Butterfly Wings Tissue Art
Level 1 builds foundational science through art.
- Framework: EYFS
- Unit: EYFS Summer Time
- Learning area: Nature
- Level: EYFS 3-4
Objectives
- Identify butterfly life cycle stages
- create symmetry art.
Instructions
Materials
- Coffee filters, flattened and circular
- Washable liquid watercolors or diluted food colouring in small cups
- Pipettes or medicine droppers
- Clothespins
- Pipe cleaners
- Trays or plastic mats for workspace protection
Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate fine motor control by squeezing and releasing pipettes.
- Observe and describe the process of colour mixing when two colours overlap.
- Identify the butterfly as a creature that undergoes change.
- Follow a multi-step sequence to complete a creative project.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Gather students in a circle and show a picture of a butterfly. Briefly explain that butterflies start as caterpillars before growing wings.
2. Place a flattened coffee filter on a plastic tray for each child.
3. Demonstrate how to use a pipette by squeezing the bulb, dipping it into the watercolor, and releasing the bulb to draw up the liquid.
4. Model how to drop small amounts of colour onto the coffee filter, encouraging children to watch how the liquid spreads through the paper fibers.
5. Prompt children to add a second colour near the first to observe where the colours overlap and create a new shade.
6. Allow the filters to dry completely on the trays.
7. Once dry, help each child gather the centre of their filter to create a wing shape.
8. Secure the centre with a clothespin to form the butterfly body.
9. Wrap a pipe cleaner around the top of the clothespin to create antennae.
10. Display the finished butterflies in the classroom to celebrate the theme of summer growth.
Educator Tip
If children struggle with the pipettes, provide small sponges or brushes as an alternative tool for applying colour. To extend the lesson, ask students to name the colours they see in their wings and identify which colours appeared only after they overlapped the original drops.
Assessment
- Observe if the child can successfully transfer liquid from the cup to the paper using the pipette.
- Note if the child can verbalize the change in colour when two hues touch on the paper.
- Record the child's ability to follow the sequence of adding colour before assembling the wings.
Assessment
Observe and note: ability to follow two-step instructions, use of new vocabulary in context, early problem-solving strategies, and sustained shared thinking episodes. Assess against Development Matters age-band expectations. Checklist: engagement, symmetry attempt, vocabulary.