"When We Learn, We Grow!"

This art project is an oldie, but goodie.  AND...it involves labeling.  The kids loved it, especially when they were given a brand new unsharpened pencil to use as a "tool" to make the inside of our flower look 3-D.   Here's a look at what I gathered together to make this adorable flower project.

First, the kids placed the stem in the middle of the paper.  I reminded them that the stem should not touch the bottom of the blue paper.  Next they cut out the flower and glued it on top of the stem.  The flower was just a generic flower clip art found online.  Then we cut out two leaves (again just a generic pattern on the Internet).  I showed them how to put the veins on the leaves.  They glued those on the stem.  I showed them the bag of brown decorative shred that I bought at the Dollar Tree.  I demonstrated how to gently pull them out to make them a bit longer and less crinkled.  We put a spot of glue at the bottom of the stem and began sticking one end of the shreds on the glue.  We left the other end just hang freely.  Then we took a break. That was a lot of work and concentration! Later, I stapled the dirt on the bottom to make a "flap" to cover the bottom of the stem and roots.

The next day, we cut out the labels and glued them on.  Then we started the fun part!  Everyone received a brand new pencil.  I took quite a long time explaining and modeling how to place a square piece of tissue paper on the eraser end of the pencil, dip it in a little bit of glue, and put it on the paper.  (This brought back memories of school projects I did as a kid.)  We counted to 5 after we put it on the center of the flower, just to make sure it stuck!  They thought I was a magician when the first piece of tissue paper stuck to my sample!  Too funny!  Of course, I might have played it up a little bit, too.  That's our job, right? 

Anyhow, the kids LOVED doing this project.  Give it a try! Here is the slogan I chose for my sign to post with these cuties.  Again, many others have used this slogan before, but I liked it, too!

Enjoying the spring weather in Wisconsin....