27. Trees & Leaves – KidsART A

by | Mar 19, 2025 | Lessons > Grades 1 & 2 | 0 comments

OVERVIEW

Artists make trees by twisting pipe cleaners, and paper leaves are attached. Then everyone designs and creates a tiny tree house to go onto their tree sculptures. The whole thing is glued together and onto a base for a fun project to take home.

– – –

Grades 1 – 2

Week of March 24 – 28

1 Hour & 30 Minutes

Student Work

Lesson At A Glance

Here’s a brief overview of the complete lesson. It’s also on your prep page in the Ready, Set, Go! section (below the lesson).

Colored buttons jump to each section in the full lesson plan below.

1. Warm UP

5 min –  Use leaf template to make a new design

2. Branching Demo

10 min – Demo & discuss tree shapes using clay

3. Fuzzy Trees

15 min – Start to make tree out of pipecleaners

4. Leaves

15 min – Use template to create leaves

5. Treehouse

30 min – Draw and color treehouse designs

6. Assembly

13 min – Assemble tree, leaves, treehouse, and base together. 

7. Clean Up

2 min – Everyone helps

READY, SET, GO!

Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.

 

SCROLL & TEACH

LESSONPLAN

Each section is a different color. Read over once and then you can SCROLL & TEACH using any device you like. It’s designed to work well with your phone.

STEP 1. Warm Up

Students begin with short Artists’ Choice using markers.
5 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know how to use their imagination

M A T E R I A L S

  • 8.5″ x 11″ copy paper
  • 2B Pencil
  • White Eraser
  • Markers
All materials are suggestions and may be modified as you see fit. We have tried many items, and these seem to allow the most versatility for the cost.

1.1 Print

Reference

Leaf Shape Template

Cut images apart and print enough for each student

Hand out cut out shapes.

PRINT

1 Page – Opens in new window

Open PDF

1.2 Greet

Greet students as they come in and help them choose a chair.

Kneel down so that you are on their level. Bending over emphasizes the differences in your height, while kneeling makes them feel more important. Have tape and marker ready so you can stick some tape on the table by each student and write their name on it as they sit down.

1.3 Choice

Shapes ideas

Have the leaf shapes template printed on card stock, cut out and ready (below). Give one to each student and have them trace 3 or 4 of them on their paper.

Everyone should try and make each of the shapes into something different. What can you make out of this shape? Ideas: it might be a lemon, a football, or an eye. Use the pastels to color and blend the pictures.

READY, SET, GO!

Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.

STEP 2. Branch Demo

Use clay demo to show students how trees divide into branches.
10 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know how what branches and trees accurately look like

M A T E R I A L S

  • Clay or Play Dough
  • Plastic knife

Tree Demo (tap any image to open viewer)

Tree 7

The finished clay tree will look like this to your students. You’ll make it upside down from your perspective.

tree 1

Here’s a long flat tree trunk shape. It’s about 1.5″ x 9-10″

Tree 2

Use a clay tool, plastic palette knife or disposable knife. Start in the center about 1/3 of the way down from the top.

Tree 3

Pull the knife toward you, dividing the clay trunk into two main branches. Pull slightly apart.

Tree 4

Tree 6

Almost done. To finish, arrange the branches to be more tree-like.

2.1 demo

Show a clay trunk

Make a tree trunk out of clay. It should be a flattened rectangle about 9″ long and 1 and 1/2″ wide.

2.2 demo

Divide the trunk

Use a palette knife to slice the tree trunk in two from about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. You should pull the two smaller trunks apart a little bit.

2.3 demo

Divide some more

slice the smaller sub trunks into even thinner branches. As you divide the branches, pull them apart and arrange to make a tree. Keep going with the divisions until you have several small twigs on the ends.

2.4 demo

Real tree branches are the same

Branches get smaller and smaller. They are always split into 2 half-sized branches – unless one is larger and the other is smaller to make up for it. Science tells us that trees really work this way. You can’t have 2 branches than would add up to be bigger than what the previous branch was.

Alternative extra point: Add a piece of extra clay to make a too-heavy branch to part of the upper tree. Explain how this make it look unbalanced. Trees just don’t grow that way. Always make the branches smaller and smaller like they do in real life.

READY, SET, GO!

Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.

STEP 3. Fuzzy Trees

Students will make a tree out of pipe cleaners.
15 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know how to make a 3D tree

M A T E R I A L S

  • Pipe cleaners, long size – any colors except brown

Pipecleaner Tree(tap any image to open viewer)

Take 10 long pipe cleaners. We’re using white so they show up easily. You can have a blue, gray, pink, or multicolored tree! (This works with as few as 8, and you can go up to 12 too).

Bundle all the sticks together and have them lined up.

Bend the whole group in half but don’t let go. You might need to do the bundles yourself, up to this step or the next one, so that it’s easier.

Twist one half but leave the end untwisted so you can make roots. About a child’s finger is good, or 2″.

Fan the ends out like a star to make a root base for the tree.

On the other half, divide into 2 equal groups of 5 sticks each. These are the main branches. Begin to twist these groups for a couple of inches from the middle and then stop.

Divide each main branch group into a set of 3 and a set of 2.

Twist each group part way but leave all the ends with a couple of inches free. (it’s hard to see, but there are 2 ends over to the left there.)

Bend all the branches around until it looks like a tree!

You can also bend the lower trunk to make a twisted tree. It’s more stable this way too.

3.1 Intro

Display the slideshow and explain what the project is about.

NOTE: the ends of the pipe cleaners can be sharp. Help students understand before they get their fingers poked.

Students should all be given 10 long pipe cleaners each. They will make a tree by working up from the bottom. The longer pipe cleaners work best. Twist the group of pipe cleaner sticks until they just hold together. Do not over-twist.

TIP

Use black, gray, or colored pipe cleaners. Using brown seems to make sense, but reinforces the unrealistic notion that trees are brown. Most trees are not.

3.2 demo

Spread to make branches

 

Students watch slide show to follow along with the teacher.

 

After the tree has been branched out, pull the bottom of each stick out just enough to make a base of short roots.

 

3.4 Names

Set aside nearby

Make sure no one loses track of their own tree. You can use a bit of tape and sharpie marker to add a name to each one.

READY, SET, GO!

Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.

STEP 4. Leaves

Students will use a template to cut and color leaves for their tree.
15 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know how to cut out leaf shapes

M A T E R I A L S

  • Leaf template
  • scissors
  • markers
  • Pencils
  • Brushes – All sizes
  • Water containers
  • Spray bottles
  • Water droppers
  • Paper towels
  • Smocks

4.1 draw

Draw 5 or 6 leaf shapes

Use the template to draw a bunch of leaves by tracing around in pencil.

4.2 color

Color

Color each leaf with markers in any colors you want. Multicolored, blues, fall colors, or greens look great.

4.3 cut

Cut the leaves out and color the backs

Place into a stack as they are cut and discard the scraps. When finished, put leaves aside with the tree

TIP

Have a baggie to put the finished leaves in for each student. This will help keep them from getting mixed up or lost. Write names on the baggies with a sharpie.

READY, SET, GO!

Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.

STEP 5. Treehouse

Students will design, color, and create a 3D paper treehouse.
30 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know how to create a 3D sculpture

M A T E R I A L S

  • Treehouse printout
  • Pencils
  • Markers
  • Scissors
  • Clear wrapping paper tape
  • Glue sticks (just in case someone asks)

5.1 print

Reference

Treehouse Template

A template for cutting out a foldable 3-D house. Print on CARD STOCK.

Hand out template prints. Each student will need one. Don’t cut ahead of time unless you think it’s needed. It’s a little easier to draw the interior on an uncut version.

PRINT

1 Page – Opens in new window

Open PDF

Treehouse Decorations (tap any image to open viewer)

Color the inside first

The cut it out and turn over to decorate the outside.

Fold and tape the corners together. Tape the roof on top.

One side is open so you can see inside.

Fit it into the tree. Secure with a couple of dabs of hot glue.

5.2 draw

Select Treehouse and draw the inside furnishings

Select one of the 2 treehouse design templates. Draw furniture and other things on the inside. Color the inside with markers.

TIP

If someone cuts apart along a fold line, just continue with the decorations and tape back together when finished

5.3 cut

Cut it out along blue lines

Cut the entire template out from the paper (along the solid bold line only), but don’t fold anything yet. It still needs to be decorated on the outside.

5.4 draw

Draw the exterior decorations

Turn over and finish with the exterior. Add windows and shutters, doors, roof shingles, and decorations of any kind.

5.5 fold

Fold along dotted lines

Make folds where there are dotted lines. It can be folded in either direction, but to put together it will need to make the house. Some folds might need to be reversed for that. The teacher and any helpers should be helping do this part.

5.6 tape

Use clear tape to secure

The house can be held together with clear wrapping paper tape.

NOTE: there is one open side of the house so everyone can see inside.

Here’s a slideshow of each step:

READY, SET, GO!

Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.

STEP 6. Assembly

Students will put the tree, the leaves, the treehouse, and a base together – with help.
13 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know how to make 3D artwork

M A T E R I A L S

  • Treehouse
  • 4″ or 5″ square piece of cardboard
  • Clear tape
  • Hot glue and glue gun
  • Colored markerss

6.1 glue

Glue tree to base

Place the tree roots in hot glue in the center of the cardboard base and allow to cool until secure.

NOTE: hot glue is HOT! Don’t let kids touch it. Please use low-temp glue and guns set on the lowest setting.

6.2 place

Arrange branches and house

Let the students decide how to fit the house into the branches and move everything around.

“Make sure you move your branches apart so the house can be placed in the middle of the tree. You’ll need branches all around it to hold it in place.”y exist in this space. This is due to the fact that the coffee is cold and I’m starting to get cranky. This is placement text to simulate a real teacher talk which does not currently exist in this space. This is due to the fact that …”

Teacher Talk

Read verbatim or paraphrase

6.3 glue

Glue house into place

When each student is ready, use a few dots of hot glue in strategic places to hold the house in the tree. You might need to move branches to add more support.

6.4 tape

Students tape leaves

Clear tape can be used to secure the house better too. Tear off several long and short strips of tape and set them on the edge of the table for each student to use on their own.

Students can tape their leaves in place anywhere they like.

6.5 finish

Finish the base

Use markers to decorate the base and add a signature.

Early finishers can add some fun ideas to the piece:

  • Make a swing out of a small piece of paper and some yarn
  • Make birds to go in the tree
  • Make an animal or person to live in the treehouse
  • Your own idea!
READY, SET, GO!

Use this button to jump down to the preparation section.

STEP 7. Clean Up

Everyone helps gather the scraps to throw away.
2 Minutes

LEARNING TARGETS

Students know the importance of cleaning up

M A T E R I A L S

  • Paper Towels
  • Cleaning wipes
  • Sink
  • Waste baskets
  • Well-lit spot for photos
  • Camera or phone-camera

7.1 clean

Students clean up their work area.

  • Wash hands
  • Super-wash brushes if used
  • Put art supplies away
  • Wipe tables & toss trash
  • Remove any smocks (last)
  • Check for items on floors and tables

7.2 photos

Try to get photos of your student’s artwork. Find a good spot for quick lighting without highlights or shadows from your hands and device. Ideally in-between two strong lights on each side

7.3 connect

Make sure you see the kids connect with parents and tell them about the class if you can!

OBJECTIVES

  • Practice and improvement in designing, planning, decorating, and using color.
  • Understanding how a 3D object is created and used to make a sculpture.
  • Accomplishment from making a complex project with many different media and parts.
  • Fulfillment  by designing and arranging the entire thing.

TROUBLESPOTS

Poked fingers – the ends of the pipe cleaners can be sharp. Help students understand before they get their fingers poked.

ART WORDS

Template – A pattern or model to follow to help create your art.

Sculpture – three-dimensional art.

CLASSROOM

PREP

Have a bunch of amazing supplies ready, and cut a few things apart before-hand in a way that make you look amazing.

Print all of your PDFs from the lesson plan and cut any references apart as needed.

What your room needs

Here are your printable lists and room prep instructions.

PRINT

Opens in new window

Open PDF

CLASSROOM

MATERIALS

  • 11×17” Copy Paper
  • 8.5 x 11” Copy paper
  • 4B pencils
  • Erasers
  • Markers
  • Oil pastels
  • Blender sticks (stumps)
  • Clipboards
  • Paper towels
  • Clay or Play Dough
  • Plastic Knife
  • Pipe Cleaners (long size, not brown)
  • Scissors
  • Spray bottle
  • Water droppers
  • Smocks
  • Tape
  • Glue sticks

PREVIEW

Spring Break March 25 – 29

Week 30: Cats in Hats

Students have a lot of fun working with air-dry clay to create cat sculptures using a follow-along slide show. They’ll also make little hats for the sculptures, and take them home the following week. There is a drawing and painting done from reference as well.

PARENTART.ORG

Use this button to view our parent’s blog. Share the link: http://parentart.org, with your student’s parents so your they can read about the lesson each week.