I have a secret…I LOVE sparkle.

Okay, so maybe it’s hardly a secret at all with a name like Deep Space Sparkle, but with the mess that comes with using glitter (someone once told me that glitter in a classroom is equivalent to going to the beach and getting sand in unwanted places) it can be hard to incorporate sparkle in the art room.

One of my favorite ways to get the sparkle without the mess is by using glitter paper. Glitter paper adds fun and texture to this lesson, and it’s guaranteed to be a hit with your class.

This lesson is a great accompaniment for teaching students about snowflakes – how they form, how they fall, and how each one is unique and fleeting – and it introduces the topics of SYMMETRY and BALANCE.

Watch this Video to learn how to create these paper snowflakes with your kids:

Here’s what you’ll need:

– 12″ x 12″ colored sulphite paper

– Glitter paper cut into strips of varying lengths (I buy glitter paper in packs from Michaels’ Craft stores)

– Sulphite paper cut into strips of varying lengths

– Small circles of sulphite and glitter paper (I used a circle punch)

– Oil Pastels

– Glue Sticks

– Scissors

What to do:

Show students the simple snowflake patterns from the handout below. Notice that each snowflake is unique and that they all are symmetrical.

If you are in a classroom, it helps to pre-cut the 12″ x 12″ papers and stack them on a table in assorted colors. Children can choose their favorite color and bring back to their tables. The left-over scraps of paper can be cut into strips and small circles, and placed on each table organized by length and shape. Also pre-cut the glitter paper and include it on each table.

Start by placing a small dot in the center of your paper (for younger students, you can either do this for them or have them fold their paper in half both ways and draw their dot where the folds intersect).

Begin by gluing strips of paper down in your snowflake design.

Once your snowflake is glued down, take a white oil pastel and draw a flower-shape around it, then use the side of the pastel to fill in from the shape to the edges of your paper. Using the side of the pastel will make filling in the area faster and make sure that the color of the paper below still shows through.

Lastly, use different colored oil pastels to add details to the snowflake and draw lines, shapes, and patterns over the white pastel.

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