Hi friends! I’m excited to share a guest post for y’all today! Corinne from Alternate Tutelage is here to show us some neat ways to make colorful spring crafts. It involves recycling, which is perfect since we just celebrated Earth Day! I know y’all will love it!
*** Want to be featured as a guest blogger on Life in Fifth Grade? Email me at lifeinfifthgradeblog@gmail.com to discuss details!
Recycle to Make
Colorful Spring Crafts with Fifth Graders
Colorful Spring Crafts with Fifth Graders
The bright and cheerful tone of
spring makes it just the perfect season to involve kids in some fun games in
the classroom. Incorporate these colorful and exciting crafts and activities into your
fifth grade classroom and spread the joy of spring!
spring makes it just the perfect season to involve kids in some fun games in
the classroom. Incorporate these colorful and exciting crafts and activities into your
fifth grade classroom and spread the joy of spring!
Sun Catcher with CDs
Ever felt bad about throwing away
old and used CDs? Use them to make the most of bright, sunny spring days! Here’s
how you can make sun catchers with old CDs for the classroom.
old and used CDs? Use them to make the most of bright, sunny spring days! Here’s
how you can make sun catchers with old CDs for the classroom.
Supplies:
·
Junk CDs – ask the students to get an old CD
each from home
Junk CDs – ask the students to get an old CD
each from home
·
Craft glue
Craft glue
·
Rhinestones, beads, glitter, sequins, etc.
Rhinestones, beads, glitter, sequins, etc.
·
Monofilament fishing line
Monofilament fishing line
·
Scissors
Scissors
·
Newspaper
Newspaper
·
Permanent marker
Permanent marker
Directions:
·
Choose a large desk for your work station. Cover
the area with newspapers.
Choose a large desk for your work station. Cover
the area with newspapers.
·
Have each child write his or her name on the
non-shiny side of the CD.
Have each child write his or her name on the
non-shiny side of the CD.
·
Hand over a cup of gems and rhinestones to each
student and have him/her glue them to the CD on one side in any random pattern.
Hand over a cup of gems and rhinestones to each
student and have him/her glue them to the CD on one side in any random pattern.
·
Lift the sun catcher when the glue has dried. Be
ready to catch anything that wasn’t glued down well! Glue them back.
Lift the sun catcher when the glue has dried. Be
ready to catch anything that wasn’t glued down well! Glue them back.
·
Turn the disk over and let the kids decorate the
second side. Let the side dry.
Turn the disk over and let the kids decorate the
second side. Let the side dry.
·
Cut a foot of monofilament and tie it through
the disks. Make several chains of the disks or make a single chain with all the
CDs. Hang the sun catchers close to a window where they will get plenty of
sunlight to glisten!
Cut a foot of monofilament and tie it through
the disks. Make several chains of the disks or make a single chain with all the
CDs. Hang the sun catchers close to a window where they will get plenty of
sunlight to glisten!
Food Can Chimes
Spring is the season of fresh
flowers, chirping birds, humming bees and all other things that are boisterous and
cheerful. Here is how you can involve your class in recycling old and used food
cans, like a baked bean can, a green bean can, a cream of mushroom can, or a
condensed milk can to make a cheerful wind chime that screams of spring.
flowers, chirping birds, humming bees and all other things that are boisterous and
cheerful. Here is how you can involve your class in recycling old and used food
cans, like a baked bean can, a green bean can, a cream of mushroom can, or a
condensed milk can to make a cheerful wind chime that screams of spring.
Supplies:
·
Old food cans with lids, instruct the kids to
get one each from home
Old food cans with lids, instruct the kids to
get one each from home
·
A hammer and a big nail
A hammer and a big nail
·
Liquid acrylic colors
Liquid acrylic colors
·
Clear spray paint
Clear spray paint
·
Round cloth hanger
Round cloth hanger
·
Thin rope
Thin rope
Directions:
·
Take the hammer and drill the big nail and make a
hole on the bottom of each can.
Take the hammer and drill the big nail and make a
hole on the bottom of each can.
·
Hand over the cans back to the kids and have
them first write their names on sticker labels and glue them on the outside of
the lid.
Hand over the cans back to the kids and have
them first write their names on sticker labels and glue them on the outside of
the lid.
·
Invite the kids over to start painting. Use
bright colors. It’s advisable to use non-toxic acrylic colors as the children
are bound to get messy with them.
Invite the kids over to start painting. Use
bright colors. It’s advisable to use non-toxic acrylic colors as the children
are bound to get messy with them.
·
Once done, spread out a newspaper and place the
cans on it to let them dry.
Once done, spread out a newspaper and place the
cans on it to let them dry.
·
When they are dry to touch, take off the lids.
Pass a length of rope through the hole of each can at the bottom and tie a knot
at the end from the other side. Vary the lengths of the rope. Put the lid back
on.
When they are dry to touch, take off the lids.
Pass a length of rope through the hole of each can at the bottom and tie a knot
at the end from the other side. Vary the lengths of the rope. Put the lid back
on.
·
Tie the other end of the rope on each can to the
hanger and your wind chime will be ready!
Tie the other end of the rope on each can to the
hanger and your wind chime will be ready!
Light Bulb Garden
No better season than spring to
start your own garden. Use old light bulbs whose filaments have already been cleaned
to make a spring garden for each student in the class.
start your own garden. Use old light bulbs whose filaments have already been cleaned
to make a spring garden for each student in the class.
Supplies:
·
Empty light bulbs – Here’s how
Empty light bulbs – Here’s how
·
Water
Water
·
Dandelions with stems/other flowers with a long
shelf life
Dandelions with stems/other flowers with a long
shelf life
·
Permanent marker
Permanent marker
·
Wire
Wire
Directions:
·
Empty the light bulbs and invite the kids to write
their names on the light bulbs.
Empty the light bulbs and invite the kids to write
their names on the light bulbs.
·
Fill up each of them till 1/4th with
water. Use this activity to explain germination to fifth graders.
Fill up each of them till 1/4th with
water. Use this activity to explain germination to fifth graders.
·
Have them slowly drop stems of dandelions into
the water.
Have them slowly drop stems of dandelions into
the water.
·
Wind a fair length of wire around each bulb and
hang it from a tree branch or blinds’ rod at the window.
Wind a fair length of wire around each bulb and
hang it from a tree branch or blinds’ rod at the window.
Easy and fun activities like
these are sure to make classroom time more fun. I’d love to hear about any
other spring crafts and activities that could bring a slice of spring indoors
and make the classroom brighter!
these are sure to make classroom time more fun. I’d love to hear about any
other spring crafts and activities that could bring a slice of spring indoors
and make the classroom brighter!
Author Bio:
Corinne Jacob is a
wannabe writer who is convinced that kids learn best when they’re having fun.
She is constantly on the lookout for new and exciting ways to make learning an
enjoyable experience. Corinne loves all things that scream out un-schooling,
alternative education and holistic learning.
wannabe writer who is convinced that kids learn best when they’re having fun.
She is constantly on the lookout for new and exciting ways to make learning an
enjoyable experience. Corinne loves all things that scream out un-schooling,
alternative education and holistic learning.
Team building activities also busts myths that some individuals might have about teams. Sometimes, people feel that they might not be noticed if they are in a team. These team building exercises helps such people realize the fact that when a team succeeds, the people are all suitably rewarded and individual results don't really matter as much.