A Nature Scrapbook

This activity encourages you to look at familiar objects in a new way.

Supplies:  paper or a blank journal, crayons/markers, glue or tape.

It’s officially fall and you may have already spotted some leave beginning to change.  The next time you are outside, look for objects that have fallen from the trees. Leaves of different shapes, sizes and colors, acorns, seeds and small twigs – whatever catches your eye and interest are great for this project.   Attach the items you found on different pages.  As you look at each item, use your imagination and transform the object into a new creation by using your crayons and markers.  An acorn top could become a silly hat for an elf, or wheels for a car:  draw the vehicle.  That cool-looking leaf you found could become the body of a space creature – just draw the rest of it around the leaf. 

When you are finished,save your pages -- they will make great decorations for a Thanksgiving dinner later in the season!

Working with Texture

How can you use different textures in your next picture?  What textures are around you when you step outside?

Materials:  2 sheets of white paper, colored construction paper, scissors, crayons, glue

1.       Let’s get some texture!  Unpeel the paper from three different crayons.  Take them and 2 sheets of white paper outside.  Place your paper on top of different surfaces (bricks, concrete, trees, leaves, or anything else you’d like to try).

2.      Now lay your crayon down on the paper and rub the crayon enough times so that the bumps, lines or designs begin to show through.  Color areas of the paper in different directions and switch crayons to see if you can create various effects.  Repeat and fill up the other paper with different textures and colors. 

3.      With a scissors, cut up the textured rubbings into different shapes.

4.      Take out the construction paper and arrange the shapes on top.  Try arranging the pieces to make a house, an animal, a robot, a skyscraper, a vehicle or an interesting creature.

5.       It’s ok to begin without a plan, just move the pieces around until you see something start to form. Glue the shapes down and enjoy your textured creation.