fluorescent scorpion 5

What You’ll Need

Fluorescent scorpion

Topics Covered Shape, Space & Value

Time Needed 2 Session at 50 Minutes

5

© DEEP SPACE SPARKLE & THE SPARKLERS CLUB 2

ABOUT SCORPIONS SCORPIONS are part of the arachnid family, just like spiders. They have eight legs and are easily

identified by their longer front legs with grasping pincers and their skinny, long segmented tail and

venomous stinger. Scorpions mainly live in deserts but have adapted to live in other places and

can be found on all continents except Antartica. Scorpions are powerful stingers and use their

pincers and stinger not only for defense, but also to kill prey.

Did you know that scorpions become

fluorescent under a black light? Scientists

believe that there

is a substance in

the scorpion’s

outer shell that

reacts with

ultraviolet light,

making them glow

blue-green in the

dark. The exact reason why this happens remains unknown.

Your fifth-grade students might think of

scorpions as being scary but after completing

this blacklight lesson and learning how

scorpions can actually glow, they might also

walk away thinking that they are pretty cool. In

this lesson, students will use basic shapes to

draw a scorpion with the included drawing

guide or from observation. Next, they will add

a contrasting background and a little bit of

value to help show space. As a finishing

touch, they will splatter a little white liquid

tempera on top to show a bit of texture before displaying their

art under a blacklight to see their scorpion glow just like the

desert scorpions that inspired the lesson.

What You’ll Need: 9” x 12” black sulphite paper

Neon oil pastels

Black & white oil pastel

White liquid tempera paint

Small paintbrush

Blacklight

Fluorescent scorpion

Black Emperor Scorpion Fluorescing Light Blue. Image from HERE.

http://www.wikipedia.org

http://www.wikipedia.org

Drawing the scorpion• Start with a 9” x 12” piece of black sulphite paper.

Your paper can either be HORIZONTAL or VERTICAL

depending on the orientation of the scorpion that you draw.

• Use the drawing guide on

page six, the scorpion handout

on page seven or the source

photos on page eight to draw

from OBSERVATION. I will be

using the drawing guide in this

example.

• Begin with a rounded trapezoid SHAPE near the

middle left side of the paper.

• Add a small circle on the two left corners.

• NOTE: I like to leave a little space in between each

shape to help create outlines that CONTRAST under

the black light.

• To make the body, draw a series of five vertical

rectangles that are largest near the head and get

smaller towards the tail.

• Next, add a series of five horizontal rectangles,

starting with the largest near the body and ending

with the smallest to make the segmented tail.

• Add a stinger at the end of the tail.

• To make the longer front legs, draw two skinny

rectangles that come off of the two front circles.

• Finish the front legs with the large pincers and then

add the remaining six legs, three on each side.

Handouts on pages 6-8


Color & the background• Once your scorpion is drawn, color it in. Neon oil

pastels are neat because they glow under a

blacklight. I have used the neon yellow oil pastel

since most scorpions glow a fluorescent yellow-blue

under a blacklight, but you can use any neon oil

pastel. Just keep in mind that the lighter colors tend

to glow brighter and you can blend them with white

if you need to.

• NOTE: Having a scrap piece of black paper with

different colors and techniques to hold under the

blacklight and show students as an example can be helpful.

• After you color in your scorpion, you can add a

BACKGROUND.

• Think about what the surface of the ground is

underneath the scorpion. Draw outlines for things

like rocks and sticks.

• Color in the shapes with colors that contrasts with

your scorpion so that it stands out from the SPACE

behind it.

• To make things look more realistic and add some

dimension, outline objects with an oil pastel in a

darker VALUE.

• Add some shading to the

rocks. You can even color the

space in between if you’d like.

• Occasionally look at your

artwork under the blacklight to see

if there is anything else you would like to add.


Finishing touches• To add a bit more contrast and even more

dimension, outline rocks with a black oil pastel.

• Use your finger to carefully smooth the outline and

create a gentle shadow. This will help to add FORM.

• You can also outline your scorpion with the black

oil pastel if you’d like.

• Test again under the blacklight.

• Once your drawing is completely finished, it’s time

to add some optional paint splatters using a little bit

of white liquid tempera paint.

• This fun finishing touch adds even more TEXTURE

to the background.

• Dilute some white liquid tempera paint with a

little bit of water so that it the consistency of

thick cream.

• Dip a medium round brush in the paint

and then hold the brush in your non-

dominate hand.

• Gently tap the brush to

release a little splatter on the

artwork. Splatter around the

scorpion in the background

areas. If a little gets on the

scorpion it’s okay.

• Once your paint

splatters are dry, your

fluorescent scorpion is

ready for blacklight display.


Start the scorpion by drawing the head with a rounded square or trapezoid shape with a small circle on the left corners.

1

3

5 6

4

2

Add the body, by drawing a series of five vertical rectangles behind the head that get smaller as they get closer to the tail.

Continue with a series of five horizontal rectangles that curve around to make the segmented tail. Finish with the stinger.

For the segmented front legs, draw two long, skinny ovals off of the circles on the front of the head.

Add another oval to the end of each leg. Finish with a curved line to show the parts of the pincer. Make the pincers open, if you’d like.

Draw the remaining legs, three on each side. Use a zigzag line on the top of the body to show those that are hidden behind.


D R A W I N G G U I D EScorpion


H A N D O U TScorpions


Scorpio

nS

O U

R C

E

I M A

G E


National Core Arts Standards - 5th GradeF L O U R E S C E N T S C O R P I O N

C R E AT I N G

Common Core StandardsCCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of

view with reasons and information.

As students complete an artist statement (located in Teacher

Aids), they are supporting claims about what their artwork

means. This requires them to build their answer based on how

they created the work as evidence pointing toward the composition’s meaning.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.2 Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats,

including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

After introducing the students to scorpions via posters, slide deck, etc., students can be asked

to answer questions orally to summarize what they have learned about scorpions.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when

writing or speaking.

You can emphasize to students the importance of using conventions of standard English

grammar when writing their answers to the artist statement worksheet This is a wonderful way to

help students see cross-curricular connections between subjects.

VA:Cr1.1.5a - Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work - Combine ideas to generate an innovative idea for art-making.

VA:Cr2.1.5a - Organize and develop artistic ideas and work - Experiment and develop skills in multiple art-making techniques and approaches through practice.

VA:Cr3.1.5a - Refine and complete artistic work - Create artist statements using art vocabulary to describe personal choices in artmaking.

I Can StatementsF L O U R E S C E N T S C O R P I O N


Today I will learn about SHAPE so that I

CAN draw a SCORPION by simplifying its

body into a combination of basic SHAPES like

rectangles, circles and ovals.

Today I will learn about SPACE so that I CAN use CONTRAST to

help make my SCORPION stand out from the BACKGROUND.

Today I will learn about FORM so that I CAN use VALUE to make

things like rocks in the BACKGROUND look THREE-

DIMENSIONAL.

Time to evaluate your work! Review your project and check the box with your answer.

Criteria

Craftsmanship

Effort

Composition

Did you follow all steps?

Were you satisfied with the end result?

Did you use the supplies correctly?

Did you do your best?

Excellent Needs WorkSuccessful Progressing

© DEEP SPACE SPARKLE & THE SPARKLERS CLUB

© DEEP SPACE SPARKLE & THE SPARKLERS CLUB

Student Name:__________________ Class:__________ Project: Fluorescent Scorpion

Student Name:__________________ Class:__________ Project: Fluorescent Scorpion

TEACHER ASSESSMENT

STUDENT ASSESSMENT

5-75-7

5-7 5-7

Did the student draw a scorpion by using a combination of basic shapes?

Did the student create contrast between the background and the scorpion to help show space?

Did the student use value to add shading to objects in the background to imply form?

Observation

Scorpion

F L O U R E S C E N T S C O R P I O N V O C A B U L A R Y


fluorescent scorpion 5

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