Veterans Day falls on Nov. 11 and serves as a means of celebrating those who have served in the armed forces. Have students create art projects to show their appreciation for veterans and their country.
Poppy flowers are the quintessential symbol of veterans; have children create poppies using their fingerprints. Instruct children to dip a finger in red finger paint and then press it four times in a circular formation on a piece of paper. Have them dip a finger in green paint and stamp it in the center of the circle, creating the center of a poppy.
Have children make patriotic stars to hang in your classroom. Assemble three craft sticks into the shape of a triangle; create two triangles and glue them on top of each other so that the points of the shapes are facing up and down. Have children paint the stars red, white or blue. String yarn through the tops of the stars and use the yarn to hang the stars from the ceiling.
Election Day also occurs during November and children can make art projects that pertain to this important day.
Provide children with shoe boxes, scissors, paint and construction paper. Instruct students to transform the shoe boxes into ballot boxes using the materials they have been supplied with.
Have children make pins to promote voting. Offer children craft foam circles, paint, and red, white and blue ribbons. Instruct children to use the paint to write "Vote" on the circles and have them glue the ribbons around the circles. Glue a safety pin to the back of the circles and children can sport their pins on Election Day.
Perhaps the most looked forward to holiday in November is Thanksgiving. Children can make art projects to use as decorations for their family feasts.
Instruct students to trace one of their feet on brown construction paper and have them trace one of their hands onto red, yellow and orange construction paper. Have them cut out the prints and glue the handprints to the back of the footprint, creating a turkey.
Make napkin rings that resemble Indian corn. Provide students with empty toilet paper tubes and instruct them to paint the tubes brown. When the paint dries, instruct students to glue different colored buttons in rows on the tubes, creating the look of Indian corn. A napkin can be folded up and inserted inside the center of the tubes.
The autumn season is at its height during November, so have children create artwork that pertains to the season.
Take students on a nature walk and have them gather different fall elements; nuts, pine needles, acorns, leaves and twigs, for example. Provide children with a paper plate with the center cut out and instruct them to glue the materials around the perimeter of the plates, creating fall wreaths.
Students can use their fingerprints to create fall trees. Have children use brown paint to create a tree trunk on a piece of paper. Have them dip their fingers into different fall-colored finger paints -- yellow, orange, purple and red -- and have them stamp the prints on top of the trunks, creating the look of fall foliage.