• Sunset at Granite Park Chalet

    Glacier

    National Park Montana

K-3, Unit Three, Activity 3: "Changes at Log City"

Log Mural Example

Denny Olson

Log Mural Example

Students will be able to reproduce images of the happenings in a rotting log, and show how it will change over time.



Grades: 2-3

Time: about 1/2 hour

Subjects: Visual arts, life science



Materials:




  • Butcher paper


  • Crayons and markers


  • Lifetimes, by Bryan Mellonie and Robert R. Ingpen


  • Overhead of log changes example.



Procedure:

1. Have students draw a large mural of the rotting log they studied in the previous lesson. Include the different organisms they found.

2. Have them draw a second mural of what the decomposers will leave behind when they are done. Use the example drawing of how a rotting log might change to give them some ideas.

3. Draw a third mural showing what the area of the log will look like in a few years. Do you think that dying things help other living things? Why?

4. Read them the story Lifetimes, and discuss how the "endings" of some things may help the living things.



Assessment:

Self-contained in activity.

Did You Know?

U-shaped valley carved by a glacier

Glacier National park was named for the glaciers that carved, sculpted, and formed this landscape millions of years ago. Despite the recession of current glaciers, the park's name will not change when the glaciers are gone.