"3D" Flower Collage

My 2nd graders used these whimsical flowers for their Mother's Day cards this year, but you could also make a colorful garden picture while teaching the concepts of symmetry and layering. Attaching the blossoms with layers of double stick foam tape gives a fun 3D effect that unfortunately doesn't show up well in this picture!

Materials:

• Construction paper or card stock, white (8-1/2 x 11 shown here)
• Construction paper, green (1/2" x 12", 3 each)
• Construction paper, assorted colors (4" x 4", 6 each)
• Crayons (blue, green, brown) with paper torn off
• Scissors
• Glue Stick
• Green marker
• Large sequins (3 each, assorted colors)
• Double stick foam tape
• Circle templates, about 2-3/4" diameter (we used metal juice can lids)
  

Directions:
1. Create a background by coloring your white paper with the side of a blue crayon for the sky, and a green and/or brown crayon for the ground.
2. Use a green marker to create fun patterns on the 1/2" strips of green paper.
3. Trace your circle template onto three different colors of paper and cut out with scissors.
4. Then, snip triangle-shaped wedges around the edges of each circle. Vary the sizes and spacing of your "snips" on each circle.
5. Next, glue these circles onto contrasting colors, cutting each larger paper into a circle around the smaller one, leaving about a "finger width" of space between the two colors.
6. Now, snip triangle-shaped wedges around the larger circles.
7. Glue down your stems, varying their height. Use any extra pieces for leaves. Mix and match the stems and leaves for added interest!
8. Cut three small (1/2") squares from scraps of contrasting paper and glue onto the center of each flower, then glue a sequin on top of each square.
9. For a fun 3D effect, attach flower blossoms to the tops of the stems using layers of double stick foam tape. (The picture doesn't do it justice, but the 3D effect really makes it!)

This may seem like a lot of steps, but the kids catch on fast, especially when they have a sample to look at!