Third Grade
Loons
One of the standards in fifth grade art is:
-Create a representational sculpture based on people, animals, or buildings
In third grade art we talk about sculpture, additive, and subtractive. To gradually become familiar with these terms we are beginning our sculpture lessons with a 2D loon. To go along with this lesson we read
Loon Lake by Jonathan London.
After discussing several interesting facts about the Minnesota state bird, we started making each piece of them. After freehand drawing and cutting each piece, we painted the loons the way they were described in the book. Notice their “shell necklaces” -you’ll have to read the book to know more about this!
Below you will find LOON FACTS and you will see each of the 3rd Grader's who have completed their loons!
Ask your 3rd grader if they can tell you some of the fun facts they learned about our state bird!
Stop in to Halverson School to see the loons displayed in the halls!
Did You Know….. - The average weight of a Common Loon in the Great Lakes area is 10 pounds.
- Loons eat approximately 2 pounds of fish EACH DAY.
- In flight, loons flap their wings about 200 times per minute and reach speeds of approximately 70 miles per hour.
- Minimum lake size for nesting loons is reportedly 10 acres, but loon nests have been found on smaller lakes.
- The average age of a Common Loon at first nesting is 3-5 years.
- A loon can live for approximately 25 to 30 years.
- Loons are considered one of the most primitive birds on earth. This means that they have not changed their current form in about 1 million years.
- The first Loon relative appeared about 25 million years ago and measured about six feet from beak to tail.
There are 5 loon species in the family
- Until recently, it was accepted that loons, once paired, mated for life. However, through the use of banding, researchers have found this romantic notion to be false. Loons, it seems, are more attached to specific lakes than to their mates.
Aren't they great?!!
Gaviidae that range across the northern portion of the northern hemisphere. Arctic and Pacific Loons were once thought to be the same species, but were recently separated into two species. The Red-throated Loon is the smallest of the five, while the Yellow-billed Loon is the largest. Of course, who could forget the Common Loon, the only loon that nests in the lower 48 states!
