colorful dried bean mosaic spring craft — Photo Source: Martha Stewart

Colorful mosaics are a fantastic way to brighten up your home or classroom for spring. We found the idea for this craft while paging through the winter edition of Scholastic's Instructor Magazine, but we're certain there are hoards of similar projects to be found on the web. Since spring is equated with 'rebirth' and new life, we suggest using natural materials, specifically seeds or dried beans/peas which can be tied into a science lesson on the plant life cycle, growth, etc.

Here's a non-exhaustive list of natural mosaic materials you might try:

Black-eyed peas
Green split peas
Yellow split peas
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Kidney beans
Red beans
Black beans
Anasazi beans
Calypso beans
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Melon seeds

And the list could go on and on! Provide students with a sturdy base - Ann Wolff the project contributor at Instructor suggests using foam core - and shallow containers of dried materials, inviting them to give the project a go! Use the craft to supplement a lesson on patterning, shapes, or even 100th day activities like Wolff did by having students count and design with ten groups of ten seeds, beans, peas, etc.

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