Name: Grace Toulouse
Lesson: Chameleons are Cool by Martin Jenkins and illustrated by Sue Shields
Target Grade Level: 4th – 5th graders
Standard(s):Put the appropriate
common core standard here.
Objective(s):
What are your goals for this lesson? What
do you want your kids to be able to do
afterwards?? Why are you doing this
lesson??
Materials:
List absolutely EVERYTHING you need to
do this lesson—especially since you are
going to be sharing it. From
paper/pencils, chart paper or whatever.
Instructional Strategy
This is your step by step guide to what you
are going to and in what order. Put ideas
about time involved to do it step.
Be specific so others can follow this plan.
RL.4.3 Describes in depth a character,
setting, or event in a story or dram, drawing
on specific details in the text (e.g., a
character's thoughts, words, or actions).
RL.5.7 Analyze how visual and multimedia
elements contribute to the meaning, tone,
mood, or appeal of a text (eg., graphic novel,
multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale,
myth, poem).
1. Students will be able to determine
who the characters are in the story
and describe the setting of where it is
taking place.
2. Students will utilize the mediums
provided in class (chalk, pen,
watercolors, etc)
- 8x10 watercolor paper
- Water cups
- Rubbing alcohol
- Salt
- Ball point pens
- Chalk
- Paint brushes
- Watercolor set
- Paper towels
- Chameleons are Cool
In this lesson, I will introduce and read
Chameleons are Cool by Martin Jenkins.
After we read the book I will ask students
a few questions about the story elements
in the book like who are the characters,
where is it taking place, where are there
any problems’/solutions and was there a
theme? Once we get through those
questions I will do my demo on the
project we will be doing, and send them
off to create their chameleon project!
1. Students will get the choice to
choose from different pictures of
chameleons until they find one
they like.

Differentiation:
Put at least two strategies as to how you
can address students with varying
abilities, both above and below typical
students.
2. Once they do, they will grab a piece
of chalk, flip their paper over and
cover the back with chalk.
3. Next they will lay their photo of the
chameleon on top of the water
color paper and grab their
ballpoint pen and start tracing
their chameleon. This process
helps transfer what they want onto
their paper via the chalk.
4. Then they will be ready to start
painting with the watercolor.
5. In my demo I will show them 5
different techniques to get fun
outcomes with the watercolors.
These are wet-on-wet (paint the
page with water then add the
watercolor), wet-on-dry (adding
just the watercolor to the page),
rubbing alcohol (while the paint is
wet, drop some RA onto different
parts of the animal to create
different textures), salt (while paint
is wet, sprinkle salt to create star-
like dots), and splatter paint (using
the brush loaded with color, run
your fingers al0ng the bristle to
create splatters.)
1. Watercolor can be really easy for
students and they can work fast if they
are enjoying it, so I would make sure
to have extra material for students to
experiment with. I might leave out a
few of the techniques if students want
a challenge and only have the
requirements be to use watercolor and
one other technique, while other
students who might want to be
challenged with using all, or most of
the techniques provided. I also will
encourage students who work fast to
decorate their background if they want
to.
2. For students who might have a harder
time with the watercolors, I will have
my requirements be for them to use at
least watercolor and if they want, one

Assessments:
How will you know if your students
learned what you wanted them to learn?
How can you prove it???
other technique. Also, watercolors can
be frustrating since it has a mind of its
own and can travel along the paper if
not careful, so I would encourage
some students to use oil pastel to
outline their chalemelon so that the
water doesn't seep through it.
- Once students are done, I am going to
ask them to think about a story for
their chameleon that they made. Who
is it, where are they from, what do
they like to do, what problems are they
facing and how will they overcome it.
Students will be given a sheet of paper
with these questions down and then
will be prompted to share with their
table.