Writing Jellybean Similes

Writing similes can be so much fun!  I always like to use things that children can experience.  Last year I used Sunflowers this year I decided to try Jellybeans.

For younger children a great starting point is to use the five senses.  I made the template below to help children develop their ideas.  Each child got a few jellybeans to look at and eventually eat.

See below for the template: what do jellybeans look like...smell like....feel like...taste like...and sound like.  There's also a similar sheet available at 'Read Write Think.'  They then buddied up and shared their ideas before having a go at drafting their similes.

Publishing their similes... 

Using vivid, water colour pencils and dye.

Some examples of finished similes.

Papier-mâché Masks from Outer Space - Part One

Here are the steps we used to make our masks from 'Outer Space.'

What you need:

* Glue (wallpaper paste, with a splash of PVA glue)

* Newspaper/News print paper

* Balloons

* Art Shirt

Step 1: Mix the glue, use a big bucket.

Step 2: Blow up your balloons.

Step 3: Rip the newspaper, it should be the length of your hand and no wider.

Dip....Scissor...Apply....Smooth

Step 4: Continue to build up the layers (4 to 5 layers).  Use strips of cardboard stapled into circles for the balloons to sit on and dry.

Step 5: When the balloons haves dried cut each one in half with scissors.  Add any features you want to add to your masks, ie noses.  Attach with glue and tissue paper.  Finish the mask with a few layers of tissue paper.  Let dry and coat with white paint.  You can also add some detail with a hot glue gun. Click here to see how we decorated our masks.

Papier-mâché Masks from Outer Space - Part Two

Masks all ready to start being painted!  Tip:  Get children to design what they think they'd like their mask to look like on paper before decorating.

Use acrylic paint and metallic paint.

When masks are all painted add an extra details...ie pipe cleaners, ping pong balls.  Then varnish your mask.  We used a water based varnish.  Tip:  Avoid varnish on any metallic paint.  Click here to see Part Three or our finished masks from 'Outer Space.'

Papier-mâché Masks from Outer Space - Part Three.

To visit Part One on how we made our masks click here.  These Masks from 'Outer Space,' were made by seven year old children.