Objective
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to create outdoor art using natural materials and understand how nature can inspire creativity.
Materials and Prep
- Sketchbook or paper
- Pencils or crayons
- Scissors
- Glue
- Natural materials found outdoors (leaves, twigs, flowers, rocks, etc.)
Before the lesson, make sure you have access to a safe outdoor space where you can collect natural materials for your art.
Activities
- Go on a nature walk and collect different natural materials that catch your eye. Look for leaves, twigs, flowers, rocks, or anything else that interests you.
- Find a comfortable spot outdoors and sit down with your sketchbook or paper and pencils or crayons.
- Take a few moments to observe your surroundings. What colors do you see? What shapes or patterns can you find in nature?
- Using your collected natural materials, create a piece of art on your paper. You can arrange the materials to make a picture, a design, or anything that inspires you.
- Once you are happy with your arrangement, use scissors and glue to secure the materials onto your paper.
- Take a step back and admire your outdoor art creation!
First Grade Talking Points
- "Nature is full of beautiful things that can inspire us to create art."
- "When we go outside, we can find leaves, twigs, flowers, and rocks that we can use in our art."
- "What colors do you see in nature? How can we use those colors in our art?"
- "What shapes or patterns can you find in nature? How can we incorporate those shapes or patterns into our art?"
- "When we arrange our natural materials on our paper, it's like creating a picture or a design."
- "We can use scissors and glue to make sure our materials stay in place on our paper."
- "Let's step back and look at our art. What do you like about it? How does it make you feel?"