Teaching With Terhune: Snow Globe Ornaments {Student Made Parent Gift for Christmas}

Looking for a quick, easy, and inexpensive gift for your students to make for their parents for a Christmas gift?

These Snow Globe ornaments are fast and simple to make!

They are also a great keepsake for parents!

Here are the steps on how to make these Snow Globe ornaments:

Step 1:

First, take pictures of each of your students. You can have them put on their jackets, hats, gloves, etc. for the picture OR if you have a Christmas PJ day, you can also take pictures then.

Step 2:

When taking each student’s picture have them pose as if they are having fun playing in the snow. They can pretend they are throwing a snowball, building a snowman, etc.

Step 3:

If you have an iPhone, you can remove the background in each student’s picture by simply holding your finger down on the student in the image. Then select the options: Share – then Save Image.

This will now be saved as a new image in your phone.

Step 4:

Add each student’s picture to this PowerPoint presentation. Resize the image to about 2.6 inches in height. Each student’s picture should fit inside one of the boxes.

Step 5:

Next, type in each student’s information on each snow globe. Fill in their name, grade level, and the school year. You can edit the font style and size to your liking.

Step 6:

Next, save the PowerPoint as a PDF. To save as a PDF select – File – Export – Create PDF./XPS Document. Print from the PDF file you just created. *You must print from the PDF or else the text and images won’t print together.

Step 7:

Print the images of the students on regular copy paper.

Print the snow globes on white cardstock paper. Then, cut out each snow globe.

Step 8:

Next, have your students use watercolors to paint the sky light blue. I have found that the light blue water colors look the best for the sky. It has a pretty sky look and it doesn’t leave those harsh color lines like markers or crayons do.

Step 9:

Next, have your students color the base of their snow globe however they would like. I like for my students to use crayons on this part. They can color their base a solid color or add a fun design.

Step 10:

Once everything is colored, cut and glue each student’s picture onto their snow globe.

Place their picture as low down as you can in the globe so you have plenty of room to add a hole punch up top.

Step 11:

Finally, to make the snow, have your students use bottle glue in the areas they want the snow in. Then have them add white glitter on top of the glue.

They can add snowballs in their hands, snow falling in the sky, etc.

Step 12:

*Tip* If you are going to laminate the snow globes have the students go light on the glue and glitter. If you are not laminating them they can go as heavy as they would like on the glitter/glue.

It’s very important to let the glue/glitter completely dry before moving on to the next step. Here are some examples of what can go wrong if you don't let the glue dry completely.

The marker and glue bleed together.

I learned the hard way. LOL So just make sure everything is completely dry before moving on to the next step.

Step 13:

Once everything is completely dry I like to laminate the snow globes.

I like to leave a little clear edge around the snow globe when cutting it out to help the lamination stay together.

Step 14:

Using a hole punch, add a small hole at the top of each snow globe.

Step 15:

Tie a ribbon through that hole. I like to use ribbon that is 1/4 inch in size. Double knot it at the end and cut off any extra ribbon.

Step 16:

Then, I also like to tie another piece of ribbon onto the first piece. I use this piece to form it into a pretty bow. I like to use ribbon that is 3/8 inch in size.

Step 17: