Natural Arts Education

Supporting students’ curiosity, well-being and excitement about the world.

This blog is part of the National Institutes of Health - SEPA project: Environmental Science Through Arts (ESTA) connecting environmental health to human health.

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Anthrotypes

Making beautiful silhouette images without photo chemicals, anthrotypes are a fun experiment!

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A Leaf 3 Ways

A fun, simple way to start a nature journal.

Enid Baxter Ryce 2/1/24 Enid Baxter Ryce 2/1/24

Simple Books

Create simple books with no sewing or glueing!

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Oak Gall Ink

Make Oak Gall ink with this ancient, fun recipe.

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Create a Mushroom Library

Grow mushrooms in old books!

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Plant Sprouts and Sketch

Planting sprouted seeds and sketching in the garden or schoolyard.

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A Magical Bird Needs a Nest

A magical bird needs a nest! A fun way to engage NGSS-DCI or VAPS outcomes.

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What Story Should I Tell?

What story should I tell? 20 prompts to help students tell their stories.

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Your outfit is your palette!

Creating a painting with a pallette based on your outfit.

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Biological Crusts & Moss Forests

Finding the beautiful miniature worlds at the edges of our paths.

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Landforms

A fun STEAM sculpture project that meets NGSS DCI and VAPA standards for second grade.

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Rain-ting

Experiment with how water affects color by painting on wet paper and leaving it out in the rain.

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Feelings Monsters

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Paper Flowers (for big groups!)

Making paper flowers with big groups, including small children. Wonderful for el Dia del los Muertos festivals.

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Clay Pumpkin Lanterns Part 1

A fun, simple Halloween clay decoration!

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Simple Cell Phone Stop Motion

Simple outdoor stop-motion.

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Chalk Sundials

Make sundials using chalk and your body!

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Lockdown Art Project

A quiet project for a lockdown or lockdown drill.

Enid Baxter Ryce 9/7/21 Enid Baxter Ryce 9/7/21

Drawing Faces

How to draw facial proportions.