We’re delighted to offer you more creative art projects, as part of our ongoing plan to provide you with a variety of content for when you feel your students need a break from grammar, vocabulary or skills practice.
How to make an animation toy or thaumatrope!
With this project, students will learn a very unusual word and make a simple animation toy.
Before the project
Tell students they are going to make something with a very strange name (and one they don’t really need to remember). A thaumatrope! It is easier to understand that it is like a very early version of a cartoon from almost two hundred years ago!
Explain that the toy they create makes two pictures look like one, as if by magic!
They will need:
- Empty jar
- Piece of white paper
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Coloured pencils or paints
- String
- Glue
Click on the image to download the instructions.
After the project
Have a show and tell for the children to show their thaumatropes and explain their process. Encourage them to look for differences between the toys on show. Encourage them to think of other things they could draw, for example, a spider in a web or a bird in a cage.
How to make a flower bookmark
As some countries around the world are gradually relaxing their lockdown, here is a simple project for younger Primary-age children who are able to enjoy walks outside.
Before the project
Two steps are needed before making the flower bookmark:
At least a week before the lesson, encourage students to collect flowers and leaves the next time they go for a walk. Students will press the flowers between the pages of a heavy book. Remind them to place newspaper or kitchen roll on the pages to avoid damaging the book. Once the flowers are placed inside the book, they close it carefully and leave it for a week with another heavy object on top.
They will need:
- Pressed small flowers and leaves
- A book
- Coloured card
- Glue
- Hole punch
- String or coloured ribbon
Click on the image to download the instructions.
During the project
Explain that they need to follow the steps on the handout. Encourage them to ask for help from an adult with any part that might be complicated or messy.
After the project
Have a show and tell when the children show their flower bookmarks and explain their process. Encourage them to look for differences between the bookmarks on show.
This is a great opportunity to work on different vocabulary areas: parts of plants (flower, petal, leaf, stem, etc.) and colours. Some students may even want to name the plants and flowers they use.
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If you enjoyed these art projects, make sure to check our previous creative projects:
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