Nature’s Work of Art

Overview: Horns have a bony core and a keratin covering. This keratin is much like what our fingernails are made of. Horns usually have a single point, and stay for the lifetime of the animal. Students will make models of horns, paying special attention to this unique structure.

This lesson is part of a series. Select this text to learn more about the series and how to extend its usefulness, or proceed directly to a list and summary of related mammal activities.

Subjects: Science and Art

Grades: 2-4

Length: Involved

Materials:
- Clay (any kind)
- Pictures of horns
- Tinfoil

Procedures:
1. Use the section on horns to provide students with background information.
2 . Make available pictures of various animals with horns.
3. Working independently or in groups, have students create different horns out of clay. Students should have a strong base of clay that their horns can protrude from. Encourage students to make their creations thick and sturdy to prevent drooping.
4. After horns are sculpted and dry, carefully mold tinfoil around each horn. (You can also fire the clay before adding the tinfoil to make this base structure even stronger.) The foil represents the keratin covering of real horns. Student should make a label for their artwork identifying what animal their horns are from. They may want to draw a picture or cut one out from a magazine to go along with their label.