Festive Fall Frame

Create a beautiful picture frame with festive fall colors

Skill Level: Moderate

Time Needed: 45 minutes

Age(s): 8 to 12

Appropriate For: Thanksgiving

Supplies Needed:

Project Rating:

Look through old magazines for pictures with fall colors, such as red, yellow, orange, and brown. Rip the magazine pictures into small pieces that are shaped like leaves. Ripping the paper will provide a rugged, leafy effect.
Cut a piece of foam board into a 6" by 6" square.
Glue the magazine "leaves" onto the foam board. Overlap the leaves for a collage look and feel.
Cut a small square from a sheet of black construction paper.
Glue the black square on top of the magazine leaves in the center of the foam board. Let the glue dry completely.
Glue a small photograph in the center of the black square. Let the glue dry completely.
Display your festive fall frame!

Teaching Tips:

Why do some tree leaves change color during the fall? Have students research why leaves change color, which is due to the slowing down of photosynthesis because of the lack of light and water during the winter. Ask students to create a list of deciduous trees, whose leaves change color and fall off, and a list of evergreen trees, whose leaves stay green all year round.
Encourage students to find out where deciduous forests exist in the world. Ask them to pinpoint the locations on a classroom map or globe. What characteristics are common to these locations?
Have students write a haiku poem with a fall theme. A haiku poem is a three-line poem usually about nature. The first line contains five syllables, the second line contains seven syllables, and the last line contains five syllables. Post students' poetry around the classroom for others to see.
Have students do all of the measuring for this activity. Ask students to first measure the picture frame in inches. Then, have students measure the picture frame in centimeters. Discuss the difference between the two measurements. Encourage students to measure other items in the classroom. Ask them to estimate the measurement of an item, and then measure it to find out if they were correct.