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Make a Garden Art Box

The garden is full of inspiration for budding artists. You can easily transform your garden into an exciting art studio by providing a few supplies and time for creativity and observation.

Standards Addressed: click here

Materials

Activity

1. Each student can make a garden box to take with them on art adventures in the garden. Ask each student to bring in an empty shoe box. Cut out plant pictures from old seed and plant catalogs and glue to the box for decoration. Cover the box with clear contact paper. Although this won't make the box completely waterproof, it will make it more durable.

2. Add basic art supplies to the box. Each student will need at minimum a small notebook and a pencil for drawing.You can purchase notebooks, or make your own by cutting paper into half sheets and stapling them together - it's a good way to reuse paper that's printed on just one side! If available, include crayons, colored pencils, chalk, and markers as well.

3. Add a small plastic container, such as a margarine tub, to each box. Students can use these to collect leaves, seeds, and rocks, and other natural materials to take back to the classroom for making collages or to serve as models.

4. Give students time to explore the garden for artistic subjects and ask them to sketch some of their observations.

Extension

Art - Challenge more advanced students to create a more sophisticated journal to record garden observations. See Making Field Journals for detailed instructions.

August 2006
Kids Garden News

Contents

Lesson Feature:
Art in the Garden

Introduction

Background Information

Activity:
Make a Garden Art Box

Lesson:
The Changing Garden

Program Spotlight:
2006 Mantis Award Winners

News Items:
Free classroom resources, funding opportunities, more