Gratitude Tress by Mrs. Peters’ Students
I created a gratitude tree on a gloss-painted cinderblock wall. The fabric of the tree has a small printed design, when gives the tree a slight texture.
Here are the steps:
- Draw the tree on fabric.
- Next, cut out the tree.
- Soak the tree in some diluted glue and apply it to the wall like wallpaper.
- Use a damp sponge to smooth it out and wipe off the extra glue.
- Finally, paint on more glue with a brush as needed.
I peeled the tree off the wall when it was time to take the tree down! Easy Peasy! Please test this out using a small piece of fabric first because every wall is a little different. Liquid starch should work instead of diluted Elmer’s glue.
Gratitude Tree by Catherine Hurd’s Students
Catherine Hurd’s tree has a combination of leave styles! I love how they made a leaf for each person that works at the school. What a fantastic way to have students share the message about feeling gratitude!
Musical about the Gratitude Tree by Aileen Miracle
Aileen Miracle created and performed a musical about the Gratitude Tree with her elementary students. You can read more about it on her blog. She leads you through the performance with enough detail to create your own version. I attended the show with honor, and her 3rd graders did a terrific job!
Gratitude Tree by Mrs. Hammersmith’s 1st Graders
First graders made this sweet tree.
Notice how the little bird from the story is sitting in the branches!
Gratitude Tree by Ms. Murdock’s Art Students
I just love that Rachel Murdock was able to accomplish this in one art lesson! You can see from the images below that the small size makes a big impact! No need to be intimidated by the scale of some of the other trees – beautiful things can come in small packages!
The Gratitude Tree is available on my website and Teachers Pay Teachers. If you’ve made a gratitude tree and would like me to include you in this post, please email 2-3 pictures to me and tell me a little something about your experience.
You can use the email icon, or email them to draw@expressivemonkey.com.
Social & Emotional Learning in Art
Remind yourself and others of the social and emotional benefits of art. This is a great graphic to include in parent newsletters or display in your room.
You can read more about Social Emotional Learning in Art in this blog post.
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