Misty Copeland Portraits

What You Need:

• Pastels or colored pencils
• Cardstock or heavy art paper
• A copy of the text Firebird by Misty Copeland
• Pencil
• A copy of A Misty Copeland Biography worksheet

What You Do:

1. Show your child the cover of the book Firebird by Misty Copeland. Explain that this is a book written by a famous ballerina. You can use A Misty Copeland Biography worksheet to learn more about her with your child.
2. Read aloud the story to your child. As you read, talk about the images that you see on each page.
3. Discuss the story by asking your child questions, such as:
   • Who is this story about?
   • What happens in the story?
   • What did you like most about the story?
4. Explain to your child that today you will be drawing portraits of Misty Copeland, just like the illustrator did in the book. Define a portrait as a painting, drawing, or photo of a person.
5. Show the materials and ask your child to start by sketching their portrait using pencil. Then have them fill it in with color using the pastels or colored pencils. For older children, encourage them to write a sentence or two about Misty Copeland. For younger children, have them dictate what their illustration shows for you to write.
6. Create a portrait gallery in your home and encourage your child to draw portraits of other famous people.