Nanette Sposito brings literature to life with this colorful bulletin board idea she submitted to KinderArt™! Instead of doing a regular beach theme for the summer months, the space contributes to the learning-rich environment, covering concepts from a favorite class book, and motivating children with its fun, vibrant design.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom! Crafts

For the sake of time (and attention spans!), it's usually best to divide the crafts for this bulletin board into two days.

Day 1: Sandy Footprints

Armed with a piece of white card stock, there are several ways in which you can tackle creating the footprint:

• Invite your students to trace their foot onto a piece of sandpaper.
• Have your students trace their foot onto the paper, use a paint brush to apply a thin layer of glue to the print, then sprinkle it with sand.
• Instruct your students to trace their foot onto the card stock, then use tan paint mixed with sand to paint their print.
• Provide your students with a shallow dish of school glue and a paint brush. Invite them to paint their foot with the glue, make a 'print' on their piece of paper, then sprinkle sand over it.
• Prepare shallow dishes of tan paint (mix brown with white). Instruct your students to use a paint brush to cover one foot with paint, make a print on the card stock, then sprinkle sand over the wet paint.

Day 2: Letter Palm Trees

To complete this craft your students will need one tree trunk, three palm fronds, and several coconuts. Depending upon the age of your students you can: 1) provide pre-made construction paper cutouts, 2) provide templates for tracing and construction paper, or 3) provide construction paper and have your students free-hand the shapes. When all the needed shapes are prepared, its time to add some paint. As with the last craft, there are several ways in which students can texture their trees:

• Create several painting stations. At each station place two trays, two marbles, and a shallow dish of washable brown paint or washable green paint. Instruct your students to place their cutout on the tray (the trunk and coconuts at the brown painting stations and the palm fronds at the green painting stations), dip the marble into the paint, and roll it around the paper.
• Set-up several painting stations. Place two large roasting pans, two ping pong balls, a handful of drinking straws, a small trash bag, and a shallow dish of washable green paint or washable brown paint at each station. Invite your students to place their cutout (whichever is appropriate based on the color of paint at the station) in the roaster, dip the ping pong ball into the paint, and use the drinking straw to blow it around the roaster and paper.

When the paint has dried, help your students assemble their trees and add colorful foam letters to spell their name.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom! Bulletin Board

• Background: Aqua blue bulletin board paper to create the sky and tan construction paper or tan bulletin board background paper to create sand.
• Title: "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom!", "Aloha!", or "Preschool's Doing Some Sand-sational Reading!"
• Border: Beach-themed trimmer or color coordinating bulletin board trim.
• Decorations: Use your students crafts. If you wish, create a large palm tree and write your students names, concepts being covered, etc. in the language of a coastal community!

Are there any interesting ways in which you incorporate literature in your classroom decoration? Share your ideas and inspiration by leaving a comment!