Sun Prints

Sun Prints

Materials

• Sun paper
• Water
• Small container or bin (for water)
• Materials to place on sun paper (i.e. leaves, twigs, flowers, rocks, etc.)
• Handout (can be printed from the pdf download)

Steps

* In order to have optimal experience, make sure it is a sunny day. 

1. Gather items to place on your sun paper and on a regular piece of paper, practice where you will arrange your items. (Once the sun paper is exposed to sunlight, you will need to work quickly.)
2. Fill up a small bin of water.
3. Take out the sun paper and quickly place items on the paper.
4. Wait about 2–3 minutes and watch the paper color change.
5. Dip the paper in the water and set to dry.

Questions

1. Notice how the paper changes. What do you think is happening with the paper? Why did the sun have an impact on the color of the paper?
2. Why is the water bath an important step? What makes you think that?
3. Why do you think sun prints are related to conservation (Hints…blue, sun, ultra-violet light, water, oxidation.)
4. What questions do you still have?

Project Blue Boy Connections

The sun art activity uses sunlight to make an imprint of an object on paper. This is an example of the way light affects paper. Students may notice that the lights are dim in the galleries and the paintings are not in front of windows with bright, direct light.

Student Connection

What types of things do students do to stay safe from sunlight?

Standards

NGSS Standards
3-ESS2 Earth’s systems – This activity will help students explain environmental phenomena.