Gingerbread Houses

It is so important for the younger grades to keep working on those fine motor skills. And what better way to do that then with Collage! I begin this project after Thanksgiving. It's not a "Christmas" project but an awesome winter project!

 

by 1st grader Mason

SUPPLIES NEEDED

12"x18" white paper

1- 9"x12" piece brown construction paper cut in half for each student

(house and roof)

many other colors of construction paper 

 (I let my kids dig through the "scrap box" for this project.)

Elmer's glue

pencil

construction paper crayons

DISCUSS

What collage is and show an example

I show a slide show of Gingerbread houses to peak their interest and then ask what we will be making today.

This year I would love to find a great book to read for this project! Any suggestions?

DEMO

Gluing!! I teach my students to use "Baby dots" spread apart and not right on the edge

I teach that when you create a collage you need to glue down the background (what is in the back) 1st!

How to make your gingerbread house

1. use your two brown pieces of construction paper to make the house

Glue down one for the house

Cut a triangle out of the other one for the roof, glue and put above the house

I tell students that their roof can look different from mine but they have to make it out of the other piece of brown paper.

2. Go through the scrap box and find papers for: windows, doors, people, trees, decorations, etc.

I call one quite table at a time to go to the box :)

3. Draw what you want to put on your house first, then cut it out

4. Flip it over and glue it down so the pencil marks don't show

5. draw, cut out, and glue down what will go beside the house

6. Finally, use construction paper crayons to complete your collage