Nature paintings are a fun and creative way to integrate art and science as children learn about plants, the process of photosynthesis, and how a plant makes its own food. Now that summer is here, you will find trees with new leaves and flowers with new petals. The leaves and petals are a great source for painting. Chlorophyll, the green pigment found in a plant’s leaves, is a key ingredient in the process of photosynthesis. It also makes great paint!

For this project, you will need:

• 8-10 leaves or flower petals per child
• a white sheet of paper
• a metal spoon (Avoid plastic spoons as they break when firmly pressed as firmly as necessary.)

To make the paintings:

1. Fold a sheet of white paper in half.
2. Place several leaves or flower petals between the folded paper.
3. Press firmly on the leaves between the pages and rub with a metal spoon.
4. Enjoy your beautiful artwork!

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