Look at this beautiful project, just perfect and so fun for Valentine's Day! This is a project handed down from many other teachers- I did not make it up, but I tried it for the first time this year and think it's a keeper! :) Let me break it down for you step by step so you can try it, too!
1. Print or trace a large simple heart. One of my co-workers just drew one for us with pencil and we copied it onto white construction paper . Easy.
2. Model how this is done ahead of time for kids so they SEE how the painting happens, but here is the plan:
a. Give each table or small group of kids a plate with a squirt of red paint. They paint 1 or 2 horizontal stripes of red along the top of their heart (don't worry if the line gets hard to see- it works out). Tell them to NOT go all the way to the edges of the paper- just make sure the drawn heart gets covered.
b. This is a "team project" so when everyone at their table/group finishes with the red, they should raise their hands to let you know they're done. You come around with white paint. Give them a squirt of white. Their job is to use their brushes to mix, mix, mix. They each add 1 or 2 more stripes or the little bit lighter red and then raise their hands again.
c. You just keep coming around and adding more white each time until their heart gets covered.
Let them dry for a day. Once they are dry, kids could probably cut them out, but I cut them out myself for my class.
I hung ours up like this! Our 100th day of school and Valentine's Day both happen the same week. Even if yours are both in the same month or so, this would be a fun way to display them. My teacher-friend added a kindness quote to her's- so cute!
Btw, for the "100 reasons we love our school" I had kids each write their names on a heart and I let them each write a couple more things they love, like gym, other teacher's names, things we learn about, etc. My "100" shape kind of stunk this year (LOL), but it works, right?! :)
Happy Valentine's Day!
