Fall

• During the fall take your students on a nature walk and collect sticks, leaves, acorns and any other natural materials in your area. Make a nature collage on a piece of poster board cut into the shape of a leaf (see references below). Another leaf idea: Start with a yellow construction paper leaf, have students draw lines to show the veins, then glue bits of torn tissue paper on it in fall colors. When finished gluing, paint a half-water and half-glue mixture over the leaf to create a shiny finish.
  
  Create three-dimensional fruits and vegetables with salt dough colored with food coloring and scented with pumpkin or cinnamon spices (see references below). These can be used to practice drawing still life art. Or, after drawing a cornucopia on a large piece of construction paper, have students print the fruits and vegetables using real ones. Cut fruits and vegetables in half then dip in tempera or acrylic paints and press around the cornucopia.
  
  

Winter

• Make spoon angels with inexpensive disposable spoons, paper and embellishments. The back of the spoon becomes the body on which students draw a face. They will also need paper to create a triangle body and fan-folded wings they then glue onto the spoon. Provide yarn to glue on for angel hair (see references below).
  
  Make a penguin from shapes using a large black heart (head), two smaller black hearts (wings), a large black oval (body), a smaller white oval (white chest area), two small white circles (eyes) and three small orange triangles (feet and beak). Give students all the pieces and see if they can figure out what it will make and how. When ready to assemble, glue the pieces on dark blue construction paper. Use black, red and white oil pastels to add eye centers, a red hat and snow to the penguin picture.
  
  

Spring

• Flowers are a staple arts and crafts activity during the spring. Create some using construction paper hand-print cut-outs wrapped around and fastened to straws. Attach construction paper leaves (see references below). Draw flowers with oil pastels on white paper then paint over the flowers with watercolor paints creating a crayon resist. The paint does not stick to the flowers.
  
  Make paper plate birds of all kinds. After studying birds and bird body parts, provide each student two paper plates. Instruct them to cut one plate in half for the wings. Provide embellishments such as tissue paper, feathers, wiggle eyes and markers. Have students put together their birds in whatever way they choose being sure to have bird feet, a beak and wings.
  
  

Summer

• Make egg carton insects with egg carton pieces cut into sections of three, wiggle eyes and pipe cleaners. Have students invent new insects after studying about insect parts (see references below). Alternatively, make similar insects from paper shapes or sponge painting.
  
  Create recycled materials fish from plastic soda or water bottles. Paint the bottles in the bright colors and designs of tropical fish. The bottle rim becomes the fish mouth. Add paper fins and a tail. Attach a string to hang them. Make the fish another way by stuffing a brown paper lunch bag with newspaper nearly to the top. Fold the top of the bag over and tape. Paint the bag bright tropical fish colors and let dry. Add paper fins and tail; add a string to hang them.