Poinsettia Plant Multi-Media for Third Grade

My third grade students completed this project before Christmas, but with the holiday break, I forgot to post it. The project is as about as easy as you can get. The only area of "struggle" was cutting out the pot. Despite it's challenges, this component of the project provides a valuable opportunity to understand symmetry.
Supplies:
12" x 18" white construction/sulphite paper
12" x 18" Black construction paper
Tempera Paints (I selected red, yellow, rose, white, etc)
Sponges cut in "petal" shapes
6" x 6" colored construction paper
Paint brushes
Yellow or orange tempera paint
Gold metallic tempera paint
Tissue paper
Scissors
White School glue
Glitter

Step One: Stamping the Petals
With a paint brush, add the centers of the flowers on the top section of the white paper. The kids can use the backs of the brushes for small dots, or paint larger circles with the bristles.
Using a paintbrush, paint desired color onto a sponge. As the kids get good at this, let them experiment by adding two or more colors to the sponge. One color at the tip, another at the bottom, etc. Most likely, they'll ask before you suggest it.

Press painted sponge gently on paper, pointing tip of sponge towards the center of the flower. Keep going. The paint will begin to weaken after the third or fourth press.

Step Two: Making the Vase
While the poinsettia's dry (I usually put these aside for the next class), bring out the supplies to make the vase.
To make the pot symmetrical, fold the square of paper in half. Now this part is tricky. (I'd recommend trying this yourself so you can pick the right verbiage to teach the kids.)
Start at the bottom of the folded paper (left hand holding the paper and right hand holding scissors), begin the cut in the middle of the bottom edge. Cut upwards and on an angle. You might find it easier to cut the notch of the pot out first, then cut the diagonal line.
Open up the fold and you have a perfect pot!
Using a small sponge, dab gold metallic paint onto Vase surface. Let dry.

Step Three: Adding Tissue Paper to the pot
Gently fold small squares of tissue paper and tape or glue onto the backs of the pot. The tissue paper should ruffle slightly when the pot is turned over.

Step Four: Putting all the pieces together

Now that the poinsettias are dry, cut around the flowers. If a flower is not connected to any of the others and you end up with more than one piece, no problem. The goal is to glue them back together onto a piece of black construction paper.

Glue the flower section to the black paper and then glue the pot with the tissue paper. For an added feature, my students outlined selected areas of their flowers (the dots, the stems, etc) with white glue and we added glitter.
This added a nice holiday touch and a much needed sparkle to our classroom!

Third Grade Results!

Symmetrical Paper Cut Aliens!

This lesson is based on symmetry so as far as teaching kids cool subjects, this one is perfect. In my opinion, there is nothing more pleasing to the ear than hearing a six year old explain symmetry, let alone saying it. It's a fun word...lots of syllables that when spoken correctly (or very near to it) earns a pretty respected look from parents and teachers. Kids LOVE this word.
So now turn the word into creepy, strange, whimsical ALIEN and you have one hour of pure joy on your hands.


Step One: Creating the Alien.
Not easy for wee kids, but the older they are, the easier it'll be to teach. I have done this lesson with first and third grade students and it's a safe bet to say that the older kids got more out of the lesson. But the younger kids do, too.
Take a sheet of construction paper and fold it in half lengthwise. It doesn't have to be lengthwise, but it'll make the alien taller. Please forgive the kid who folds it the wrong way.
Now, for the next step, you have options...
First option:For younger kids (1st-2nd grade), give them a crayon (not a pencil...it evokes to much perfectionism) and have them draw a line from the top of the paper down to the bottom. Not just any old line, but something that resembles a half of a head, half of a body, arms, legs, etc. A little talk on symmetry helps here. Explain how the children will only draw half a body. You will need to demonstrate this step repeatedly, but consider it an investment since the rest of the project is a breeze.
Once the line is drawn, cut it out.

Second option: For older kids, give them a pair of scissors and instruct them to create their half of an alien body just by cutting. This ends up to be more of a surprise. When they open up the paper, they will have a big blob. Now it's time to turn that blob into an alien.

Step Two: Decorating the Alien
It really helps to have small scraps of paper (get out your scrap box), sequins, googly eyes, plastic and aluminum gizmos...anything that the kids can use to decorate their aliens. But first things first. Glue the alien onto a piece of white paper. I like white because it provides a great contrast, but so would black. I just had an idea...you could, in another class, paint a planet or alien habitat on the background paper. Hmmm. Might try that next year.

Tips: Many kids will cut the wrong side of the paper. They will end up with two pieces instead of one alien. I wish I had a picture of this common mistake but trust me, it'll happen. One way to fix it, is to glue the two pieces together. They'll have a line down the middle of their alien, but to be honest, there is no better mistake a kid can make. They really understand symmetry by trying.

Symmetrical Butterflies

This is a lesson I usually do with my third graders, but it could suit almost any grade level.
It's great to have a variety of butterfly pictures posted on the white board for visual interest.
This lesson begins with a sheet of 12" x 18" white construction paper.
Instructions:

Step One:
Instruct the students to fold their paper in half (width wise).
Now, on one side of the paper (using the fold as a guide) flatten out the paper and draw one half of a butterfly.

Step Two:
After drawing half the butterfly, fold the paper over and rub the paper. The oil pastel will transfer onto the other half of the paper. It's important to use a dark color oil pastel that is creamy not brittle, otherwise, the pastel will not transfer properly. Also, make sure the kids generate a little heat! This aids in the transferring of the oil pastel.

Step Three:
Open up the paper and you will see the lines appear of the other side of the paper. They will be faint. Now, trace over the lines to create a perfect symmetrical butterfly!

Step Four:
Paint the butterfly with watercolor paints. Cake form is best. Stress how important it is to keep the colors the same on both sides of the butterfly.

Step Five:
If desired, cut out butterfly and glue onto a colored piece of construction paper.