The Turtle / Tortoise Collage is a numbers and skip counting art activity based on the book Truman written by Jean Reidy and illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins.

The Turtle / Tortoise Collage is a fun math activity for creating patterns with numbers, colors, lines, and shapes. Students can number a turtle shell body 1-20, or skip count by 2’s to 40, by 5’s to 100, or by 10’s to 200. They will see the numbers create a horizontal pattern as well as a vertical pattern.

Art Vocabulary:

Collage – picture made by gluing a variety of items to a surface to create a new whole. (much like addition: part + part = whole)

Complementary colors – colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel. These colors when used side by side contrast and make each other stand out. (red & green, blue & orange, and purple & yellow)

Value – the darkness or lightness of a color

Horizon line – where the land meets the sky

Art Projects:

Option 1: Students will number turtle shell body segments with a marker and color the odd and even numbers different colors. Color other turtle body parts with crayons. Students may color their turtle the traditional dark/light green and yellow green or use colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel called complementary colors. Then students will design a pink rug on a horizontal 12” x 18” sheet of manila paper. The rug design should cover half or more of the sheet. They may use a variety of line thicknesses and values to create patterns in their rug. They should add fringe to the top of the rug. Students will then cut out all 5 pieces to create the turtle and glue to complete the collage.

Option 2: Students can create a Romero Britto style turtle and landscape. Choose a turtle shell and number the segments with a marker and color the odd and even numbers 2 different colors. Students will use a horizontal 12” x 18” sheet of manila paper and follow the instruction sheet on how to create a Romero Britto style artwork. Once they see how to create patterns from colors, lines, and shapes, they can color their other turtle parts. Cut out all turtle parts and glue on manila paper to complete the collage.

This product is complete with:

· 2 blank turtle shell bodies for students to number as directed or as they choose

· 3 sheets with 1 turtle head, 2 legs and a tail

· 1 Instruction sheet – Steps to create a Romero Britto style artwork

· 4 colored sample sheets for students to see the steps to complete collage

· 1 math K worksheet – Number bonds to 10

· 1 math K worksheet sample – colored and calculated

· 1 math 1 worksheet – Number bonds to 10 with number comparison & fact family

· 1 math 1 worksheet sample – colored and calculated

Math K and 1 Worksheets:

Students will:

· color shapes with 2 complementary colors

· complete a ten frame

· compose a part-part-whole equation

· record each number with tally marks

· create a number sentence

· compare numbers (greater than, less than, equal to)

· record the fact family

· color the backpack in the background

Students will choose 2 complementary colors or the colors of their choice and color the turtle shapes to create 2 numbers that they will use to compose 10. They will count the turtles and color the ten frame to match the number of colored turtles. Students will use the 2 numbers to fill in the 2 parts of the part-part-whole equation and solve to get the whole. They will record each number with tally marks. In Math K, students will use the 3 numbers from the part-part-whole equation to complete the number sentence. In Math 1, students will compare numbers (greater than, less than, or equal to) and use the numbers to complete the fact family. Once the students have completed the math, they may color the backpack in the background.

Students love to write with markers, color, cut, and glue, so get them excited about numbers and patterns.