A green, groomed lawn is not for aesthetic appeal only. The non-profit group The Lawn Institute reports that grass also helps to control soil erosion, reduce air pollution and keep the ground cool. Learning to cut grass from construction paper is an easy and inexpensive way to teach your children about the environment. It also provides an opportunity to teach lessons on food chains and photosynthesis--the scientific plant process responsible for "feeding nearly all life on Earth," writes Rick Groleau in his article "Illuminating Photosynthesis."
Instructions
1. Buy green paper. You can purchase construction paper online, at craft stores and in paper speciality stores. Store-bought construction paper often is bound in batches of mixed colors. You will have to pull out the green sheets. But craft stores often have single sheets of scrapbook paper. You can choose colors easier with the latter option.
2. Fold the paper in half, and cut along the fold. Repeat. You will have four strips of paper. Also, consider experimenting with different widths of paper to create a variety of grasses.
3. Cut the paper. Turn the paper strip horizontally, and place the paper strip in front of you. Use one hand to hold the strip by the edge and the other to hold the scissors. Make a vertical cut beginning at the bottom of the strip, which is the side closest to you, almost to the top of the strip. Repeat all the way down the strip. Try to create more realistic grass by cutting at angles down the strip.
4. Mow the lawn. This provides an entertaining end to the project. Snip the grass down the horizontal length of the paper strip.
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