David Ottogalli Peep Artwork
by Rachel Stepp
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Welcome spring into your classroom with these fresh ideas!
This time of year, baby animals are hatching and being born, flowers are blooming, and butterflies are flitting through the air. You can bring the wonders of the season into your classroom…on your classroom door! Here are two attention-getting ideas:
You Crack Us Up
1. On your door, create the phrase “You Crack Us Up!” with colorful lettering.
2. Have your students design and color construction paper eggs that are about the size of the paper (8 x 10). After each student has created their egg, have them cut the egg in a zig-zag pattern across the middle.
3. Attach the two halves of the egg together with a brass brad so that the egg can open and close. Attach the bottom half of the egg to your door and leave the top half unattached so that it can move.
4. Now here’s the cutesy custom part! Take each student’s picture while they are laughing. Once you have everyone’s picture, put each student inside their egg so that when you open the cracked egg, you see their laughing faces. Your students will truly enjoy seeing themselves and their peers with smiling faces!
5. To incorporate writing, have your students write jokes for their eggs. For a slew of clean knock-knock jokes, your kids can visit this site at the library, during computer lab time, or at your classroom computers: http://www.brownielocks.com/knockknock.html. Once they pick a joke they like, the first half of the joke can be written on the outside of the egg, and the punchline can go inside the eggs by their laughing faces. Your door will become your school’s favorite place to get a good laugh and spread smiles!
Peep Into Our Room
1. First, cut out a piece of bulletin board paper the to fit your door. Don’t attach it, yet, though. Then, create the phrase “Peep into Our Room!” to encourage visitors to come and explore what you are learning. With the paper lying on the floor or a table, glue the letters on the paper.
Starry Night by CakeSpy
2. Now, to make this door spectacular, students will glue marshmallow Peeps all over the paper in designs like flowers, stripes and patterns. The real Peeps will be irresistible to students, and they will catch everyone’s eye! This idea is from the Official PeepsShow where artist David Ottogalli creates “Peep art” using these marshmallow treats.
3. If you don’t think the Peeps will survive on your door, you can cut peeps out of construction paper. There are two basic designs, bunnies and chicks. Your students can then create patterns and designs with their cutouts.
These ideas will keep your door covered and creative throughout spring. And, before you know it, it’ll be time to create end-of-the-school year doors!
For a colorful spring bulletin board/door border, check out this floral beauty from The School Box: www.schoolbox.com. 
Rachel Stepp is a graduate student at the University of Georgia and a wealth of creative ideas!
A Learning Experience 
I love this artist David Ottogalli . I can’t believe he creates “Peep art”. How cute is that. We could really have fun with this.
Also, the “You crack me up” door is so cute too. What parent would not like a picture of their children laughing? I love the idea of writing jokes and riddles with it. Fun stuff. The best part like you said, before we know it, it’ll be time to create end-of-the-school year doors! Yeah!! Now we will have more time to read your articles and respond. YEAH!
At last someone has found something to do with Peeps! They certainly aren’t fit for eating!
I absolutely love the “You crack me up” idea! My students love to tell and listen to jokes. This activity is so great because it allows them to do a great creative art project, display a picture of themselves (which they love to do), and practice their writing skills. We are going to be the stars of our hallway! Thank you for yet another fabulous idea!