Fall Bulletin Board Ideas
Fall is a perfect time to make colorful bulletin boards that you can use to display student work.
By Elisa Jackson
What season do the colors orange, red, brown, and yellow remind you of? Fall, of course! The bulletin board inside the classroom is a good way to introduce your students to a study of the seasons. One bulletin board idea involves designing a tree that will reflect the seasons as they change through the school year. In the beginning of the year, the tree can have colorful leaves. In the winter, the leaves can fall to the ground, and the branches can be bare. In the spring, bright green leaves can appear on the tree. Toward the end of the year, as summer approaches, the tree can be full of deep green leaves. You could have each of your students write essays about the seasons, create poems based on seasonal sports, or display the results of science experiments evaluating environmental changes, and display their work on the bulletin board. Students love putting their own touches on the bulletin board to show that they contributed. Here are some more ideas for great fall bulletin boards.
Tree Trimming
As described above, the teacher makes a tree trunk with lots of branches, and each of the students contribute leaves with their names and pictures on them. They can glue or staple the leaves onto the bulletin board which gives them ownership in the classroom. A title for this bulletin board could be “(Your name)’s class leaves us smiling!” This makes for an impressive Back to School Night display which the parents will love! If the leaves are large, students can display their work on the tree as well.
Pumpkins on Parade
In addition to the leaves, your tree can include other decorations. For example, students can create pumpkins by taking strips of orange paper and fastening them together at both ends with a brad. After both ends are fastened, students can fan out the strips to make a sphere. Then the teacher can create vines with green butcher paper, and connect all of the pumpkins on the board. My students loved doing this because they created really “cool” pumpkins. A title for this could be “Pumpkins on Parade.”
Turkey Time
If you have room for another bulletin board, you can create one that highlights your students' writing. For example, students can decorate a picture of a large turkey. Then, students can write Thanksgiving stories, and post them next to the turkey. A title for this bulletin board could be “Thanksgiving is Turkey-licious!”
There are many holidays and seasonal activities to pull from when thinking of ideas for bulletin boards. No matter what you choose to do, a student’s input is very important so they feel ownership. My students always loved passing by our outdoor bulletin board and commenting on their own work, or pointing it out to a friend in another class. Have fun making bulletin boards, and allow your class to shine! Below are some excellent ideas for bulletin board art which also involves learning opportunities for your students.
Bulletin Board Ideas Lesson Plans:
Students create leaves by using the crayon resist technique. This is an excellent way to teach a new method of coloring, and students make interesting fall art at the same time! This clever lesson also has a nice scientific element as well. Students learn why leaves change color, and why some leaves turn red, brown, yellow, or orange.
Students make leaves with tissue paper. In this very simple art lesson, students use fall-colored crumpled up tissue paper to act as a 3-D way to make leaves. This easy-to-implement lesson provides you with a quick way to have a different look for your tree.
This wonderful lesson is a study of why the seasons change, and the adaptations that plants and animals employ during each season. There are some more artistic ideas embedded in the plan regarding artwork for your bulletin board for each season.
Students are exposed to the sun symbols used in the folk art of Mexican, Native American and other primitive cultures. This fabulous lesson combines elements of art, history, and cultural geography. When finished, your students will have produced a piece of art that will welcome in the spring season with your bulletin board.