Wednesday, November 21, 2012

A Crooked Christmas Tree

This art project is a wonderful way to extend learning after reading "The Little Crooked Christmas Tree" written by Michael Cutting and illustrated by Ron Broda.

Art Project: Christmas Card

1.        Prepare watercolour paper by cutting or tearing to size (ripple watercolour paper is a good choice).  The card can either be a single sheet to be attached to a card later on or a folded piece of watercolour paper.
2.       Tape to a board using green painter’s tape. 
3.       Demonstrate each step of the activity before the children do each step.
4.       With a pencil sketch a curved line the length that you want the tree.
5.       Give each child a length of thin green painter’s tape.  Attach small pieces of tape to the curved line from top to bottom.  The pieces will get progressively longer.  At the bottom attach a trunk.
6.      With a tealight rub a section at the bottom of the card which will resist the paint and become snow.
7.       Put a circle sticker in the sky which will be a full moon.
8.       With a large watercolour brush paint the entire card with clean water.  Before it dries paint the card with the desired colour.  I used blue but other colours could be used.  More than one colour can be used but choose carefully.  Also if two colours are used the children need to be extra careful not to paint, paint, paint, paint over and over.  Muddy paint can be made  this way.
9.       Sprinkle salt if desired.
10.    Let dry then take off all the tape and the circle sticker.