Easy Tissue Paper "Sewn Quilts"

Whew!  I just finished a week of Vacation Bible School.  I spent about 3 weeks making plans, and creating art examples, plus buying and organizing supplies, then actually teaching the art.  About 90 1st-6th grade students were taught by me every day. Each class session only lasted 25 minutes, so I had to do a lot of prep work to make ready made copies for students to color, cut and/or glue.  I also had prepared lesson plans for pre-K and Kindergarten teachers to teach while I was teaching the 1st-6th graders.  I thought it would be fun to share the easy tissue paper quilt lesson plan.  Note:  This idea deserves credit where it is due, so read at the end of this post, and I'll tell you where it came from.

Supplies:

• 1 inch tissue paper squares in various colors, patterns (you can also use wrapping paper as suggested from the source book)
• Glue sticks
• Blue or Black Ink Pens (the book suggests black sharpie)
• Crayons or Colored Pencils (the book suggests chalk pastel)
• Background paper: White copy/bond paper or white construction paper  8 1/2 x 11 (the book suggests 12 x 18 drawing paper)
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Example

Directions:

1. Prepare an example.  With the ruler, measure 1 inch border all around the paper, and mark it.  If you are making a ready made copy to copy for students to color in and add the border, draw in your drawing.  Make a copy, then use the copy to make your example. (I pre-drew the drawing of a horse in the desert with a rescue blanket. See photo.) 
2. Color your example.
3. Add glue to small sections of the border, and add tissue paper squares all around the border.  Only add glue to areas of 3-4 inches at a time.  You'll need to stress this to your students, too.
4. Once tissue paper border is done, use a ink pen to add X's on the edges of the squares to resemble stitching/sewing marks.  

When sharing this with your students, stress writing their name INSIDE the picture, NOT in the border, cause it will get covered up.  Stress using glue in small areas at a time.   
Enjoy your Tissue Paper Sewn Quilts!

Note:  
The book suggests students write a sentence that explains what they have read about in a story and drawing a scene that matches the sentence.  I didn't have time for this.  It took about 1.5 sessions to finish  our pre-made copy horse pictures completely:  coloring, adding the squares, and the stitching marks.  Students also chose to write, God is Our Rescuer!

Student adding stitching/sewing marks

Student Work

Credit:  How to Teach Art to Children Grades 1-6 Evan-Moor EMC 760, page 132-33, Story Quilts. ISBN 1-55799-811-6
Available by calling:  1-800-777-4362 or visit their website at: http://www.evan-moor.com. The book is also available in an E book version.