Elaborate Eggs for Easter

Experience the "egg-citement" of Easter! Explore Easter traditions past and present, and create an "egg-stravagant" 3-D scene.

• 1.

  Research the symbol of the egg and its connection to spring holidays. Read <u>The Golden Egg</u> or another book with illustrations of Easter eggs and symbols. When did the custom of exchanging decorated eggs begin? In which cultures? How is this tradition similar to the Easter eggs that are decorated today?

• 2.

  Cover your art area with newspaper. Using Crayola® Watercolor Paints, create a background scene, such as a sky or grass, for your Elaborate Eggs for Easter. Dry.

• 3.

  Color an entire sheet of construction paper in wide stripes using various colors of Crayola Multicultural Markers. With Crayola Scissors, cut the page into strips. Save one strip for a handle. Lay half of the remaining strips horizontally on a flat surface. Use the other half to weave over and under the flat strips to weave a basket. After weaving, turn the ends under and glue them with Crayola School Glue. Glue the handle to your basket. Glue your basket to the background paper. Dry.

• 4.

  On white construction paper, draw eggs of various sizes. Cut them out and decorate them colored pencils, Crayola Glitter Glue, and your imagination. Dry.

• 5.

  Glue eggs into the basket. Dry.

• 6.

  Complete your spring scene with drawings of animals such as ducks and rabbits and some blades of grass. Cut them out and glue them on the background. Dry.

Benefits

• Students connect the symbol of the egg to the celebration of Easter as well as the arrival of spring and new life.
• Students research the custom of exchanging eggs, which began when the Egyptians and Persians exchanged eggs decorated in spring colors.
• Students weave their own basket, fill it with brightly decorated eggs, and display it on an original background.

Adaptations

• Find out how diverse cultures use eggs in their customs, and what the various colors mean in decorating eggs.
• Research Pysanki eggs and recreate this ancient art of egg decorating.
• Find out how eggs were included in ancient Roman Easter sporting events.
• Use your knowledge of weaving to create other items such as place mats.