Step 1: Plan your tree.
Depending on the biome students have chosen, they may have had many trees to choose from. Students focusing on the Savannah may have chosen the African Baobab, the Jackelberry tree, or the Acacia Tree. In the Arctic Tundra, students instead may have selected a type of pine tree, such as a spruce or fir tree. Whatever tree they chose, students sketched a plan, and mapped out the materials they would be using.
Step 2: Build your armature.
Using wire, newspaper, tape, and cardboard, students began to build their tree armatures. For a base, I gave students plastic planters. Some students elected to bring in rocks to place at the bottom of their planter for balance, keeping their trees from tipping. Students worked as "table teams" to ensure that each person at a table always could count on their partners to help them build. This part of the project often needed two sets of hands to complete.
Step 3: Paper Maché
We used Elmer's Art Paste, a glue powder that can be mixed with water to make a perfect watery paper maché glue. Students then dipped shredded newspaper into the glue, and wrapped it around their projects to create a thick paper and glue shell. Students put 1-2 layers of newspaper, and then the final layer was colored construction paper and glue. This allowed the projects to have a bright final color before moving onto other materials.
Stay tuned for the final products!