Materials
Wax paper
Fresh flowers such as buttercups, violets, mock orange blossoms, pansies, or any flowerwith delicate petals
Paper napkins
Old telephone books
Iron
Newspapers
Instructions
1. Ahead of time, tear wax paper in sheets approximately 28" (70 cm) long and fold them in half.
2. Collect fresh flowers with the children, if possible, or bring flowers from elsewhere. If appropriate,ask the children to bring flowers from home.
3. When you are ready to begin, have the children open a napkin halfway and place a flower facedown on it, spreading the petals, then close the napkin again.
4. Have the children place their napkin inside a telephone book with care.
5. When they are finished, stack extra weight on top of the telephone books. Set the books asidefor a week, leaving the flowers to dry.
6. Approximately one week later, pre-heat your iron to the appropriate setting. Remind the childrenthat only an adult may touch the iron.
7. Carefully remove the dried flowers from the telephone books. Open the napkins so the childrencan see them.
8. Place a sheet of folded wax paper on the pad of newspapers and open it. Ask the children togently arrange several of the dried flowers on the wax paper, then fold the paper again, coveringthem.
9. Tell the children to move aside, then press the paper with the hot iron to fuse the two sheetsof paper. Repeat the process with the remaining flowers.
10. Trim the finished product to the desired size.More to doMore art: Trim the paper to make bookmarks. Or trim the finished product to fit inside a clearplastic lid; affix with double-sided tape and punch a hole in the lid to make a suncatcher. Wrap inhandmade paper for Mother's Day or another special occasion. In the fall, follow the same stepsusing fresh leaves.Science: Help the children understand how the drying process has changed the size and textureof the flowers by removing the water from them.
