Butterfly Wings Tissue Art

Level 1 builds foundational science through art.

• Framework: IPC
• Unit: Summer Time
• Learning area: Nature
• Level: Level 1

Objectives

• Identify butterfly life cycle stages
• create symmetry art.

Instructions

Materials

- Coffee filters, flattened and circular

- Washable liquid watercolors or diluted food coloring 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 color mixing when two colors 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 color onto the coffee filter, encouraging children to watch how the liquid spreads through the paper fibers.

5. Prompt children to add a second color near the first to observe where the colors overlap and create a new shade.

6. Allow the filters to dry completely on the trays.

7. Once dry, help each child gather the center of their filter to create a wing shape.

8. Secure the center 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 color. To extend the lesson, ask students to name the colors they see in their wings and identify which colors 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 color when two hues touch on the paper.

- Record the child's ability to follow the sequence of adding color before assembling the wings.

Assessment

Checklist: engagement, symmetry attempt, vocabulary.

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