In the Art Room: Recycle Hearts with First Grade

Yesterday, I shared on Instagram (I'm @cassie_stephenz), I shared this fast and furious 2/thirty minute session art project that I did with my first grade students using recycled materials...and I received many questions. I'm MISERABLE at responding to questions on Insta (I dread typing on that tiny phone keyboard with my sausage fingers) so I promised to share this simple project in blog form. So here you go!

 This lesson was created outta the fact that I had two classes that were ahead of the rest (gotta love that!). We've been focusing on the theme of love and last week finished off our 101 Dalmatians. Recently, while second grade was cutting out hearts for this project, I noticed how pretty the negative heart shapes looked when laying on the surface of a messy mat. Later, when I was tidying up, I found a stash of transparency film and had a eureka moment...what if the kids collaged tissue paper onto the film and created a faux stained glass window! I hope that thought process of mine made some sort of sense. Isn't it funny how ideas come to us?

Day 1 of a 30 minute class...

Supplies:

* Transparency film cut into 8" squares
* Warm colors of tissue paper
* Modpodge
* Large brushes
* Paper to write names and transport wet transparency film

We chatted about loads of stuff before starting: warm colors, transparent, translucent and opaque. We also talked about static electricity as the transparency film was so staticky! One kiddo said, "it's art science!" Art is a science, buddy. The kids then went "shopping" for their supplies. They were to coat their transparency in Modpodge, apply whatever colors of tissue they liked and then add another layer of the 'podge. This was placed on a sheet of paper with their name on it and placed on the drying rack. 
The next day, they looked like this coming off the drying rack. So pretty! We had fun holding them  up to the light. This was also a super fun color experimenting activity as many of the students noticed that when certain colors overlapped, they created new ones. 

Day 2 of a 30 minute class...

Supplies:

* Messy mats cut to 8" square (these are the tag board mats the kids use under their artwork when they are painting. I got the idea from my buddy Laura to use them for art projects and I LOVE it!) 

* Black and white paint

* Paint brushes and Q-tips

The next day, the kids were to pick a messy mat which they liked the colors of. They traced a heart template, cut it out (starting at the bottom of the heart to make a clean cut) and bring it to me. While I hot glued their "stained glass" to their negative shape, they worked on painting their positive shape hearts. 

In my room, we talk A LOT about using a paint brush correctly, pretending it is a ballerina who always dances on her tippy toes...and never EVER scoots around on her bottom. This really helps my kids understand how to create delicate lines. Once their hearts were dry, I framed them with more recycled messy mats!

I'm so excited how pretty these turned out. Our halls are looking so LOVEly right now. I can't wait to add these to our displays. 

Hope y'all have a lovely weekend. Stay warm, rest up and take it easy. That's my plan, anyway.