As a group decide on the topic of the group poem.

Let’s say someone said dolphins:

Then you would write the title and write down all of the responses of descriptive words. Depending on the crowd, you may have too many words. So, this is your chance to discuss words that are similar and how to eliminate.

Then you write the final list poem.

Dolphins

Sleek

Friendly

Fast

Jumping

Dolphins

When you have completed writing the first poem together, allow the child or the children to write their own.  The beauty of this lesson is that it can be used for almost any topic. It would be ideal for animals, seasons, nature, social studies and much more.

A Few Examples:

Beginning of the year:  Have students write a list poem about themselves.

Mother’s Day/Father’s Day: Have child make a card and write list poem inside about parent.

Earth Day: Choose a topic such as the earth, land, pollution, ocean, trees etc and write a list poem. Extend it into an art project using paint and paper to illustrate the topic.

This is s a simple experiment for children of all ages. The visual of how water travels through a plant is amazing and would go along well with any study of plants.

First, you need to gather the materials:

White flowers such as carnations or daisies

Flower vases, glasses or jars

Food coloring (any color you want)

Water

Science notebook if desired (see note below)

White Flowers (before)

Directions:

Fill the glass about one quarter full with water.

Add plenty of food coloring (try about 15 drops and see how dark it is, you may need more if your using larger jars.)

Have an adult trim the flowers at an angle.

Put a flower into each filled jar.

Observe, discuss and journal.

Questions:

What is happening? Do some colors seem to show more? What part of the flower do you see the color in?

Science Notebooks:

If you already have a science notebook for your classroom or children at home, utilize that book. Otherwise, take two pieces of plain white paper and fold it in half. Staple together to make a small booklet. Have the child design the cover and write name on it. the title could be “Flower Science” or “Colorful Flowers.” On the first page, write or draw what the flowers look like before the activity. the next few pages can be used for observation drawings, marking the hours, time or date. the final page can be for written results and explaining why the color can be seen.

What Exactly Happens?

For Younger Kiddos:

Plants, flowers and trees drink water from the ground through their roots, kind of like a straw. The water moves up the stem and travels into the leaves and flowers. The plant will use this water to make food for itself. Explain that the roots are no longer on cut flowers, although it would be good to show a picture of a flower with roots.

Older Children:

The food coloring and water goes through the sap tubes that produce the required capillary force. Capillary action carries water from the beakers to the petals of the white flower, which causes it to change color. It is the same thing that causes water to rise up in plants and trees. It goes through the roots, trunk or stem and then on to the flowers and leaves.

Transpiration-It is the loss of water vapor from the leaves, stems, flowers and roots. It is part of the water cycle.

Two Colored Flowers:

Another version of this activity is to split the stem and use two colors on one white flower. You would fill two glasses with water and use two different colors of dye, one in each glass. Split the stem in half. place one half in each glass. Check it out in a couple of hours.

This is also just a fun decoration for any holiday or celebration. St. Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Fourth of July, Christmas, President’s Day and birthdays would all be great times to make colorful flowers either as decoration or as gifts!

You will need:

White coffee filters

Spray bottle with watered down tempera paint (I add until watery consistency and easy to spray)

Thin wire to twist around and tie onto stick or string/pipe cleaners

String to make garland or branch/stick to decorate for home

What to do:

Prepare an area…it will be messy

Lay out coffee filter and spray

Allow to dry a few minutes and fold to look like flower

Twist tie/wire or pipe cleaner around bottom of flower.

Add to string/branch or garland!

Each child could tie to straw or stick to bring home to mom for Mother’s Day.

Little fingers at work, twisting the pipe cleaner to complete the flower.

Adding different amounts of water and how much each child sprays leads to

a unique flower amongst the garden.

This beautiful art project looks great on your little girl’s wall after it is all dry!  The art project is perfect for birthday parties, groups like girl scouts and as a class project during spring or Mother’s Day. Oh, and how about the grandma who has everything, a precious gift this would be to hang on her wall.

I started my shopping early to utilize coupons and watch for sales, especially on the canvas.  At any craft or art supply store you can get plain canvas wraps. I used the 11×14 for our project, but it would be beautiful on a larger canvas if you have the space.  The loose flowers were a hunt. If you have a Joann’s or craft store carrying silk flowers they may give you the flower heads that have fallen off and will be thrown away anyway. It is worth asking.  A friend of mine had a manager at Michael’s tell her no, and even said they would still be throwing them away (and mind you this was for Girl Scouts.) On the other side, Joann’s collected them and had a bag ready for pick up.  If this is not an option, buy them on sale and pull off yourself.

You will need:

canvas

glue (all-purpose like Elmers)

sponge brush (any thing to spread glue)

acrylic paint (any color)

paintbrush (I used popsicle sticks)

loose flowers/petals

First:

Prepare area with paper/cloth and write name on back.

Second:

Pour generous amount of glue and spread with sponge brush over whole canvas.

Third:

Choose paint color and spread in any design, using paintbrush or sticks.

Fourth: Add flowers and press into glue.  (The flowers need to be cut close.)

Last: Allow to dry for a day or longer if paint and glue were heavily applied.

Cut paper tubes (paper towel rolls or wrapping paper tubes) into desired width. We cut about two inches wide. Then decorate the rings to match the holiday!

• Choose paint colors and sponge paint the rings. Allow the rings to dry and then roll a napkin and insert it through napkin ring.
• Use glitter glue, buttons, confetti or other items to decorate.

If you use paper napkins you can decorate those too.

Coupon Book

Make a book full of coupons for mom to use when she needs it the most in the next year! Fold up pieces of paper and staple at the binding. Decorate the cover and fill in the coupon pages. What chores need to be done around the house? What would your mom really appreciate? A few ideas could be “I will wash all the dishes after dinner while you take a walk or bath,” “I will pay a game with you,” “This coupon good for one car wash,” and “This coupon good for one bear hug!”

Picnic Basket Lunch

Prepare a picnic lunch in a basket full of her favorite snacks and go to a park with the family. There is something about spreading out a picnic blanket and having all your favorite people around that is all enduring to a mother!

Take Mom on a Trip (pretend)

Does your mom love the beach? Decorate one room in the house that brings the beach to mom. Use butcher paper to paint or draw the ocean and a colorful sunset and put on the wall. You can even bring beach chairs and a play pool if possible. Have dinner or a picnic at the beach. You can have ocean sounds playing in the background and decorate with seashells!

Does she love Paris or want to go? Prepare a picnic with cheese, baguettes, and wine with French music in the air. Using butcher paper or poster board you could design your own tower. If you have the space in the house or outside put up twinkling lights to make your own private bistro. Ooh, la, la! Moms always appreciate the effort!

Other places to “pretend” go would be Hawaii using leis and items to decorate from a party store and Italy with the checkered tablecloth, Italian music and food.

Flower Pot

Buy a terra cotta pot and decorate. Using paints, children can put their finger prints around the edge or sponge paint the pot. Remember to put their name and the date with a permanent marker. Using items such as buttons, sea shells or fabric, children can create their own design for the flower pot. When the pot is dry, plant a pretty flower for mom to enjoy!

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First, wash the linen and iron if needed then lay out to prepare for hand prints. Remember for the little children to remind them to open their fingers and press down one time on cloth. You may even want to practice with them. This was much easier with another adult ready to clean painted hands right away, unless you do not mind stray marks here and there! I do have a finger print on my table cloth that I now find artistic, although I did not see it at the time. Starting in the middle and working the hands around seems to be the easiest to line up. My sample below has vines to connect the hands but just the hand prints would work just as well.

If you want to have the same color every year you may want to write the color down or buy extras for the following years. To add to this already cute and simple gift you could add linen napkins with fingerprints or another hand print as well as homemade napkin rings. Moms love this kind of thing and will appreciate the thought and love in this table cloth.

This gift continues on every year and eventually will continue with the grandchildren. I love it!