Botanical Bookmarks

Bring nature's designs indoors with these golden leaf-printed bookmarks. For gifts, make matching picture frames, gift wrap, note paper, and cards.

• 1.

  Collect one or more fallen leaves with adult supervision. Wash your hands when you return indoors. Do research to identify the leaves. From which tree or other plant did they fall?

• 2.

  With Crayola® Scissors, cut a bookmark-size piece of construction paper. Make it slightly wider and longer than your leaves.

• 3.

  Cover your art area with recycled newspaper. Cover the underside of each leaf with gold Crayola Premier™ Tempera and a Crayola Paint Brush. Press the painted side down on the bookmark. Lift. Repeat to form a pattern. Dry.

• 4.

  For a matted look and to make a sturdier bookmark, add a second piece of construction paper. Cut it slightly larger than your first piece. Gild the edges with gold or another color of tempera. Dry.

• 5.

  Attach the matting piece under your bookmark using Crayola Glue Sticks. Punch a hole at the top. Pull ribbon, raffia, string, or yarn through the hole and tie a knot.

Benefits

• Students increase their knowledge of botany as they collect, identify, and classify various leaves.
• Students observe that each leaf has its own unique color, texture, design, and pattern.
• Students create a pressed-leaf bookmark, accenting it with gold Crayola Premier™ Tempera.

Adaptations

• Some children with special needs may request assistance when pressing their painted leaves.
• Paint leaf imprints to create wrapping paper. Make note cards or book covers to match.
• Create personalized, unique greeting cards using this pressed and painted leaf technique.
• Paint cardboard and decorate it with leaf prints to form a picture frame. Add names and a date to personalize it.