1st grade Hot Air Balloons

I think I have fallen in love....with this project!!! It sort of came together at the last minute and I love the illustrative results. I had been wanting to do hot air balloons for a while and was so happy when I bumped into a post over at Art Projects for Kids because it was a great inspiration! I think this was a perfect end-of-the year project and a wonderful way to end our year!

Day #1: Students were given watered down tempera paint and 8x18 paper. I talked about two different ways to go about making the clouds in the sky. Use a pencil and draw them first, or go for it and use the brush! Regardless, it was an easy way to talk about positive/negative space. I showed Cloud Study by Constable and talked to the students about the dark and light areas and how no clouds are perfect, some look lumpy and bumpy, and well, some cloud shapes just can't be described (this also served as a way to get the kids to ease up on themselves---you know how they get at this time of the school year!)

Day #2: I cut up a bunch of scrapbook paper and passed out lids. Students were able to choose up to three pieces of paper and spent some time tracing and cutting the balloons. I pre-cut strips of brown paper so all they needed to do was snip it apart to create the baskets. Sharpies were used as a final touch to add the details. Some students even decided to add descriptive lines for the wind!