Want a fun way to combine art, ela and science? Make an under the leaves zine! Making zines is one of my favorite ways to combine creativity and learning, they look cool and they are infinitely customizable. So what are zines? (pronounced “zeens,” from fanzines) A zine is a homemade self-published artsy magazine. They are usually designed to be reproduced on a photocopier and are often traded and/or sold in the diy circuit. For kids/ in the classroom, I view them more as one of a kind text based art pieces, but you can also make multiples and trade. The options are endless, but some great places to start are researching more about a favorite critter impacted by leaving the leaves and then doing some creative or informational writing about them. That can be a short story, a poem (we especially like haikus!) interesting facts, or anything else you want to write about. The writing can be fiction or nonfiction depending on what you are working on.
This is a fun way to learn some important art concepts like:
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- Symmetry: ask students to try and mirror the decorations on each wing.
- Zine & Book making: this is a great introduction to a whole method of making art.
- Art & Text: combining art and text is an important part of many art forms. (Including picture book writing)
This is a fun way to practice some important ela concepts like:
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- Creative Writing
- Informational Writing
- Editing and revising
AND this is a fun way to learn some important science concepts like:
- Researching animals and ecosystems
- Environmental topics and the impact of humans on ecosystems
Differentiation & Notes
You can cut the zines out or leave them on a piece of paper and just cut out the wings. This can be a little easier with younger friends. They are easier to hang on the wall this way as well.
To level this up for older/ more advanced students consider gluing in folded pages that allow for more text and more complicated zine structure. Look at some art zines for ideas.
If you print this on copy paper or even cardstock, you’ll want to stick to dry media. If you prefer to use paint or other wet media, consider using a heavy weight watercolor paper. (In that case use the template to trace the shapes onto the heavier paper.)
Art Standards
Pre Kindergarten: VA:Cr1.1.PKa Engage in self-directed play with materials.
Kindergarten: VA:Cr1.1.Ka Engage in exploration and imaginative play with materials.
1st Grade: VA:Cr1.2.1a Use observation and investigation in preparation for making a work of art.
2nd Grade: VA:Cr2.3.2a Repurpose objects to make something new.
3rd Grade: VA:Cr1.1.3a Elaborate on an imaginative idea
4th Grade: VA:Cr2.1.4a Explore and invent art-making techniques and approaches.
5th Grade: VA:Cr1.2.5a Identify and demonstrate diverse methods of artistic investigation to choose an approach for beginning a work of art.
Multidisciplinary Standards
Kindergarten
NGSS
K-LS1-1 Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.
K-ESS3-3. Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment. (leave the leaves!!!)
ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems Things that people do to live comfortably can affect the world around them. But they can make choices that reduce their impacts on the land, water, air, and other living things.
Common Core ELA
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
1st Grade
NGSS
1-LS1-2. Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive.
LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms Adult plants and animals can have young. In many kinds of animals, parents and the offspring themselves engage in behaviors that help the offspring to survive.
Common Core ELA
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.5 Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.10 With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately complex for grade.
2nd Grade
NGSS
Structure and Function The shape and stability of structures of natural and designed objects are related to their function(s).
2-LS4-1. Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
Common Core ELA
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.2 Identify the main topic of a multiparagraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.
3rd Grade
NGSS
3-LS1-1. Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death. [Clarification Statement: Changes organisms go through during their life form a pattern.]
Similarities and differences in patterns can be used to sort and classify natural phenomena.
3-LS4-4. Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change.
LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans Populations live in a variety of habitats, and change in those habitats affects the organisms living there.
Common Core ELA
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3 Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.6 Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
4th Grade
NGSS
4-LS1-1. Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
LS1.A: Structure and Function Plants and animals have both internal and external structures that serve various functions in growth, survival, behavior, and reproduction.
Common Core ELA
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.8 Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
5th Grade
NGSS
5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems Matter cycles between the air and soil and among plants, animals, and microbes as these organisms live and die. Organisms obtain gases, and water, from the environment, and release waste matter (gas, liquid, or solid) back into the environment.
5-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.
ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems Human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on the land, vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and even outer space. But individuals and communities are doing things to help protect Earth’s resources and environments.
Common Core ELA
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.8 Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
Under The Leaves Zines
Materials:
- moth, beetle, and/or bird template (download below)
- pen or pencil
- brass fasteners
- coloring supplies (dry media: colored pencils, crayons, markers etc.)
Tools:
- scissors
- something to poke a hole for the fasteners (an awl, thumbtack, ballpoint pen will all work)
Method:
First, write short stories, poems or informational facts about leaving the leaves, beetles, moths, butterflies or birds. You can tailor this to grade level and class need.
Revise and refine stories with a partner or parent. Once they are polished, start your zine.
Cut out your chosen template. You can cut out the whole thing or just the wings if you prefer. (See note above)
Carefully write your story onto the lines provided.
Color the body and wings of the critter zine.
Poke a hole through the wings and base (there is a small grey circle where it should go) and then poke a brass fastener through. Fold out the two pieces and flatten them against the zine. This will hold the wings in place and allow them to move and reveal the text.
