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Tissue Paper Butterfly
Creating butterfly art is as simple as 1-2-3. Kids cut coffee filters into butterfly shapes. Next, they wet and place squares of tissue paper onto the filters. Fifteen minutes later, they lift the tissue to reveal a colorful pattern...
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Making Paper: Recycled Art
The advent of paper has made a huge impact on society and we wouldn't be the same without it. This project allows learners to explore and create paper of their own using recycled materials. The how-to is all laid out, just follow the...
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Cornmeal with Powder Paint
Pre schoolers use art to build observational skills and eye-hand coordination. They squeeze art into a ribbon like shape on their paper, then sprinkle cornmeal and powder paint over it. They watch as water is sprayed on top of the...
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Paper Ring Art
A few bits of paper can really go a long way when it comes to art. Learners build motor skills and a creative voice as they shape and glue thin strips of paper, creating an original scene.Â
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Aboriginal-Style "Bark" Painting
Aboriginal art is full of symbolism, nature, and original style. Kids use natural symbols, paint, sticks, and cardboard to create a piece inspired by traditional Aboriginal bark painting. Tip: This resource is lacking examples and back...
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Flower Painting/Printmaking
Using old or donated flowers, little learners create flower prints. They discuss the colors found in nature, paint a background, and then create flowers for their pictures by dipping and pressing real flowers onto their paper.Â
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Seashell Painting
Let nature inspire your budding artists. They paint seascapes on actual seashells. First, they observe the seaside, then they paint what they see (image or in person) on the inside of a white shell.Â
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Paper Flowers
Here is a great art project to use at the onset of spring. Little ones use paper towels, tempera paint, and glue to create free-form flowers. Tip: Use this idea to make the front of a Mother's Day card.
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Pass the Painting
After reading a story or informational text describing an animal, your class gets creative and collaborative with paint. In groups, they brainstorm all the parts of an animal, they then take turns painting those parts. One child starts...
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Leaf Prints
Creating art from nature teaches learners how to appreciate the world around them while allowing them to practice artistic techniques. After observing and choosing fall leaves from outside, they create leaf prints. They press the painted...
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Fish Banners
An art lesson involving fish can accent a wide variety of subjects. Here are the steps needed to create a fish banner with paint, shapes, cardboard, and paper. This would be a nice way to start or finish a unit on fish or underwater...
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Relief Foil Sculpture
A little tin foil can go a long way. Middle schoolers create relief sculptures out of card board and foil. The step-by-step procedure and materials list are included. Note: This project can be done with children as young as seven.
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Papier-mache Bowl
Bowls are useful and can be quite beautiful. The steps needed to create bowls out of papier-mache are outlined in this step-by-step art lesson. Tip: Discuss the origin of papier-mache, various cultures that have used it, and how it has...
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Paper Clay Fish Sculpture
Why not get creative and use paper clay to create colorful fish sculptures? All the steps needed to complete this activity are included. Your class will sculpt beautiful fish while exploring color, shape, and creative thinking. Use these...
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Pipe Cleaner Sculpture
Learners of any age can make the most out of their pipe cleaners. This art project idea is very simple and yet, it could result in some amazing works of art. They use pipe cleaners, flat styrofoam, straws, pasta, and beads to create...
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Tissue Paper Puzzle Art
Get creative and use a tissue paper collage to make wonderful window hangings for the classroom. You'll find the materials list, objectives, and instructions needed to complete this fun activity. This project encourages eye-hand...
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Puzzle Piece Frames
Every class has a puzzle or two with missing pieces, don't trash them, use them for art. Great for framing a picture or self-portrait, this frame idea really comes together. Learners use old puzzle pieces to decorate a picture frame....
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Crayon Resist
Kids usually love crayon resist projects. It is so fascinating for them to see how the dark paint accentuates and resists the waxy crayon. Here are instructions for executing a crayon resist project of your own. Tip: Make the project fit...
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Radial Letters
This art lesson seems simple enough. As a way to introduce radial symmetry, spokes, or rays, learners create an artistic representation demonstrating radial symmetry. They stick a variety of letter stickers on their paper starting in the...
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Crayon Etching (Scratch Art)
What to do at a time when we have a little extra time to fill and need an activity that won't take a lot of prep? This art project is simple and can be linked to various other subjects. Learners use crayons to color in their paper, then...
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Hieroglyphic Cartouche Pendants
In ancient Egypt, mummified bodies were embellished with elaborate cartouches housing the name of the deceased. Elementary artists can read all about Egyptian burial practices then create a cartouche of their own using clay and real...
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Styrofoam Relief Prints
Using Styrofoam trays, kindergartners carve and create their own prints. They create an image in the Styrofoam, ink it up, and then use it to create prints. It would be great to mention and show how ink blocks or block prints have been...
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Glue Fish
Get out the glue and those oil pastels its time for an art project. The class explores shape, art, and color as they draw fish with glue, let them dry, and then color them as they wish. This project would be wonderful after discussing...
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Understanding Character
Readers practice character analysis by reviewing Gary Soto's short story "La Bamba" with the whole class (anything you've read together will work). They design t-shirts that feature traits and story elements to reveal the nature of a...