Scratch art is one of those lesson kids of all ages LOVE to do and although it's very easy for us teachers to buy the ready made scratch art paper, I much prefer my students to learn from 'scratch' how to make make their own.
I gave out 9x12 white paper and crayons and told the kids they had to fill the whole paper with different colors and designs. I reminded them that for their paper to be 'magic' they needed to color in heavily and the only color they couldn't use was BLACK! It's amazing what happens when you use the word 'magic'. The kids get excited with anticipation and are just transported to their own creative space.
The finished designs were gorgeous and if I had been doing a lesson on lines and design this would have been just great. Next I gave out black crayons and told the the kids to cover their entire paper with black by coloring very heavily and trying to make sure no colors could be seen. They couldn't believe they were covering up their designs! (Note: I used black india paint with a previous class and it was very hard for them to scratch out a picture so I think a black crayon works better and the effect is stunning.)
Next, I gave out scratching tools like some wooden stylus' and explained that this tool would help them draw and color anything on their paper while they were 'scratching' out their design. I even made them blow on the tip of the tool for special effect.
The 'ooohs' and 'aaahs' are immediate as soon as they start to 'draw' and the vibrant colors start to appear magically before their eyes --this is priceless!
This lesson can be adapted to any age level so give it a go and forget about buying the ready made paper. This is more exciting and creative by far. Try to display them against a sunny window because the colors look shiny and they look gorgeous too!
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