Family Tree Art

Step 1: cut out circles of paper and write initials of family tree members on them. Arrange circles on a piece of paper and lighlty glue them down. Paint your hand 'green' and make the first layer of handprints. Paint your hand 'yellow' and make the 2nd layer of handprints. Paint the trunk of the tree. Connect the family members correctly by painting branches. Let paint dry.

Step 2: next day or a couple hours later- take off the paper circles to reveal the empty white circular spaces, then write in the names of your family members. Sign and date the art and frame for all to see.

*My students did this activity in response to reading 'The Hobbit'. Bilbo Baggins has quite the family tree so to make a connection to the text, students worked with their parents at home to gather their family tree info so they could make this piece of art.

Step 1: Owen's art

Whole class:

Karen's:

and Daria's:

Step 2: My family Tree

'Starry Night'- Group/Partner Art Activity

Students divide Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' into 2 or 4 sections and work with each other to recreate the famous painting, using pastels. Students name their masterpieces and a picture is taken of the 2-3 sections all together before the student takes home their individual section. I had my students do this activity twice so they could make another section for them to take home.

Group 1: 'Bright Night'

Group 2: 'The Recreation of Starry Night'

Group 3: 'The Lovely Pastel Art'

Group 4: 'Uh-Oh Starry Night Copyright'

Group 5: 'Lonely Night'

Students publish their own hardcover story book!

Using Bookemon.com, my1st and 2nd grade students uploaded one of their creative stories they wrote this year to create a hard or soft cover book of their story. The site lets the kids design the template for each page. They even get their own copyright, allowing them to truly be young authors.