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Looking for some super simple art ideas to do with your class this holiday season? Ideas that you can implement right now? And don’t involve a heap of prep and mess? We’ve got you covered! With these 3 simple Christmas art ideas, your students will be busy for hours and they can be as messy or as clean as you like!
Christmas Reindeer Art Activity
Firstly, let me share with you my go to Christmas art activity that you can do with your class right now!
You will need:
– coloured paper/plain white paper
– lead pencils
– paint
– black textas
– glue
– scissors
– paint brushes
Give each of your kiddos a blank piece of paper. Have them decorate this piece of paper with a Christmas theme. In our examples we printed one with paint circles using a toilet roll, in another we just painted the background with a paint brush, in another we ripped red and green paper and glued the strips onto the background and in the other we simply drew Christmas symbols onto a coloured piece of paper. Use your imagination here. Really the possibilities for the background is endless!
Then, while their backgrounds are drying, head to this Art Hub for kids reindeer directed drawing . You can use any directed drawing, but this is the one we used in our example here. You will notice that we did ours with lead pencil rather than with crayon as they suggested but the materials you use to do the directed drawing doesn’t really matter.
After your kiddos have drawn their reindeer (or whatever the drawing is), have them cut it out and glue it onto their Christmas themed background they created earlier. For added effect, have your students draw over their pencil lines in black marker!
Christmas Bauble Art Activity
Basically this art activity is very similar to the reindeer art activity, however, we have included a bauble template in our Free Resource Library for you to use to keep this extra simple.
You will need:
– coloured paper/plain white paper
– Bauble Template (from our Free Resource Library)
– lead pencils
– paint
– black textas
– glue
– scissors
– paint brushes
Again, have your kiddos decorate a blank piece of paper in whatever means you feel you have the energy for that day. In our example we have just painted the background in red and green.
Then give each of your kiddos a blank bauble template from our Free Resource Library and get them to do some doodle art in each of the bauble sections. See our example for ideas.
Once your kiddos have finished their doodles, have them cut out the bauble and glue onto their prepared background.
Christmas Koala Art Activity
Finally, if you are looking for more of an Aussie Christmas themed activity, then this Koala art idea should tick all of the boxes. It will require a little more setup, but it uses materials you should readily have available in your classroom.
You will need:
– paints
– Koala template (from our Free Resource Library)
– sponges/paintbrushes
– blue tack
– pom poms
– black markers
– cartridge paper
– craft glue
– red paper
Give each of your students a koala template to cut out (note: we have actually included a few other Australian animals in the template pack in our Free Resource Library). Once cut out, have them place their koala in the middle of a piece of catridge paper (hint: have them place small pieces of blue tack to the back of the koala to help hold it in place while they paint).
With their koala in the middle of their page, have your students then dab paint around the outside of their koala to cover the background in red and green (tip: make sure your students have covered the entire outline of the koala with dabs of paint, otherwise when they peel the koala off their page, the silhouette won’t be as clear).
Once their paint has dried, have your student peel of their koala carefully (make sure you get the blue tack back off them!). They can then create a little santa hat with red paper and pom poms to put on the head of their koala. They can also draw a face on their koala if you like.
And there you have it! Three simple art ideas to keep your kiddos busy during this holiday season.
Angles is a fun Maths topic to teach – but let me show you a way to take those measuring angles lessons to the next lesson!
I first discovered Angle Fans when I was teaching Year 5. They have since become an activity that I include every year in my upper primary Maths classes to expore angle properties and to practise measuring angles informally. I am excited to share the idea with you so that you and your students can hopefully join in on the fun with me!
Curriculum links
But before I explain to you how to make them, let me explain what outcomes this little activity can be ticking off (or at the very least contributing to the learning of!): Year 6 Maths
Identify the relationships between angles on a straight line, angles at a point and vertically opposite angles; use these to determine unknown angles, communicating reasoning (AC9M6M04) Year 5 Maths
Estimate, construct and measure angles in degrees, using appropriate tools including a protractor, and relate these measures to angle names (AC9M5M04) Year 4 Maths
estimate and compare angles using angle names including acute, obtuse, straight angle, reflex and revolution, and recognise their relationship to a right angle (AC9M4M04)
I probably wouldn’t try this activity with kiddos any younger than year 4. It is a little fiddly and may become a class management nightmare if you want them to complete it independently!
The Process
Step 1 Decorate and then cut out two squares of paper or choose two coloured squares of paper already to cut to size. *Decorate both sides so you see the decorations after folding.
Step 2 Concertina fold each square by folding over and under, over and under until you have two springs.
Step 3 Fold your springs in half so the open ends meet and glue the halves together. Let them dry for a few minutes.
Step 4 Now you are going to glue each of the squares together to create a larger fan. Let them dry for a few minutes.
Step 5 Get two popsticks and have an adult help you to cut one curved end off. Put some glue on a popstick and stick it in the first fold of one side of your fan.
Step 6 Do the same with the other popstick to the other side of the fan.
Step 7 Now you can pull out the fan by the popsticks to make some angles! Pull it gently right around to form a circle!
So what do you reckon? Will you try this activity next time you are teaching angles to your upper primary students?
I love integrating art and maths! It is an awesome way to bring a difficult or more boring Maths topic to life.
When you are teaching your students how to measure angles to your upper primary students, art is the most fun way to get your kiddos excited about the topic.
Today I thought I would share with you one of my most favourite Maths + Art ideas!! The result is truly amazing and it ticks HEAPS of teaching and learning goals at the same time.
Curriculum links
But before I share with you what the activity is, let me explain what outcomes this unit can be ticking off (or at the very least contributing to the learning of!): Year 6 Maths
Identify the relationships between angles on a straight line, angles at a point and vertically opposite angles; use these to determine unknown angles, communicating reasoning (AC9M6M04) Year 6 Visual Arts
Use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to plan and create artworks that communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning (AC9AVA6C01).
Select and present documentation of visual arts practice, and display artworks in informal and/or formal settings (AC9AVA6O01). Year 5 Maths
Estimate, construct and measure angles in degrees, using appropriate tools including a protractor, and relate these measures to angle names (AC9M5M04) Year 5 Visual Arts
Use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to plan and create artworks that communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning (AC9AVA6C01).
Select and present documentation of visual arts practice, and display artworks in informal and/or formal settings (AC9AVA6O01). Year 4 Maths
estimate and compare angles using angle names including acute, obtuse, straight angle, reflex and revolution, and recognise their relationship to a right angle (AC9M4M04)
Year 4 Visual Arts
Experiment with a range of ways to use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials (AC9AVA4D01).
Use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to create artworks that communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning (AC9AVA4C01).
I probably wouldn’t try this activity with kiddos any younger than year 4. I’m not sure they would completely be able to visualise and implement the skills required to complete the artwork. The exploration of angles below year 3 is a lot simpler too, so other activities may be of more assistance with their learning at this age level.
The Process
Step 1 Trace a straight-edged outline of your animal onto white paper. Use a window or light box to help you see the image clearly.
Step 2 Place 3-5 dots within your image to become points of interest.
Step 3 Use a ruler and pencil to draw lines from the points of interests to the intersections and the outline of the body to create angles within your image.
Step 4 Go over your pencil lines with a fine liner and erase the pencil markings.
Step 5 Have your students then colour in each section they have created inside their animal outline. You can also then have the cut out their animal and glue it next to the original image onto a black piece of card.
Step 6 Have your students try to find all the different types of angles they have learnt about.
What do you reckon? Will you try this activity next time you are teaching angles to your upper primary students?
If you are looking for a quick and easy Easter craft idea you have come to the right place.
I’ll be honest with you, when I first started creating this Easter craft idea I really had no idea where I was going with it. I new I wanted to create some sort of shadow around the Easter egg template but apart from that I really had no plan for this. But I am super happy with how it turned out and how easy it was to create such an effective art piece using minimal materials.
Steps to create this Easter craft with your kiddos:
Cut out the Easter egg template
Place the template on top of the black card stock and starting from the inside of the template draw short lines with the coloured chalk from the template to the black card stock making sure the colour transfers onto the black card stock.
Repeat this with different coloured chalk until you have covered the outside of template with chalk marks.
Remove the template.
Allow your students to decorate their egg with glitter glue.
To stop the chalk from smudging you can use hairspray to keep it in place.
This rain cloud investigation is a weather science experiment that gives young children a chance to explore clouds and rain in a hands-on and engaging way!
If you are looking for a simple and easy science activity to do with your kiddos while exploring various weather phenomena this year, then this is going to be perfect for you.
What You Will Need:
small vases or even mason jars
shaving cream
eyedroppers
liquid food colouring
a small cup to mix the coloured ‘rainwater’
Setting up the investigation:
Before you even begin the investigation with your students it will be super handy if you can do the following:
In a small cup, mix the food colouring with some water.
Fill each vase or jar with water until it is about 3/4 full.
Place the jar and the cups of coloured water on each table ready for use. Place an eye dropper in each cup of coloured water.
Right before your kiddos are ready to do the experiment, spray a bunch of shaving cream in the jar until it is just a small bit above the top of the jar.
Doing the investigation:
Before you begin any investigation make sure the expectations of behaviour are clear! You can use our Science Group Posters and Badges to help with this if you like
Once the expectations are clear, ask your kiddos to pick up some coloured water with an eye dropper and squirt it on top of the shaving cream cloud. Repeat this step one or two more times, but pay close attention to what is happening below the cloud!
The coloured water will begin to seep down through the shaving cream and into the water below. Just like rain!
Allow your students to keep adding ‘rainwater’ to your cloud and watch the storm take shape!
Learning Point:
This rain cloud model is an easy weather activity and a great way to show how clouds hold water until they can no longer hold it and then it rains!
The shaving cream is a picture of a cloud, which isn’t really light and fluffy like we imagine. Instead, clouds form from water vapor (think of steam coming from a kettle) coming together in the atmosphere.
Adding drops to the shaving cream is like more water vapor coming together in a cloud. In the atmosphere when water vapor cools, it turns into liquid water, the rain cloud becomes heavy and it rains. In a similar way, our drops of coloured water make the rain cloud “heavy” and it rains!
I look forward to seeing photos of your foam cload investigations in action! Send them through to admin@ridgydidgeresources.com
