[lizcandoit]

Hey guys
I have seen some great "trees" attached to classroom walls made of crumpled paper bags for the trunk. Does anyone have a a pic of theirs and instructions on how to make it????
Liz

[myoung]

I built a tree in my classroom a few weeks ago out of paper mache and aluminum screening (like for an old-fashioned screen door). I'm determined NOT to go up to school this week (we're in desperate need of some family fun time!), so I can't get a picture till next week, but I'm pleased with how it turned out. I molded the trunk and 3 limbs with the aluminum screening (it'll hold it's shape pretty well) and hot glued it to a corner of my library. For the trunk, I just attached one side of the screening to one wall and the other to the other wall and just made it round out in the middle (I didn't make a complete cylinder) and hot glued the sides. For the branches, I did make round cylinders and stapled them together on the seams, then hot glued them to the wall. Then, I took brown packing paper (it comes in a pretty big roll from Wal-Mart in the office supply section for around a 1.50), tore it into long strips and paper mached it to the trunk. (I used regular Elmer's glue and water to paper mache--the more glue you use, the harder it will end up--I used about 1/2 and 1/2). Make sure you put newspaper or something down underneath the tree, because it will drip! I only did one layer of paper mache, because I'm probably going to have to change classrooms next year--again!, but if I was staying, I'd probably do about 3 layers. I bought jungle-y looking greenery from Hobby Lobby (1/2 off!) and stuck the stems in the ceiling tiles. I also bought a few vines and wrapped them around the trunk and limbs, too. Since I'm doing a jungle, I have some animals on my tree, too. It was WAY easier than I thought it'd be--only took about 2.5 hours to do. I'll try to post a picture next week.

Your tree sounds awesome! How about that picture?

[NCP]

Here are two ways I have made a tree:

1. Take three long pieces of brown bulletin board paper and crunch them up along the long side, separately. Then hold them together at one end on braid them together. Tie the top and bottom until you get it stapled or taped to the wall. Make the branches the same way. This works good to make a maple, oak, elm type tree.

2. Use a long carpet roll tube and put it over a 2x4, or 2x2, which is nailed to a base. Take lunch sacks and cut the bottoms off and slide over the tube and crunch down. Then use an old umbrella, remove the material and glue green leaves onto the ribs. Then put it in the top of the roll. This makes a good palm tree.

[ConnieWI]

Does your school use the light brown paper toweling in the bathrooms? It twists very easily for vines, and it can be twisted around carpet rolls for the trunk or large wrapping paper rolls for the branches. It you are attaching it to a bulletin board, it staples easily too.

[Weezer]

I made one for my door and one for my reading center. Here are pics of each of them. I also had standing trees made out of carpet tubes and plastic table covers andcoat hangers. You can see them in the picture of the reading center I think.

[AZTeacher07]

I'm looking to build a tree also. Will they just give you the carpet tubes? If they do that leads me to the whole new problem of trying to get it to school in my cute little car

[luvnjesus]

I am doing a jungle theme also. My husband went to the carpet store and they said he could come by and get carpet tubes anytime he wanted...they would just throw them away. In regards to transportation, maybe a friend has a "cute little truck".
Good luck!

[Sheena]

Your classroom looks so cute. How do you keep the hut standing?

Thanks,
Sue

[myoung]

I've never attached photos here--givin' it a shot!

[Weezer]

It is made of PVC pipe and it is self-standing. It didn't budge this year at all.

[Weezer]

How did you make your tree?

[myoung]

check out my post at the beginning of this thread.

[shalinai]

I am kind of confused on how you did this, can you help?

Thanks
Shay
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