Paper Masks

This lesson focused on paper art to create masks emphasizing paper sculpting. We integrated Social Studies by discussing old African tribes that used animal masks to connect with spirits in rituals. To start off you have students decide what animal they will be making. Then, have them cut the shape of the head out of construction paper, have the paper folded before cutting to create symmetry. Next, have the students create the face of the animal by using three of the following paper sculpting techniques: cutting, folding, feathering, fringe, spiral, rolling, curling, and accordion. I chose to do a lion and used curling, rolling, accordion and cutting as my techniques. In the second picture is a collection of the whole classes artwork on the bulletin board.

Paper mache bowls is a great way idea to use as an extension activity. Have the students blow up a medium sized balloon, then have them paper mache the bottom half of it. When the paper mache is dry, pop the balloon and continue decorating the paper. They can either glue on colored fabric or paint them, when it is all done the students will have a neat, decorated bowl.

Clay Medallions

Social Studies was integrated with art lesson, talking about ancient civilizations that used medallions as a way to show rank in the hierarchy. To start off the lesson each student had a piece of paper and on the back side was a color streak, black meant lower class and green meant upper class, this was important because it decided what style of medallion you made. First, the students drew a rough draft of the medallion they were creating on the piece of paper given to them. Then, when they were ready they were given a smallish chunk of clay and told to knead it. Kneading helps get rid of the air bubbles trapped inside the clay. When they were finished kneading they were to cut out their shape and begin making their design. The design had to include two of the following three: pattern, line, and texture. Once the design is completed the students painted their medallions, either gold, silver or bronze. Finally, beads were used to complete the medallion. The upper classes were symbolized by large emeralds and beads on their medallions, while the lower class used small dull colored beads. Depending on what color the students were given they had to put those beads on their medallion.

An extension activity for this would be to create clay Christmas ornaments. Students choose from an assortment of Christmas cookie cutters or free hand their own shape. When the shape is created have them draw or write any personal message they would like. Then, have them paint it and let dry. It will be great for the kids to give to their parents as gifts.

Printing the Seasons

This is a print making lesson that involves the four seasons. In this lesson you will need four small square foam boards and four small square stock board cards. First, go over the four seasons with your students and talk about the colors and images that represent those seasons. Then, have your students take a piece of foam board and draw an image that represents a season, do this for each season. When this is completed have the students pick the appropriate color to the season, have them roll the right color of paint onto the foam board. It is important to emphasize the amount of paint to use, not too little or it won't show up and not too much or it will blur. When their foam board is covered in paint, have them transfer it to the stock board card. It will need to be paint face down on the card and the students will need to apply even pressure to make sure it transfers. Last, lift up the foam board and look at the picture!

An extension activity for this project would be leaf printmaking. The same concepts are used but leaves are substituted for the foam boards. Have your students go out and choose some leaves, all different shapes and sizes. Then, have them lay the leaves on a piece of wax paper and very carefully roll the desired paint over the leaf. Last, take the wax paper with the leaf on it and flip it onto your canvas and then with a clean roller, roll over the leaf to apply pressure. When all is done, lift up the leaf and check out the design.

Creating Biomes

This fun lesson was about 3-D paper projects. The activity focused on background, middle ground and foreground concepts to teach students how to create depth in their artwork. Science was integrated with this project by talking about world biomes. To start off the activity have students choose what biome they will be creating. Then, have them choose the color of construction paper they want, explain that the color they pick will play apart in the background. After they have chosen what they will be representing have them make their background. Do this by making the objects they want smaller, to seem like they are farther away. Then move on to the middle ground, this is going to make up most of the picture, so any grass or trees anything that best sets up the scene. Last, the foreground, this is was is closest to the viewer and this will be what is 3-D. It is important to stress that the most important part of the picture will be the foreground. I chose to do the Savannah and my foreground is the baby lion on the rock, the birds and sunset are my background and the grass and giraffe are my middle ground. To make the foreground 3-D take a small strip of paper and fold it accordion style, then glue it to the back of the object and to the paper. This technique will make the object pop out.

An extension activity for this project will be focused on using the 3-D aspect to create paper trees. All you need is a small brown paper bag. Cut the top of the bag like fringe, thin, lengthy continual cuts. Next, open the bag so the bottom is flat. Then, using your hand hold the bottom of the bag down and with your other hand grab the bag just above the bottom and twist. You will need to keep twisting working your way up just until you get to the fringe that you cut. Next, fan out the small strips at the top of the bag and twist those individually. These small twisted strips will be the branches. When it is all done either take construction paper or tissue paper and glue on the leaves.

Coat of Arms

This lesson was very fun and interesting. It was integrated with Social Studies, referencing the Middle Ages. The activity was to create a personal coat of arms using symbols that best represent yourself. First, you take paper and draw the outline of the shield. Then, you choose a design and from there choose symbols that represent you. When your rough draft is finished, take your aluminium foil and cover it over a piece of stock paper. Once the foil is taped and smoothed place the paper with your design on it and imprint it onto the foil. To do this you simply trace over the design but putting slightly more pressure on it so that it transfers to the aluminium. Next, take some Sharpie markers and color in your designs. Finally, when the project it complete mount it on construction paper and hang it up.

An extension activity for this would be to take cardboard and hot glue yarn to it creating any design you'd like. Then place the aluminium foil over it and smooth it out. The yarn that was glued will create a 3-D shape on the foil because it sticks out. Lastly, take Sharpies and color in the smooth flat areas, when its all done you can outline the ridges with black or leave it alone.

Tissue Painting

This lesson was aimed for 2nd grade students but can be altered for higher grades. This lesson focused on teaching warm and cool colors to students with the help of the book "The Rainbow Fish". Outlines of fish were already cut out and given to the students. The class was divided into two small groups, one started with cool colors the other with warm. The students then had to take the strips of tissue paper and with their paint brush glue them onto the paper fish outline. At the end of the project an eye was given to the students to put on each of their fish along with one sparkly button, to represent a scale of the rainbow fish. This was a fun and engaging activity that taught students warm and cool colors very well.

An extension activity for this could be to use it on fabrics. Instead of paper students could make a tie-dye style shirt or even just a small square of fabric and make a class quilt.

Hidden Safari

This 'Hidden Safari' lesson was directed for 1st graders but can be used for higher grades. What we did was first make our glasses. To make the glasses you cut out a small masks from construction paper and glue red cellophane to it. Then, you take a plain piece of white paper and with a blue colored pencil, draw a safari animal. I know you can't tell in the picture but I drew an elephant. Then you take warm colors, red, yellow, and orange and draw different overlaying pattern with each. Once that is all done put on the glasses you made in the beginning and your hidden animal will become visible! This activity is fun to teach students about warm and cool colors.

An extension activity for this would be to use it in math class. Have the students write a hidden math problem and exchange with the other students so they can solve it.

Dot Day Explorations

This project was based on an event called Dot Day, art centered around the concept of using dots or circles. There is a very cute story that goes along with it about a young boy who thought he didn't have any talent and made a simple dot on a piece of paper. The teacher framed it and complimented it, once he saw the praise a simple dot could get he made a whole collection of artwork using only dots and this boosted his confidence and made him realize he did have talent. We spent the class time going to different stations creating art using dots different ways.  We were given small squares of paper and were to lay them on the bigger pieces of paper on the tables and through making our own art the big paper would show the class art. The two images I have selected were from the two stations I attended. The first picture, was used with bubbles and food coloring, what you did was just blow bubble onto the paper and let it pop. It then created a neat circle or dot. The second picture is a collection of my own and two other classmates. We each laid our paper down and made dots and circles using the paint on the table. Then, we rotated, taking our colored paint brush with us, and made more dots on the other persons paper along with painting on the large background paper.

I found this entertaining, I had no idea all the artwork that could be created by a dot. An extension activity for this would be to unite the school, each student gets to choose one color and dot design and then on his/her designated section of the large paper make that design. Once it is done hang it in the hallways to show individuality and unity of the students.

Elements and Principles of Art

This project was a photo scavenger hunt, to find things that represented elements and principles of art. These three pictures are examples of what I used when I made my Elements and Principles of Art display. I chose these pictures because of what I used them to represent, the first picture of the sunset was used to show contrast. The next picture, the one of the fire hydrant was used to show depth, the fire hydrant is up close drawing the eyes attention but creating distance with the row of trees behind. Finally, the picture of the bouquet was used to represent color, I thought it displayed vibrant, natural colors well.

An extension activity for students could be to do a photo scavenger hunt with online pictures or have them take pictures themselves but use only things from nature, or inanimate objects.

Van Gogh Inspired Collages

This project was based off of the artist Vincent Van Gogh. One of his most famous paintings, Starry Night, was displayed in the classroom and the elements were discussed as a class. We talked about background, foreground, colors, contrast, and shapes. After discussing the painting we made our own interpretation using tissue paper and construction paper. First, you pick out construction paper to be the background, preferably a dark color, and then choose different color combinations of tissue paper. Next, you cut or carefully tear the tissue paper into the desired shape and size. To stick the tissue paper to the construction paper we used a glue based paste, we used our paint brushes to apply the glue. When the skyline was completed with tissue paper and glue, we then took oil pastels to overlay different shapes. Finally, to complete the activity you decide on a landscape. It could be a city or farm, whatever is desired, then you cut it out using black construction paper, layering it to give depth.
This was a very fun and interesting project that I had never completed before. An extension activity idea for this would be to have students portray a life scene. Instead of using outlines, use color to tell a story of everyday life.