Materials:

White paper or white poster board

Colored papers

Embroidery scissors

Glue stick

1. Think of a theme, i.e., My Garden, The Four Seasons, a folk tale like The Tortoise and the Hare, etc. Or use geometric or abstract organic shapes to create a composition. Matisse often created patterns with the cut-outs. What are the main shapes that come to mind for the theme? What are the colors of those shapes? How many shapes will you sue for the composition? Matisse used animal shapes, forms from nature and the human form as well as more abstract shapes.
2. Do not draw them on the paper. Cut the shapes freehand using quick motions with the scissors like Matisse. Cut them in different sizes and in a variety of colored papers. Experiment.
3. Arrange them in a composition or throw them up in the air and see how they land on the paper or poster board. If you are gluing some of the shapes on several pieces of paper, throw those up in the air and see where they land.
4. Glue some of the shapes on pieces of contrasting colored paper and some on the white poster board or glue all the shapes on the white board.
5. What will you do with your composition? Matisse used some of his cut-out compositions to decorate the walls of his home.