OBJECTIVES

 Make an inventory.
 Familiarize the children with the traditions of writing letters.
 Draw the children’s attention to the visual aspect of stamps.

SKILLS

 Explore the garden with an artist’s eye.
 Keep a memory of the discoveries through drawing.
 Work on small sizes.

MATERIALS

 Blank stamp label, size about 13/9 cm.
 Felt pens (size : medium and fine).
 Graphical tools, gouache, watercolour.
 Computer, scanner, software : Corel Draw or MS Pub.
 Sets of stamps (nature, animals, flowers).

REFERENCES

 Visit the Post Office Museum or the local post office.
 Stamp collections.

PROCEDURES

I can find… in my garden.

Once you have made the inventory of what the children saw and discovered in their gardens, such as earth, pumpkins, spiders, leaves, witches (appeal to the imagination), the children must represent one of these elements on blank stamp labels. For these representations, the children will use the technique of their choice : chalks, pastel inks, felt pens…

Creating a stamp collection will allow to keep this inventory at a small size.

The creations are then digitalized (by the teacher or the pupils depending on their ability). Each label is then scaled-down to the wanted size and cut/pasted so as to have a board.

FOLLOW-ON-ACTIVITIES

Other stamps could be created throughout the school year depending on the themes or issues developed.

Use these stamps on envelopes containing the letters addressed to school correspondents. Do not forget to make the children notice that the stamps they created do not exempt them from buying real stamps !

Decorate the envelopes according to the stamp.

Create inking stamps.

ASSESSMENT

 The quality of the creations
 The variety of the graphics and contents using a same element.

Jocelyne Fralon Directrice École maternelle Albert Anne Bonnières Yvelines France