Hello Summer NEW!
Students will celebrate the great outdoors and the coming summer break by studying the natural world. The class will engage in bark rubbings, operate a digital camera, and more to capture outdoor imagery for a collage to help them understand the importance of scientific inquiry and deepen their appreciation of nature.
- learn from careful observations and simple experiments
- demonstrate comprehension of seasons and seasonal changes
- practice artistic expression through creative activities
Hello Summer! printable (PDF)
1 digital camera per groups of 4 (if digital cameras are unavailable, engage in activity as a class)
charcoal sticks for bark rubbing
1. Write the word Summer on the board. Ask students to tell you what they think when they see this word. Write down their responses on the board.
2. Remind your students that summer is one of the four seasons. Ask students to name the other seasons. Encourage students to describe the differences between summer and the other seasons.
3. Distribute the Hello, Summer! worksheet to each student. Read the instructions at the top of the worksheet. Then, have students complete the activity. Inform students that they will be creating their very own collage using the pictures they draw for the activity as well as other items.
4. Separate the class into groups of 4. Provide each group with digital cameras, charcoal sticks, paper for their bark rubbings, and a hardcover book so that they can collect a flower for a flower pressing. Be sure to take the digital camera outside if the class is sharing one.
5. Explain to students that the collages that they create will celebrate the end of the school year and the beginning of the season of summer. If needed, show students how to do a bark rubbing and a flower pressing by demonstrating for the class. If each group has a digital camera, encourage students to take photographs as they complete the activities. Suggest that they take group pictures, pictures of nature, and pictures of their friends.
6. After you lead the class back indoors, ask each group to share their photographs with the class. You can upload the photos to Shutterfly.com to easily view the images on a computer monitor.
7. When the photos have been shared, upload the images to your classroom page on Shutterfly.com. Order prints of your favorite photos or print them out in class. Give each student one photo from their group to include in their collage along with their drawing, bark rubbing, and leaf pressing.
8. Encourage students to take the collages home to show their families.