With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I wanted to share this super-easy DIY envelope you can make to fit any size card! How many times have you or your students created a wonderful hand-made card for Valentine's Day (or Christmas, Birthday, Mother's Day, etc.) and then delivered it in an envelope that didn't fit correctly, or worse yet, no envelope at all??! An … [Read more...]
Day of the Dead / Dia de los Muertos Projects
Day of the Dead (or Dia de los Muertos) is right around the corner! Don't miss the opportunity to share this important cultural tradition with your students. Often misunderstood, this popular Mexican holiday honors ancestors and loved ones who have died, and is celebrated each year on November 1st & 2nd. This family-centered holiday celebrates the cycle of … [Read more...]
Gung Hey Fat Choy! Chinese New Year Dragons
Chinese New Year is right around the corner! Monday, January 23, 2012 will mark the start of the "Year of the Dragon", year 4709 on the Chinese calendar, where each year is designated by one of 12 animals. I thought a dragon project would be fun for my first graders as we usher out the "Year of the Rabbit" and welcome in the "Year of the Dragon"! We're making our dragons in … [Read more...]
Christmas Cards for Veterans
4th grade "JOY" by JacobFor our school-wide Thanksgiving project, we decided to show our thanks to some very special people... My K through 7th grade students have been busy making Christmas cards for Veterans, to spread some Christmas cheer and let these men and women know they are loved and appreciated! The hundreds of cards we made will first be displayed at our church, … [Read more...]
“Day of the Dead Prints” inspired by Jose Posada
We had a blast at my Teach Kids Art: "Day of the Dead" workshop yesterday! I added a new project this year, "Day of the Dead Prints" - inspired by Jose Posada. Jose Posada (1852-1913) was a prolific Mexican folk artist and political satirist from Aguascallientes in central Mexico. Posada began learning lithography (a form of printmaking using a metal plate) at age 16. … [Read more...]
Teacher Workshop: “Day of the Dead” Projects
The popular Mexican holiday, "Day of the Dead" is just around the corner! If you live on the California Central Coast, don't miss your chance to get some great project ideas at my teacher workshop, "Teach Kids Art: 'Day of the Dead' Projects".... this weekend only - Saturday, September 24th, 2011 from 9am-noon at Palace Art in Capitola. I'll be co-teaching this workshop once … [Read more...]
Memorial Day Flag Designs
Here's a great lesson for Memorial Day... I did this with my 1st graders, but any age could have fun with it. Easy to prep, no clean up, everyone was successful, and the kids LOVED it... you can't beat that!Materials:9x12 white paperBlack "F" SharpieRed and blue markersDirections:1. Discuss the American flag and what it symbolizes. (This is a great opportunity to talk about … [Read more...]
Hand-Made Envelopes
Kids love to make hand-made greeting cards for holidays, but most of these cards don't fit into conventional envelopes. Here is an easy way to make your own envelopes, and even add a liner to make them extra-special! To Make an Envelope:1. Lay your card diagonally on a square of paper that is a little larger than your card on each side. (If you make your card from an 8 1/2” … [Read more...]
Gung Hey Fat Choy!
Chinese New Year falls on Valentine's Day this year! Chinese New Year is often celebrated with a parade led by a long, colorful dragon. My 1st graders drew a fun Chinese Dragon to ring in the "Year of the Tiger"!1. Cut a piece of 12"x18" white construction paper in half to measure 6"x18".2. Using pencil, draw a long curvy "snake-shape" across the middle of your paper. Leave … [Read more...]
Valentine Color Mixing
You can mix a "tint" of any color just by adding white to it. Painting with tints lends itself well to Valentine projects, like this colorful card made from a 12"x18" painting folded in half.1. First, place a "quarter-size" amount of red, yellow and turquoise tempera paint on a paper plate. (I like to use "turquoise" rather than "blue", because it's closer to "cyan", or "true … [Read more...]
