As a participant in Blog Action Day, today I post on the important topic of the green classroom. Specifically, I want to encourage all of you crafty teachers and parents to seek art and project supplies in places other than your local Wal-Mart or Michaels. Instead of giving you a project today, I'm giving you an assignment. Go out and find a cheap or free place to get supplies, and bring back something you can use in your teaching sometime soon.
I hit my local Goodwills and Salvation Armies about once a month, and I always find something that can be repurposed in my classroom. Just last week I found one of those things you hang in a doorway with long strands of beads on it. Some of the strands will go into the dramatic play center, others for craft projects, and a heap of them would be awesome in the sensory table. I also found a ton of dress-up clothes, including several hats.
It's getting late in the season for yard sales in my region, but it may still be warm where you are. Check your local newspaper for ads and be on red alert for any that say "retiring teacher." Sales like that can be a gold mine.
Odds are you also have a place nearby that collects items from companies to be reused by schools. In my area, it's Ruth's. If not, you can call large companies and ask. Try printers for cardboard tubes and scrap paper, laboratories and hospitals for pipettes and science stuff, hardware stores for wallpaper sample books and brushes, and so on. Big stores usually have stuff they're eager to donate, and you never know what you might find. One approach is to come up with a list of possible items, and then write (or have your kids write) letters requesting donations.
Using recycled stuff in your art projects encourages creativity, teaches science, and fosters a respect for the environment. It also helps the planet and saves you money. You really can't lose, so go for it!
Beautiful Leaf Decorations
Here are two ways to create wonderful fall leaf decorations and art in your classroom. I did both of these with preschoolers, but they can be done by all ages and are very satisfying.
The first project involves coffee filters and markers. I know you've done this before, but they came out so well I had to mention it here. We used the extra-large, extra-thick ones from Discount School Supply, but regular ones will work as well. First, cut out various leaf shapes from the filters. Try to get a few different species so you have a variety. Then, have the kids color the leaves with markers. I limited them to red, orange and yellow, although you don't have to. Show them how to make dots or stripes on the leaves, as coloring the whole leaf in is unnecessary. Now just have them drip water on the leaves using pipettes. Don't let them put the whole leaves in water, or the color will leach out. Lay them on sheets of paper to dry and you'll have gorgeous translucent leaves that can be hung or taped to windows.
The second project is a classic, and with good reason. Collect real leaves, apply paint or ink to them, and press them against paper. Even using cheap children's tempera, you'll get wonderfully detailed veins. I liked using sponge rollers instead of brushes to apply the paint; brushes lay it on too thick and you get a globby mess. Also, place another piece of paper on top of the leaves and press on that rather than directly on them. This stops the leaves from shifting and creating blurry images. Finally, I suggest using plain white paper as your background. A few of my co-workers did the project with brown or green construction paper, and the detail just didn't show up as well as it did with white.
Happy fall!
The first project involves coffee filters and markers. I know you've done this before, but they came out so well I had to mention it here. We used the extra-large, extra-thick ones from Discount School Supply, but regular ones will work as well. First, cut out various leaf shapes from the filters. Try to get a few different species so you have a variety. Then, have the kids color the leaves with markers. I limited them to red, orange and yellow, although you don't have to. Show them how to make dots or stripes on the leaves, as coloring the whole leaf in is unnecessary. Now just have them drip water on the leaves using pipettes. Don't let them put the whole leaves in water, or the color will leach out. Lay them on sheets of paper to dry and you'll have gorgeous translucent leaves that can be hung or taped to windows.
The second project is a classic, and with good reason. Collect real leaves, apply paint or ink to them, and press them against paper. Even using cheap children's tempera, you'll get wonderfully detailed veins. I liked using sponge rollers instead of brushes to apply the paint; brushes lay it on too thick and you get a globby mess. Also, place another piece of paper on top of the leaves and press on that rather than directly on them. This stops the leaves from shifting and creating blurry images. Finally, I suggest using plain white paper as your background. A few of my co-workers did the project with brown or green construction paper, and the detail just didn't show up as well as it did with white.Happy fall!
Faux Stained Glass/Suncatchers
I'm sure most of my readers have done this, but on the off chance you haven't, I hope you'll try it!
To make wonderful faux stained glass, you will need construction paper, tissue paper, and clear Contact paper. The latter is easily found in any craft store or in the shelf linings section of Wal-Mart. First, choose a shape. I like to do shapes related to our current theme. This week we're doing Apples, so I drew a 7" apple shape on red construction paper. Cut out your shape, and then "stab" the center with the scissors so you can cut out the middle, leaving an unbroken frame about 3/4" thick. With symmetrical shapes, you can fold the paper in half and cut it that way... the same way you'd make a paper heart. Just make two cuts so it opens to a frame.
Now, cut a piece of Contact paper that is slightly larger than your frame. Peel off the backing and place the frame on the sticky side. For the apple project, I also cut out stems and leaves and stuck those on as well. Next, give the child some tissue paper and have them tear or cut it into small pieces. All they have to do is stick the tissue paper onto the sticky Contact paper inside the frame. Have them cover it up so there is no more stickiness showing.
You have a couple of options for finishing. You can stick the whole thing to a window as-is, although it might look odd if the child put tissue paper outside the frame (which they invariably do). You could also trim it, punch a hole, and hang it up. What I do is put a second piece of Contact paper over the tissue paper side. Press firmly to smooth out bubbles, and then cut off the excess sticky paper. Write their name on the frame with a Sharpie and tape it to a window. Beautiful! A real parent-pleaser, too.
Older students could create and cut their own frames, perhaps using craft knives to cut intricate shapes. There are plenty of online sources of free stained glass patterns that could be used - here's one place to start. Just thicken some of the lines with a marker to make cutting easier. This is a good project for all students to explore color concepts, too, since many hues are formed by the overlapping tissue paper.
By the way, a fun variation on this is to have the kids cover a whole window with tissue paper. If they adhere it with liquid starch it will be easy to remove later. Just paint the glass with a thin layer of starch and stick on the paper. A wide brush works best for covering large areas. You can skip the construction paper frames if you want, or add frames after it dries.
To make wonderful faux stained glass, you will need construction paper, tissue paper, and clear Contact paper. The latter is easily found in any craft store or in the shelf linings section of Wal-Mart. First, choose a shape. I like to do shapes related to our current theme. This week we're doing Apples, so I drew a 7" apple shape on red construction paper. Cut out your shape, and then "stab" the center with the scissors so you can cut out the middle, leaving an unbroken frame about 3/4" thick. With symmetrical shapes, you can fold the paper in half and cut it that way... the same way you'd make a paper heart. Just make two cuts so it opens to a frame.
Now, cut a piece of Contact paper that is slightly larger than your frame. Peel off the backing and place the frame on the sticky side. For the apple project, I also cut out stems and leaves and stuck those on as well. Next, give the child some tissue paper and have them tear or cut it into small pieces. All they have to do is stick the tissue paper onto the sticky Contact paper inside the frame. Have them cover it up so there is no more stickiness showing.
You have a couple of options for finishing. You can stick the whole thing to a window as-is, although it might look odd if the child put tissue paper outside the frame (which they invariably do). You could also trim it, punch a hole, and hang it up. What I do is put a second piece of Contact paper over the tissue paper side. Press firmly to smooth out bubbles, and then cut off the excess sticky paper. Write their name on the frame with a Sharpie and tape it to a window. Beautiful! A real parent-pleaser, too.
Older students could create and cut their own frames, perhaps using craft knives to cut intricate shapes. There are plenty of online sources of free stained glass patterns that could be used - here's one place to start. Just thicken some of the lines with a marker to make cutting easier. This is a good project for all students to explore color concepts, too, since many hues are formed by the overlapping tissue paper.
By the way, a fun variation on this is to have the kids cover a whole window with tissue paper. If they adhere it with liquid starch it will be easy to remove later. Just paint the glass with a thin layer of starch and stick on the paper. A wide brush works best for covering large areas. You can skip the construction paper frames if you want, or add frames after it dries.
Pumpkin Picture Holder
I adore these simple picture holders made from polymer clay and wire. This would be a fun and easy project for any age. You could just as easily use real mini pumpkins and little gourds, or have several wires coming out of one big pumpkin... But if you still want to make the more permanent clay version visit 365Halloween for instructions. What a cute gift! Or use it to hold little signs and whatnot.This is just the kind of project I want to feature on The Crafty Teacher: fast, simple, and adaptable to different abilities and themes. If you come across a project you think would be suitable for an appearance here, please email me the info at teachcraftily [at] gmail dot com.
Make Your Own Worry Dolls or Toothpick People
Are these cute or what?Materials Needed
Toothpicks - the kind that are square in the center but round at the ends
Embroidery floss in various colors, including flesh tones
Small bead with a hole that allows it to fit snugly over a toothpick
Scissors - the smaller the better
Tacky glue - the quick-set type is best, or use super glue
Tweezers (optional but helpful)
How to Do It
1. There are several possible ways to arrange toothpicks to make a worry doll; I found this one in an old craft book
and it seems to be pretty effective. The photo to the right shows the pieces you will need. The sizes don't have to be perfect. For reference, the piece in the center that will form the head and torso is about 1 1/2" long.2. Begin assembly by gluing the "legs" to the body, with the pointed tips of the legs at the halfway mark of the body piece. You can use an extra toothpick to apply the glue. If you feel clumsy with such things and think glue might squeeze out, work over waxed paper.
3. The doll in this example is a girl, and she's going to be wearing a skirt. Cut a length of embroidery floss about 18" long. It takes more than you think it will! Dab some glue on the back of the doll, and begin wrapping the string around it starting at the "waist." Add glue on the back as needed, and continue down until the skirt reaches the length you want. If you want pants, just wrap the waist and each leg separately. Let the glue set and trim the ends on the back.
4. Choose a shirt color and wrap each arm. Then glue the arms to the outside of the legs, right at the midpoint of the body. Note that the pointed ends of the arms become the shoulders. They will be covered with more floss, so don't worry if they're not perfectly neat.5. Let the glue set until the arms are fairly secure. Then glue and wrap with the shirt color, beginning just above the shoulders. To make the shirt go down far enough, you may want to adjust your wrapping so it goes under the arms. Use a toothpick or tweezers to help push the thread up under her armpits.
6. The bead will form the head. Slide it onto the toothpick and glue to secure, leaving a short "neck." Let the glue set and trim any protruding length of wood from the top.
7. Cover the head and neck with glue. Begin at the neck and carefully wrap upwards with your flesh colored floss. It's okay if the top and back of the head are a bit messy.8. Glue on some floss for hair in the style and length of your choice.
Variations and Tips
• You could smooth the "feet" and "hands" with sandpaper if you want.
• Make some accessories for your dolls. Headbands, scarves and shoes should be pretty easy places to start.
• I prefer faceless dolls, but you can certainly add such details with a felt-tipped pen. You could add buttons, pockets or jewelry the same way.
• A larger version could be made from skewers or pencils and yarn.
• You could wrap the whole body in one color and then glue on bits of fabric for the clothes.
• These would make great embellishments for cards or attachments to gift tags. They could be used as ornaments, on hair accessories, or as jewelry. For a more academic slant, try putting a few in a diorama.
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