Craft a very hungry caterpillar...

Caterpillar cut from crayon resist paper and leaf cut from construction papers

      Above is a caterpillar craft that I taught during my student teaching. Kindergartener's spent the first day of this project coloring abstract shapes, line and colors onto white paper with crayons. Then they painted with watercolors on top of their crayon designs.

      On the second day, students then traced around giant leaf stencils and cut them out of green construction paper. Then they cut elliptical shapes from their decorated papers and assembled these onto their "leaf frames" with paste. The last step was to add eyes and line details to their caterpillars and leaves with a black magic marker. 

Supply List:

• a large sheet of green construction paper for the leaf cut-out
• white construction paper for the wax resist process
• brilliant crayons
• tempera paint or watercolors
• a green marker

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. To make the caterpillar of many colors, color stripes on the white construction paper. Leave  space between the stripes without color.
2. Then use watery paints to layer over the wax crayon to fill in the parts of the uncolored areas. 
3. Cut out many oval shapes from this paper to make the caterpillar.
4. Glue the ovals together to shape the insect's pudgy body.
5. Add eyeballs and nose.
6. Cut a giant green leaf from the construction paper. 
7. Use a green magic marker to make veins in the leaf and cut out a few holes where the caterpillar has nibbled away at the leaf!
8. Add some prickly hairs growing from the top of the caterpillar's back if you wish.

 "Two girls A.R. and G.H., ages 9 and 11, took my puppet workshop. After graduating from the advance level they performed The Very Hungry Caterpillar all on their own without any help. A.R. plays the caterpillar and the butterfly. G.H. handled all the props. They did this video in one take, I am so proud of them!" from hagley productions

"Handy" Little Butterflies

A finished handy butterfly stapled to the 
bulletin board in my classroom.

       These little butterflies made with magic markers and construction paper sure come in handy when you need a quick way to decorate your classroom for spring! Little ones can also learn the parts of a butterfly while crafting their butterflies. 

       Students can learn about patterns and colors with this assignment. First they will need to fold a white sheet of paper in half twice and fill in each of the four spaces with patterns of shapes and colors of particular selection. After they have completed this step, students will then need to trace around their hands four times within each square of their designed paper. Cut these hands out to form the wings of your butterflies. I stapled their wings to some simple shapes of a butterfly's thorax cut from black construction paper. You can also add a few chenille stems for antennae. 

       My kindergarteners were so proud of their creations. What seems to be old-fashioned to us is  always entertaining to five year olds. It is one of the many blessings of being new to the world. Every little innocent thing holds some fascination for the very young. 

       Many of these butterflies did not make it to the bulletin board. My kindergarteners loved this butterfly craft so much, they tried to sneak their paper butterflies home! I saw them, however, stuffing their new friends into their backpacks before I could collect all of my bulletin board trim! I stapled the butterflies all over my display areas after students finished this art project. What an easy fun way to fill up bulletin boards!

Supply List:

• white drawing paper
• magic markers
• black construction paper
• white school glue or stapler
• one black chenille stem per butterfly

Left, color patterns on drawing paper. Center, trace around child hands for the wings. Right,
glue or staple on black butterfly body and black chenille stems for antenna.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Fold a sheet of white drawing paper in half and then in half again. Unfold it; now your student will have four spaces to draw four different patterns with a set of magic markers.
2. Once students have completed their patterns, have them trace around their hands four times and cut out the four hand tracings to attach to their butterfly bodies.
3. Fold a small, narrow length of black construction paper in half and cut out a simple butterfly shaped body for it.
4. Glue or staple the handy wings to it. 
5. Cut one black chenille stem in half.
6. Twist one end on each half into a little ''c'' shaped loop.
7. Glue the opposite ends to the top of the handy butterfly to make antenna.

Embroider Butterflies of Brilliant Hue

    Bright colored butterflies bring a feeling of joy and sunshine to one's work, and these dainty little creatures are charming in flower pieces or as separate motifs on table mats, curtains, dressing-table runners, and other household articles.
      Butterflies are so easy to work that no one need fear to attempt them, especially with the help afforded by the varied selection on the color samples shown below, and the chart, herewith, giving the direction for the stitches. These butterflies, also the dragonfly and bees, are originally from Weldon's Transfers (1900), you may reproduced tracings from the photo below in order to stitch butterflies similar to those embroidered at the turn of the last century.
      The wings are all worked on the same principle; the markings first in long and short stitch (or for the more definite spots and bands, in satin-stitch), and stem-stitch for veinings. All stitches should be directed towards the body. Between the markings the wings must be filled in with long and short stitch directed from their edge towards the body.
      For the body, long and short stitch can be worked lengthways, or rows of satin-stitch fitted one into the other, as shown on several of the specimens. The long and short stitch can be continued on the head, or this can be worked in satin-stitch. One or two little stitches of red or yellow, or some fairly bright color, are all that are required for the eyes.
      Stem-stitch or split-stitch gives a fine line for the antennae, which are tipped with one or two satin-stitches in the same direction as the stem or split-stitches. 

 

Color enhance reproduction of sample silk butterflies, bees and dragonfly by Weldon's Transfers, 1900.
This embroidery is done with fine silk threads.

 

 

Watch Malina embroider a silk butterfly using a satin stitch.

"Love Your Neighbor" coloring page

Description of Coloring Page: text, appears in Bible in Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:37-39, and Mark 12:29-31, butterfly coloring page by kathy grimm

• "He is Risen Indeed!" Butterfly Coloring Page
• Learn how to draw baby chicks scratching here and there, looking for something to eat!
  

Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

Color A Celtic Resurrection Butterfly Cross

       I used metallic ink pens to color in my teacher's sample cross drawing. These inks really stand out if you draw with them on dark or black construction paper. Although, I chose to draw on a nice acid free paper for this particular activity (construction paper fades rapidly). The project is designed for students fourth grade and up. I've included patterns for the butterfly and cross below for those of you who would like to draw a cross very similar to mine. I colored the floral part of my design with Rembrandt colored pencils. These have a nice velvety texture that sharply compliments the metallic inks.

      The butterfly in the modern Christian church, and when I say modern I mean within the last 100 years, is used as a symbol for resurrection. This is because the metamorphosis that takes place during the life cycle of butterflies mirrors the lives of regenerated Christians in both life and death after the Holy Spirit indwells them personally. The cross, in turn, symbolizes the beginning of this resurrection process because of the ultimate price of salvation paid for us through Christ's death on the cross and His resurrection from the tomb.

      Encourage your students to frame their work if they are pleased with the results. I have found that many parents love to receive simple drawings such as these for a birthday or Mother's Day and/or Father's Day gift.

This is my teacher's sample of a Resurrection Butterfly Cross.
Students can use all kinds of metallic ink pens to color in their
 sketches. They will need to use a white or yellow colored pencil
to trace around their stencils before applying the inks. Although I
chose silver for my sample, this pattern would look just as
 attractive in gold or copper inks.

Click directly on the image to download the largest possible file.
 You will need to fold an additional piece of paper and
place the dotted lines of the cross template on top
 of the fold to cut out the entire cross pattern.

More Links to Cross Drawing/Coloring Projects:

• Bible Verse Easter Cross from The Glitter Queen. Also more cross projects here and here again by Kids & Glitter.
• Color Crucifixion Symbols
• Color a Early Pectoral Crucifix
• Jesus, died for our transgressions
  

Drawing Butterflies By Progressive Steps

     I have included here a series of five, butterfly, drawing exercises from an old book. In each case it is the last figure of each series of diagrams that you are striving to copy.

      Learning to draw is best when students are encouraged by multiple means of processing information. Teachers should encourage progressive diagram drawing, drawing from real life, drawing from artworks and from their imaginations. The more articulate the student, the easier it becomes for him or her to express themselves. It is difficult for art students to become articulate if their teacher is attaching too much philosophy to practice early in their pupil's development.

      Each method of drawing accesses different areas of the brain. Educators will soon discover that different students excel at different rates according to their familiarity with utilizing that particular part of their brain. Teaching art to the very young should focus primarily on the absorption of knowledge and how to use it within a wide variety of circumstance/context. 

      All artists should be given time to learn how to manipulate information without having the process judged by those art educators that teach according to current popular belief.  Do not fixate on artistic schools of thought or practice until a student is approximately sixteen or older and is able to make important choices for himself apart from your personal tastes and opinions.
      The method of drawing illustrated in the jpgs. below, is very appropriate for cartoonists or graphic designers to learn. Encourage art students to try this method of making art along with many other practices inside your classroom.

full frontal butterfly draw

Draw butterfly from side.

Draw another butterfly from side.

Smaller butterfly drawing challenge.

Last step-by-step butterfly drawing challenge.

The Living Butterfly

Paper butterfly pattern.

      Cut out the wings all around the outside black lines and fold them together at the dotted line A. Cut out both sections of the body and paste them together, with the exception of the legs and antennea, which are to be spread apart. Now slip the body between the wings at the white space. BB and bend the wings down at right angles to it at the dotted lines CC. The butterfly is now finished. To set it in motion hold it between the thumb and forefinger, as shown in the model, and pinch it gently, being sure to have the thumb and finger high enough under the wings so that they will be raised every time they are pinched and lowered when the pressure is relaxed. If you do this just right the butterfly will look like a little living creature poised for flight and an observer will be scarcely able to see what makes the wings go up and down. If you like to paste a thin piece of note paper on the wrong side of the wings to cover the printing and to color them on both sides. You will have a very pretty toy to add to your collection of cut-outs.

• Color an Art Nouveau Design: Madam Butterfly
• A butterfly maze puzzle by kathy grimm
• "F is for fancy fairy" alphabet coloring page (with butterfly wings)
• Craft and color your very own butterfly kite!

A Repeating Line Butterfly Design

      Give students newsprint to fold, design and cut out their own butterfly stencil. 

      Then have them trace around their stencils onto some interesting tissues or napkins printed with bright colors. Cut and decoupage these butterflies to a very large piece of white drawing paper and let the pictures dry. 

     Students may then use markers to draw lines around their butterflies that echo the shapes, colors and rhythms of their butterfly decoupage.

The butterflies appear to vibrate with the rhythm of the line work.

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Craft A Simple Butterfly Mask

Above is my teachers sample. We used
 magic markers to cover the mask
 with bright patterns and colors.

I crafted simple butterfly masks with my kids at the school last week. I traced my butterfly pattern onto inexpensive paper plates and cut these out ahead of time. The eye holes were located in the upper oval shapes of the top of my butterfly's wings. 

This simple mask project is perfect for kindergarteners. They also loved to skip about the room and pretend to be flying in a garden with their masks on!

• "I am the resurrection and the life..." coloring page

The butterfly song for your young students.