Art Room: Class Entryway

On the first day of art class for each room, we looked at pictures of Japanese cherry blossom trees (sakura).  I had my tree and branches set up outside my classroom door, prior to the first day.  We talked about how this tree will hold a piece of the whole school on its branches and we will grow tremendously throughout the year TOGETHER.  Then I had each student create one blossom (or leaf) with their name on it.  I then let them find their own place on the tree and let them stick it on with sticky tack.  This was such a cool process throughout that first week, since the tree started out bare and became fuller and fuller each day.  The students and classroom teachers LOVED it, and I had the chance to get a little glimpse of each students' drawing/cutting/designing abilities in a simple (every grade level can do it) kind of way.