Wednesday, March 4, 2009

flakes of snow

Snowflake project for kids - no cutting! First, show students examples of snowflakes, highlighting the six sides or spokes with crystalline shapes. On colored paper, have students draw diagonal lines from corner to corner. Then draw a line midway through the intersection point -- this forms 3 lines total, or 6 short lines radiating from center. Next, have students embellish the lines with curvy lines, straight lines, or simple geometric shapes, to convey the idea of a snowflake crystal. The line drawings should resemble snowflakes that have been cut from folded paper (another project, or you can bring in samples).

Next, provide students with thick white tempera paint or acrylic paint and a brush. I like to start them with a medium size flat brush so that they can cover most of the space (negative) with paint quickly, and learn to use the side of the flat brush to get into crevices around the drawn lines/shapes. They should try not to cover any pencil lines. I then give them small brushes to add paint to inner spaces of their designs. This makes a white "negative" of a snowflake design - the colored paper that peeks through forms the snowflake.

This week, I will have students paint several and we will use the texture of the paint that builds up as a "block" for printing on other paper. I hope to post students' work tomorrow!

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