Nature Lesson Plans

Nature Gallery

Nature Poems, Songs & Action Rhymes

Spring Lesson Plans

Pine Needle Painting

Lesson Plan:

​Activity:

Pine Needle Painting

Lesson plan developed by Ms. Erika Geelhoed, BA Ed

Age Group:

Preschool

* Lesson plan objective and assessment can be adapted to use this activity with school-age children.

Objectives:  

Child will:

• express themselves using new and interesting materials
• practice fine motor skills by controlling a pine needle paintbrush

CDA Competency Standard:   

II.7.1a

• Activities and materials encourage children to express themselves through the visual arts
  • ​​a) Art materials and activities are available for children daily
    

Materials: 

• Large pine needles
  
• rubber band
  
• paint
  
• paper

Procedure: 

Create the paintbrushes by tying several pine needles together with a rubber band. Set them, along with paint and paper, in a suitable area for creating. Encourage the student to paint using the new art tool. Talk with them about this new style of painting. Ask open-ended questions such as:

• What do you like about your picture?
  
• How were you feeling when you made this picture?
  
• What did you think of using this new type of paintbrush? 

Assessment: 

• Observe and record students during the activity. What did they have to say about their creation? Write down their responses to your questions as well as any other dialog they have during the lesson. Also, make note of their fine motor skills. How well were they able to control the pine needle paintbrush? 

Online Early Childhood Education

Click on the course icon for enrollment information.

Encouraging Natural Curiosity

As a preschool educator, you can expand kids’ science learning and lead them toward discovery by encouraging their natural curiosity; noticing what they are doing during play with water, shadow, or sand; and asking the right questions. 

You can get involved by asking children openended questions: “Tell me what you are working on now.” “What do you notice about how it’s moving?” “What else have you seen other kids try?” Writing down their thoughts and ideas is a good way to document their growth in STEM curriculum to share with their parents.