve and Mathias Botanical Garden. Oct. 3 lesson: California alligator lizard and yarn art. Previous projects can been seen at nrs.ucop.edu/Reserves/stunt/newsforkids.html.


 

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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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