Birch Trees

We did a Birch Tree art project last week, and as this is usually a three day lesson I thought I was very adventurous  crazy to get it done in two. I had the students draw three trees on 12x18 art paper, then go over those lines with black tempura paint and then add the details with a piece of tag board.  I cut the paper into 2" squares. The big black spots are made by dragging the tag dipped in black paint across the tree trunk and the lines are made by stamping the edge of the card across the tree. We then set this aside to dry and painted the background on a separate piece of 12x18 art paper. We used water colour paint pucks in red,orange, and yellow to create a sunset/ sunrise effect. We set this aside to dry as well.. The next lesson the kids cut the trees out and glued them on top of the background sunrise paper, and voila!  Some turned out better than others and usually I think they are going to be worse than they usually turn out, I really should have more faith!

Horton Hears a Who!

So we are in the middle of our literacy unit on Dr. Seuss. This week we read, Horton Hears a Who. I found this awesome project on Pinterest and knew that I had to do it! Thanks to Jodi from "Fun in First" for the idea and template, the project was a snap! The kids were super excited about making their own Hortons and I must say they turned out pretty darn cute!

I had the students write a thank you message, as though they were a Who, to thank Horton for saving them. Then they put their Horton together and added a clover (made from a pipe cleaner and a sparkly pom pom). They signed their names and added the surname "Who" for an extra touch of whimsy.

I just love some of the things they wrote!