I was discussing fall with a teacher friend who teaches in San Jose. She does this beautiful leaf project with her students. As she was describing it to me, a lightbulb went off in my head. I could do this project too, and that is what I did!
Day 1
We started with a book reading outside all about fall leaves. After I read the book, my students and I went on a lead walk. There is a great book about leaf walks too. (I am drawing a blank, but will fill in later.) I ask the students to find 6-7 leaves in all shapes and sizes. We explored all areas of the school from the field to the fence beside my classroom. The students discovered that there are many types of trees in our school.
Day 2
Next, the students traced their leaves onto white paper. I wished I had watercolor paper, but I just used 12 x 18 construction paper. The students painted on top of their pencil drawn leaves with a pictures of glue and black paint. This did not work as well as I thought it would. Crayon and oil pastels will accomplish.
I ask each student to make simple veins on each of their leaves. Now was a great time to revisit what veins do for the leaves. Simple veins allow for the leaves to look more like leaves, but not turn black as they pain. If they draw too many lines their is not much room for water color.
Day 3
Time for water color! For first graders, I teach a very specific way to use water colors. Every student get a water color and a brush. There is no sharing because we have one set of watercolors that the whole school uses for their wart lessons. When the students share an mix colors it is hard to clean and return the watercolors in a state that would allow other teachers to use them. This is what I write on the board and tell the students:
1. open paint
2. wet brush with water
3. drop 5-7 drops of water into yellow
4. mix using swirly motion
5. paint with yellow only
6. Every leaf needs to have yellow
7. do not wash your brush until I tell you to.
8. Repeat for orange and red
If students move from yellow to orange to red they mix lighter colors with dark and the paints do not need cleaning. Students may not go back and paint with yellow once they have started orange. They may not go back and paint with yellow or orange when they have moved on to red. At the very end, the students dump their water and put their brushes into a bin with water. I place each picture on one of the two beautiful drying racks I snagged this year!
Day 4
Water color again but with green and blue. It is the same process as day three, but students start with green and then move onto blue. the paint around the leaves so no white can be seen. It looks like fall leaves are floating down a river.
When the students give me their watercolors I sprinkle salt on the picture and use a spray bottle to wet the watercolors again. the salt creates a cool bubbling affect and three dimensional texture. Try it with any project! Here are the results…
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| Beautiful fall leaves! |
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