Materials:

• airtight plastic bags (large)
• oaktag paper and a sheet of lined paper
• glue stick
• collage material (feathers, sequins, paper or fabric scraps, foam pieces)
• chart paper
• marker

Objective: Children and their families will engage in an art project to develop cooperation skills, language skills, and social awareness and encourage family involvement

In Advance: Fill each airtight bag with the same amount and type of collage materials. Colors may vary, but materials should be the same.

ACTIVITIES

1. Invite children to do a special take-home art activity. Explain that you will give each child the same art materials in a plastic bag and they will work with their families to create a collage.
2. Send home a note explaining that each family should work together to create a collage using the materials in the bag. Request that each family think of one additional type of material that they can add to their collage that was not included in the materials bag. After they have completed their pictures, request that they ask their child to write or dictate a story about it.
3. invite children to share their family art projects and stories with their friends during group time. Encourage them to look at each collage to find which different type of material each family included. Create a list on chart paper of the different types of materials added to each collage.
4. Engage children in a discussion about the different types of collages created by each family. How were the collages similar? How were they different? What did they enjoy about the activity? Display the family art projects for all to enjoy.
5. Finally, create a "classroom family collage." Provide materials and have children work together to create a collage they can share with their families and other groups of children.

Curriculum Connection: MATH

Provide children with different textured materials (such as feathers, foam, plastic, beads, corrugated cardboard, fabric scraps, pebbles, shells, and wood blocks). Place the materials in a small container. Invite small groups of children to sort the materials into similar groupings. Encourage children to work together to explain their decisions. Offer guidance or support if needed.