Age Group

Preschool

Supplies

construction paper, red, yellow, orange and brown construction paper, green and pink tissue paper (small squares), cotton balls, glue sticks, marker

Description

This project can be done during any season, when talking about changes in the weather and how that affects the environment.   We did this in the Fall during an apple theme - and it coordinates well with the books "Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree" and "The Apple Pie Tree".

For older preschoolers:

First, fold a piece of construction paper into quarters and open it up (or you can use a marker and ruler and draw lines to divide the paper in quarters).  Title each quarter of the paper with the seasons (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall).  Next, give children brown construction paper to tear to make a tree trunk and branches.  They will need to make 4 tree trunks and glue one in each quarter of their paper.

Then, go through each season and have them decorate the tree as it would look in that season.

WINTER:  Rub a glue stick all over the bare tree and branches.  Then take a cotton ball and press it down onto the glue and lift it back up.  Keep pressing down and lifting up, each time a little of the cotton will stick to the page and look like snow.  "

SPRING:  Have children crumple up small squares of green and pink tissue paper and glue them onto their tree.  Will look like new leaves and blossoms.

SUMMER:  Have children use green tissue paper to cover their tree with leaves.  Glue these pieces flat to cover the tree.

FALL:  Use pieces of yellow, orange and red construction paper (have children tear them to smaller pieces).  Glue those on for Fall leaves.  Can add apple stickers, if desired.


For younger preschoolers:

For younger 3's, it is better to focus on making a tree for the season that you are currently in (see second picture on the right).  The project works the same was as above, but just make one tree at a time.  If you decide to make all the trees throughout the school year, you can compile them into a book at the end of the year and show the progression of the seasons.

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