Lesson Summary

This lesson combined printmaking with environmental awareness by exploring the vital role of insects in biodiversity. Students studied the history of printmaking and the development of linocut techniques, learning to use carving tools, a brayer, a baren, and printing inks to create original artworks.

After selecting and researching an insect, students sketched a detailed composition incorporating it and its natural habitat. They transferred the image onto a soft-cut linoleum block, carved it using positive and negative space, and printed a series of editions on colored paper. Students wrote a reflective paragraph alongside their prints describing their insect’s habitat, origin, and ecological significance—connecting art-making with scientific inquiry and conservation.