Materials
Flat, hard work surface such as a concrete floor Paper grocery bags
Plain white tablecloth or white sheet Collection of fresh flowers, blossoms and leaves
Hammer Table knife
Permanent marker, optional
Instructions
1. Spread the grocery bags out on a concrete floor or another hard work surface. The work surface should be able to take extremely hard pounding with a hammer.
2. Spread half of the tablecloth out over the grocery bags. Let the other half spread out on the floor for the moment.
3. Arrange the collection of flower blossoms and leaves over the grocery bag half of the tablecloth. Ignore the other half for now. Encourage the children to group and arrange blossoms and leaves by color, type, size or other scientific observation. Some scientists like to arrange the blossoms in order from small to large or by groups of color. Others like to make a pattern or combination of both. Any grouping ideas are okay.
4. Now fold the other half of the tablecloth carefully and gently over the arranged and grouped flower blossoms and leaves. Two people may be needed so that the blossoms don't blow away.
5. Next, feel where covered blossoms are with your fingers. When you find them, pound on them with a hammer until the juices and colors soak through the fabric. Be careful not to pound so long and hard that you make a hole.
6. Move on to other blossoms and leaves, continuing to hammer until all the blossoms have been pounded and their colors have soaked into the tablecloth.
7. Open the tablecloth. Scrape the plant bits and pieces away with a table knife and brush extra bits away with the palm of the hand.
8. Cover a table with the cloth, showing the naturally colored fabric.
9. To complement the tablecloth, place a vase of flowers in the center of the table, the same kinds of flowers used in the project. To launder the tablecloth, wash it in cold water only. Even so, colors will fade significantly. Do not use bleach. Dry on low.More to doLanguage: Write the names of the flowers and leaves directly on the tablecloth with a permanent marker. Make lines around the plant impressions with the permanent marker to help highlight groupings or plant varieties.More art: Create napkins or a table runner using the same directions.
