Save up and bring in magazines and let your students search through them. Have them pick a topic or theme, such as family, fun activities or their favorite color and have them cut out pictures that fit their theme. Supply each student with a large piece of bristol paper and have them collage their cut out images onto this paper with glue. This activity will help with dexterity when using the scissors as well as help the students express their individualism. Hang the posters all around the classroom like an art show.
Paper bag puppets are not only easy to make but can be used to put on a performance at the end of the school day. Have students vote on an age-appropriate story to use as your theme. Use wiggly eyes, colored foam sheets and other basic crafting items to decorate your puppets. Be sure the decorate the the bottom of the paper bag, because when it is folded over that will become your puppet's face. At the end of the period, have the students put on a performance of the story or read it together as a class and admire all of your characters.
This project requires adult supervision and handling of materials. Have each student save two to three small, single-serving milk cartons. You will also need to supply wax beads used for making candles. Use hot plates to melt down the wax beads and add colored dyes. Before pouring the wax into the milk cartons add a wick to each carton. Also, let the students choose to add ice cubes, gel cubes or crayons with the wrapper removed to their milk cartons, then pour in the wax. These will create interesting effects in the wax will intrigue your students' curiosity. This activity is great for the holiday season.
Make a solar system using balloons and simple papier mache. Inflate the balloons to different sizes to correlate to our actual solar system. Cover each balloon in at least three layers of papier mache and let completely dry, then paint over them with tempera craft paints. This will not only be a fun hands-on project, but will teach the students about our solar system.