My Very Own Octopus

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Support reading comprehension and embrace the arts with this eco-friendly project.

OBJECTIVE
After reading My Very Own Octopus by Bernard Most, students will make their own octopus crafts out of recyclable materials.

MATERIALS

Elmer's® X-TREME School Glue Stick™, empty plastic water bottles, scissors, white paper (cut into strips), googly eyes, markers, decorations such as yarn, glitter, feathers, beads, and buttons

SET UP AND PREPARE

1. In the week before you teach this lesson, invite students to bring in empty plastic water bottles (larger bottles work best) from home. Prepare the bottles by cutting off the bottoms.
2. Read My Very Own Octopus by Bernard Most to your class. Once finished, discuss with students what they would do with an octopus if they had one as a companion.
3. Invite students to make a list of fun activities, places they would travel to, or people they would introduce their octopus to.

DIRECTIONS

1. Explain to students that they will now make an octopus craft out of recycled plastic water bottles. Pass out one empty plastic water bottle and eight strips of white paper to each student.

2. Begin by cutting the base of the plastic bottle into eight strips. The strips will be the tentacles.

3. Next, have students write down the activities they have chosen to do with their octopus (such as "play baseball," "teach piano," "ride a bike," and so on) on the eight strips of white paper.

4. Using Elmer's® X-TREME School Glue Stick^TM, have students glue their white paper strips to each of the plastic strips (or tentacles).

5. Students can decorate their octopuses with googly eyes, feathers, colorful paper, and other materials.

6. Lastly, invite students to present their octopuses to the class and read aloud the fun activities they chose!