Shark Week Using Recycled Materials

My boys love reading the "Who Would Win?" books. The Hammerhead versus Bull Shark is a favorite and in the back of the book is a listing of all the types of shark teeth. Looking over the various teeth we each knew which shark we would create! This art was so much fun and could easily be broken into segments.

Materials:

-Record box lids or shoebox lid

-Paint

-Marbles and lids

-Egg cartons

-Pink cellophane

-Air-dry Clay

-Sequins and yarn

We first marble rolled our background which was on the underside of a record lid. Warm colors seemed fitting for the sea background and I wanted a contrast with the cellophane, if the kids wanted to use it. Marble painting is such fun. We dipped our marble in the paint then rolled it around...the more marbles rolling at the same time equals greater fun! Then we took various types of lids and stamped circles everywhere onto the record box. The younger two had way too much fun smearing paint all around.

After this dried we used cut pieces of egg carton. The gray color and texture were perfect. Laying the pieces on top of one another gave a thicker dimension so the shark looked 3D. This is where you can allow the kids to have creativity. My older son decided to make the shark look like it was coming out of the water to get some food, much like mine. But my younger ones wanted to create small sharks, showing their entire bodies and even make up their own sharks. We used regular school glue and it dried nicely.

Using squares of pink cellophane we glued in a mouth. I LOVED this effect! It was gorgeous and glossy. The sea colors that shine through actually give it a great look. Then for the best part...the teeth! Using the air-dry clay we shaped bits of white to look like teeth. Some of us made flat triangles and ridged the teeth so they had little blades. My middle made long teeth for a Sawshark. My oldest used the clay for a light on top of the head as an Angler Fish has. You could use the clay for bubbles or eyes and it easily stay on with regular glue. Yarn can be used as seaweed and sequins will give a shimmery look to your sea. These were great fun and the boys wanted them proudly displayed in their room!