My Mythical Creature
Virtual Workshop

Consider why specific features might be important parts of a mythical creature. Which features will you choose for a creature of your own?

Workshop Outcomes

  • Students will define a mythical creature as something found only in stories.
  • Students will identify familiar animal features within mythical creature examples.
  • Students will create an original collage consisting of animal features they chose to combine.

Content

After searching the Nelson-Atkins collection for mythical creatures and discussing the various animal features they recognize, students will be invited to create a collage creature of their own using art supplies in the art kits or provided by the school.


Curriculum

  • Elaborate on an imaginative idea.
  • Create artwork using a variety of processes and materials.
  • Discuss how people from different places have made art for a variety of reasons.

Vocabulary

  • Myth – a traditional story, often explaining an event or phenomenon
  • Culture – values, beliefs, practices that a people share in common
  • Artifact – an object made by a human
  • Perspective – a point of view, an attitude
  • Fiction / Non-Fiction – writing based in fact or imagination
  • Pattern – repeating an element within art
  • Art Elements – Line, Shape, Color, Texture, Value, Space, Form
  • Chimera, Centaur, Pegasus, Griffon, Mermaid, Dragon – various types of Mythical Creatures

Pre/Post Workshop Activities

Pre-Workshop Activities

  • Read a book to your class about creatures with patterns. Some suggestions are: Anansi the Spider, Gerald McDermott; The Singing Snake, Czernecki and Rhodes.
  • Texture Hunt: Give the students a list of textures and send them off on a scavenger hunt for objects with the texture. Have them share their discoveries and ask them what words describe the texture.
  • Research animals while brainstorming which of their features they plan to include in their Mythical Creature. This graphic organizer could help students remember their plans.

Post-Workshop Activities

  • Invite students to share about the mythical creatures they saw during the virtual tour, including which was their favorite and why.
  • Ask students to create a name for the creatures they made and write and/or illustrate a short story describing the creature’s habitat and its adventures.
  • Allow students to classify their imaginary creatures, grouping them by shared characteristics. This graphic organizer may help students identify their creatures’ qualities.
  • Fun FREE site for learning about a variety of animals, a few of their characteristics, and a game of mixing up the heads, legs and tails of these animals in their environments: https://switchzoo.com
  • And this photo artist is having FUN creating his combination creatures! https://www.gyyporama.com

Register

To register, please click on the following and read our guidelines.

Virtual Workshop Guidelines & Registration

Virtual Tour Requests for fall 2021 will be accepted beginning September 1, 2021. Scheduling for 2022 will begin on December 1, 2021.

The Zoom link/password will be sent in an email 7 days prior to your event.

  • Each teacher needs to register for their own class, please do not schedule for others.
  • Encourage students to participate! The experience is best when students engage with museum educators and one another through the chat function and/or through spoken discussion.
  • Be respectful of yourself and others, both when speaking aloud and typing in the chat.
  • Students will enter the workshop on mute.

Group Size
Due to the interactive nature of this experience, virtual school workshops are intended for classes of 30 or fewer students watching together, on individual devices, or remotely from their homes. Please email StudioWorkshops@nelson-atkins.org for more information or questions about virtual capacity.

Art Kits
If you request art kits for your workshop, be sure to provide an accurate attendance number. This enables us to provide supplies to as many students as possible. If your anticipated attendance changes, send an updated count, up to 3 weeks before your scheduled workshop to StudioWorkshops@nelson-atkins.org. The kits will be available for pick-up at Coat Check during regular museum hours 2 weeks before your workshop date. You will need to provide the name of the teacher who registered, and the date and time of your workshop at pick-up. PLEASE NOTE: Art Kits are not provided for the Curator for a Day workshop, but additional digital resources are provided online.

Chaperones

  •  Minimum of one adult chaperone is required for your Virtual Field Trip.
  • Chaperones may be a teacher, para-professional, parent, or other school staff member.
  • Chaperones help monitor chat appropriateness, assist students with technology issues, and encourage participation and respectful behavior.
  • Ask chaperones to identify themselves by hovering over their displayed name in the participants list and clicking “Rename”. Example: Name, chaperone.

Technical Requirements for Live Virtual Tour Experiences

Option 1 In-person class with a digital projector or smartboard including a computer with camera, microphone, and internet connection. It’s best if computer audio is connected to speakers to allow the entire classroom to hear the museum’s educators.

Option 2 In-person class with individual devices connected to the internet and headsets for each student.

Option 3 Remote (at home) each student will need a device connected to the internet to participate via Zoom’s chat feature.

How We Connect
The link/password to your Live Virtual Workshop will be sent in an email 7 days prior to your event.

Test Calls: Test calls are recommended before your first Virtual School Workshop and take only 3-5 minutes to complete. The test call will be scheduled separately via email one week prior to your Virtual Field Trip.

One week before your scheduled Live Virtual Workshop: A Zoom link and password will be included in an email with information about how to connect with us via Zoom at the scheduled date and time. The automated emails are sometimes filtered out, so please check all your mailbox folders.

Day of scheduled Live Virtual Workshop: Click the Zoom link to connect 5-10 minutes before the scheduled date and time of the Live Virtual Workshop.

If students are working remotely, share the link with each of them and all chaperones. If this is your first time using the Zoom platform the link will prompt you to install the free software; installation should take less than two minutes and does not require the creation of a zoom account. If students are working remotely please have them login earlier to allow time for download if needed.

Late Starts
Due to multiple scheduled events, we may not be able to extend your Live Virtual Workshop. Please have everyone ready to begin 3-5 minutes before your confirmed, scheduled time.

Cancellations and Changes
To cancel or make a change to your scheduled Live Virtual Workshop please email studioworkshops@nelson-atkins.org. Please include your name, phone number, order number, name of school, and date and time of your scheduled visit. Cancellations are requested at least 48 hours before your scheduled event.
All changes to date, time and workshop will require the cancellation of your scheduled event and a new request to be submitted via the Virtual Workshop Request form, requiring at least three weeks advance submittal for a new date.

Questions?
For additional information please email StudioWorkshops@nelson-atkins.org

We look forward to working with you!

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