Inside Out

Look into the digestive system as you imagine what happens to your favorite foods after you eat them.

• 1.

  Study X-ray paintings by Australian aboriginal peoples in <u>Native Arts of North America, Africa, and the South Pacific</u> or other resources. Then imagine what the insides of bodies are like after a favorite meal: appetizer, salad, main course, side dishes, dessert, and a drink.

• 2.

  With bright colors of Crayola® Crayons, draw a large body outline. Use a white crayon to fill the interior with outlines of favorite food shapes. Complete the drawing with crayon, adding details such as facial features and clothing. Color all the lines heavily.

• 3.

  Cover a work area with recycled newspaper. With Crayola Watercolors and Paint Brushes, cover the entire drawing. The waxy crayon will "pop" through the painted surface, and the white crayon produces an X-ray effect.Dry.

• 4.

  To add a sparkling touch, outline the food with Crayola Washable Glitter Glue. Dry.

Benefits

• Students explore contour (outline) drawing and crayon resist techniques.
• Children gain a better understanding of the digestive process by imagining what the insides of their bodies look like after eating their favorite foods.

Adaptations

• Integrate this creative activity into curriculum themes such as the human body, growing up, and nutrition. Students could do similar X-rays of their heads after completing a particularly challenging task, or their lungs after breathing polluted air.
• Study some real, recycled X-rays. Learn more about newer imaging techniques such as MRIs and sonograms. Find out how they work, their effects on people, and their uses.
• Younger students and those with special needs may need assistance drawing outlines. Provide pre-cut stencils of body shapes and basic food items (bananas, pizza slices, etc.) to trace with crayons. Invite children to add crayon details to outlined forms.