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Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Rorschach Creatures


This is a favorite lesson I do with Kindergarten every fall. They love the surprise of opening their papers to reveal colorful designs and the fun of using their imaginations to "discover" unique creatures! I do this lesson in two parts, to give the paint time to dry before adding details with marker.

1. Fold a piece of 12 x 18 white construction paper in half. Then open it back up again.
2. Place a few (not too many and not too large) drops of tempera paint on and near the fold. I use red, yellow and turquoise so students can see what happens when the primary colors mix and form secondary colors!
3. Fold your paper again and rub it well to "smoosh" the paint around inside the folded area. (If paint starts coming out at the ends, you used too much!)
4. Open your paper to reveal a colorful (and symmetrical) design! Let dry.
5. After your paint has had a chance to dry, turn your paper different directions to see what you can "find" in your design. Use your imagination! We have found butterflies, flowers, and even a genie coming out of a lamp!
6. Use a black "F" Sharpie or a chisel tip marker to add details to your design so that others can see what you see in it. (If you need to, you can cut out your design and glue it back onto another paper to make more room for details.)
7. Add a fun title if you like!

Because the first part of this lesson goes pretty quick, I usually start off with reading, Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh.... a great introduction to color mixing for little ones!




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