By: Madeline Dunham
Do you love fall as much as I do? I anxiously look forward to the leaves changing, pumpkins on the porch, sweater weather and pumpkin spice bakery goodies every single year. Though students look forward to fall a little differently than adults, I know they get excited about it as well!
One of the best ways you can engage students in the fall season is with fall craft sessions! Every student loves craft time and it can be an awesome time to teach students a memorable lesson in a setting that is more fun and relaxed.
One of the best crafts I have discovered this season is the hand print tree. The hand print tree is easy to make and can also foster a lesson about why the leaves change every autumn!
Directions:
- Obtain white printer paper, multicolored construction paper and red, green, yellow, brown and orange finger paints.
- Lay the white printer down on a flat surface and trace the student’s forearm and hand print on the paper.
- Paint the forearm and hand print tracing brown to represent the tree trunk.
- After the tree trunk has dried, there are a few options for painting the leaves
- Allow the students to cover the tips of their fingertips in paint and create the leaves through finger painting.
- Have the students use small paint brushes to create leaves.
- Instead of purchasing paint, purchase paint pens and allow the students to create dots for leaves with the paint pens.
- Once the creation has dried, glue/tape the white printer paper to any color of construction paper!
- Feel free to hang the crafts up in your classroom for decoration, or send the crafts home for the students to give to their parents as a present
Happy crafting!