Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Star Gazer Books Lesson Plan (B. Restrepo)
These books can be done by students of all ages, depending on how much prepping you do. Young elementary students will need a lot of help with the construction, but they will be able to do the various parts themselves.
Aim(s): To make an interesting and unusual book
To explore materials of your choice on the inside pages
To integrate curriculum, depending on what theme you give your students
Materials:
cardboard squares (precut) just a little bit larger than the quarter-folded inside sheets (ours were 4 1/4");four sheets of nice white or medium to light watercolor paper; white glue in bottles; heavy-duty aluminum foil; pencils; black india ink; watercolors/acrylics/watercolor pencils/colored pencils/sharpie markers/markers/collage materials such as magazines or calendars/rubber stamps, etc.; ribbon or something to make a tie with; Optional: word processed narrative or report to collage in book
Motivation: Pictures and posters of whatever your theme might be
Procedure:
Cover:
Draw a bold image or letter that can be made into a raised glue image (we used initials) on one side of each cardboard square. Draw over the image with glue, letting it bead up. Put aside to dry overnight.
Cover with foil and over edges, "burnishing" it to create a bas-relief.
Brush india ink over the foil and wipe off, giving it a metallic, antique, look.
Insides:
Draw your images on the four pages. (Add the optional copy later, when you know placement.) Color in the materials of your choice. Sponge paint or color the backs, as well. Sometimes patterns look nice on the back, although there's nothing stopping you from having your imagery on both sides, of you can figure out where you are gluing them together ahead of time. (Read on...)
Fold in quarters when dry. Use the handles of scissors for crisp folds if you don't have a boning tool.
Glue one side of the folded page to the next, forming a star. Before gluing the star into your book, lay a ribbon or cord across book and glue or tape it in. The glue the two ends to each cover to form the book.
Reflection: As always, share your work.
Variations: Maureen has made ornaments using smaller pieces of paper and not doing the cover parts of this. You could probably make some interesting thematic mobiles with the stars as well, I would think.
Aim(s): To make an interesting and unusual book
To explore materials of your choice on the inside pages
To integrate curriculum, depending on what theme you give your students
Materials:
cardboard squares (precut) just a little bit larger than the quarter-folded inside sheets (ours were 4 1/4");four sheets of nice white or medium to light watercolor paper; white glue in bottles; heavy-duty aluminum foil; pencils; black india ink; watercolors/acrylics/watercolor pencils/colored pencils/sharpie markers/markers/collage materials such as magazines or calendars/rubber stamps, etc.; ribbon or something to make a tie with; Optional: word processed narrative or report to collage in book
Motivation: Pictures and posters of whatever your theme might be
Procedure:
Cover:
Draw a bold image or letter that can be made into a raised glue image (we used initials) on one side of each cardboard square. Draw over the image with glue, letting it bead up. Put aside to dry overnight.
Cover with foil and over edges, "burnishing" it to create a bas-relief.
Brush india ink over the foil and wipe off, giving it a metallic, antique, look.
Insides:
Draw your images on the four pages. (Add the optional copy later, when you know placement.) Color in the materials of your choice. Sponge paint or color the backs, as well. Sometimes patterns look nice on the back, although there's nothing stopping you from having your imagery on both sides, of you can figure out where you are gluing them together ahead of time. (Read on...)
Fold in quarters when dry. Use the handles of scissors for crisp folds if you don't have a boning tool.
Glue one side of the folded page to the next, forming a star. Before gluing the star into your book, lay a ribbon or cord across book and glue or tape it in. The glue the two ends to each cover to form the book.
Reflection: As always, share your work.
Variations: Maureen has made ornaments using smaller pieces of paper and not doing the cover parts of this. You could probably make some interesting thematic mobiles with the stars as well, I would think.
Plaster Craft FInger Puppets Lesson Plan
I’ve made these at birthday parties with children, making them at beginning, playing games while they dry and then painting them before the cake. They’re ready to take home by the end of the party. If you set up the lesson correctly, it’s really not messy.
Aims:
To explore the use of plaster craft
To create original puppet characters
To use puppets in student-produced puppet show
Materials: First Session: plaster craft cut into strips (do this over a garbage can, if possible to avoid dust); coffee cans filled with water 1” from top; vaseline; thick styrofoam from packaging with old pencils pushed in for easy drying; optional: aluminum foil/pipe cleaners or other easily bendable wire
Second Session: paint (tempera or acrylic); brushes; water cans; optional: feathers, googley eyes
Motivation: There are many ways to approach this lesson with children. If you have a few puppets already made, you could start the lesson with a puppet show about making puppets. Kids adore it when you make different voices for the characters. Or you could talk a bit about how plays are written and have your students write playlets (either in groups or individually) of their own. The important thing is to have at least two characters that can interact.
Teach your students how to make a beginning, middle and end to their plays and have them keep it short. (Kids’ plays can go on forever. A little editing here will be a good thing.)
In any case, the students should know ahead of time what character or characters they are making.
Vocabulary: character, dialogue, villain, hero/heroine, three-dimensional
Procedure: Gather your students around a large table, making sure that everyone can see. I have everyone take a step backwards to make the oval big enough so no one is blocked. If kids lean forward, people behind him are blocked.
I put a bit of vaseline on the finger I’m going to make the puppet on--usually the non-dominant index finger. Dip a plaster strip in the can and stroke it to remove the holes. Wrap LIGHTLY around finger and repeat two more times. Don’t make it too long on your finger and don’t make it too tight. It will harden quickly and you don’t want it to get struck! Explain this to your students. (So far, I’ve never had a student get one stuck.)
Scrunch a dampened piece or two or three into a ball to make a head and press it down. You have to be very patient doing this, since until it dries, it will tend to fall off. Add a snout, ears, paws, hind legs, a tail, etc. Work quickly so that wet sticks to wet better.
If you want to make something more complicated such as a butterfly, you need to use pipe cleaners to wrap around your form. Fold a piece of aluminum foil over the shapes to make it more solid and then cover with the plaster pieces. Make sure that you “activate” the pieces as you work.
When ready to paint, encourage the students to make a base coat on the sections and then to add details. You don't want little flecks of white showing through. When dry, students may use sharpie markers to draw fine details, if you like. Gluing on feathers, glitter, eyeballs, etc. is also an option. I use a hot glue gun for this, monitoring the students well, depending on their age.
Reflection: Follow-up: Make a puppet theater out of a large appliance box for students to use in the classroom. Add a real curtain.
Aims:
To explore the use of plaster craft
To create original puppet characters
To use puppets in student-produced puppet show
Materials: First Session: plaster craft cut into strips (do this over a garbage can, if possible to avoid dust); coffee cans filled with water 1” from top; vaseline; thick styrofoam from packaging with old pencils pushed in for easy drying; optional: aluminum foil/pipe cleaners or other easily bendable wire
Second Session: paint (tempera or acrylic); brushes; water cans; optional: feathers, googley eyes
Motivation: There are many ways to approach this lesson with children. If you have a few puppets already made, you could start the lesson with a puppet show about making puppets. Kids adore it when you make different voices for the characters. Or you could talk a bit about how plays are written and have your students write playlets (either in groups or individually) of their own. The important thing is to have at least two characters that can interact.
Teach your students how to make a beginning, middle and end to their plays and have them keep it short. (Kids’ plays can go on forever. A little editing here will be a good thing.)
In any case, the students should know ahead of time what character or characters they are making.
Vocabulary: character, dialogue, villain, hero/heroine, three-dimensional
Procedure: Gather your students around a large table, making sure that everyone can see. I have everyone take a step backwards to make the oval big enough so no one is blocked. If kids lean forward, people behind him are blocked.
I put a bit of vaseline on the finger I’m going to make the puppet on--usually the non-dominant index finger. Dip a plaster strip in the can and stroke it to remove the holes. Wrap LIGHTLY around finger and repeat two more times. Don’t make it too long on your finger and don’t make it too tight. It will harden quickly and you don’t want it to get struck! Explain this to your students. (So far, I’ve never had a student get one stuck.)
Scrunch a dampened piece or two or three into a ball to make a head and press it down. You have to be very patient doing this, since until it dries, it will tend to fall off. Add a snout, ears, paws, hind legs, a tail, etc. Work quickly so that wet sticks to wet better.
If you want to make something more complicated such as a butterfly, you need to use pipe cleaners to wrap around your form. Fold a piece of aluminum foil over the shapes to make it more solid and then cover with the plaster pieces. Make sure that you “activate” the pieces as you work.
When ready to paint, encourage the students to make a base coat on the sections and then to add details. You don't want little flecks of white showing through. When dry, students may use sharpie markers to draw fine details, if you like. Gluing on feathers, glitter, eyeballs, etc. is also an option. I use a hot glue gun for this, monitoring the students well, depending on their age.
Reflection: Follow-up: Make a puppet theater out of a large appliance box for students to use in the classroom. Add a real curtain.
Paper Mache Masks Lesson Plan
Paper Mache Masks--Grades K (with help) and Up
This is a wonderful technique that can be used in so many ways. I use art paste (methyl cellulose) which doesn’t get moldy or stinky like flour and water does.
Aims: To make an original, wearable mask
To explore the use of paper mache
Materials & Tools
newspaper (lots of it)
masking tape
scissors
odds and ends to use for the underbody (styrofoam cups, cardboard pieces, egg cartons, foil, etc. etc.
art paste
bowl or bucket for “slime”
For painting: tempera paint (or acrylic)
brushes
Optional: pipe cleaners, feathers, raffia, yarn, tissue paper, fabrics and other decorative items
Procedure: Motivate your students with pictures of masks from the culture you are studying. There are numerous examples from all over Africa, New Guinea and Oceania, Eskimo, Asian Indian, American Indian, etc.
To construct the mask, form a loose bunch of newspapers into the size you want the mask and tape it together. Tape on objects to make the form three dimensional--eyes might be egg carton pieces or coffee cup bottoms. Make sure it is very three-dimensional. Add ears, horns, a beard, etc. with cardboard or styrofoam. Use scrunched-up foil to form shapes, too. It doesn’t have to look good at this stage; it just has to hold together for the covering process. Look at the mask in profile and make sure you have enough things sticking out to make it sculptural.
To paper mache, cover your work area. Mix several tablespoons of art paste into water. A little will go along way. Use you hand to mix and get rid of any small lumps. It will thicken in a few minutes and you may then have to add more water.
Rip lots of newspaper into strips, along the grain. Make them mostly medium-sized--about 1-1/2” by 4 or 5 inches. You’ll need tons of them.
When you are ready to paper mache, dip each piece in the art paste mixture, scissor off with your fingers so it doesn’t drip too much and smack down, going over the piece a few times to make sure it conforms to the outline of your shapes. You’ll need about 3 or 4 layers for a strong mask. Go every which way, not just in one direction. Patting down is key for the surface to look good.
When dry, take out the “guts”. Sometimes you’ll need to cut around the back edges with scissors to pull out the form. You can use an exacto knife to cut out eye slits or nostrils, which you only need if you are going to wear it.
If you are painting you mask a light color, putting on a coat of white first will help block out the newspaper print. References of painted masks will help your students paint their masks more beautifully. Details are important to add at this point.
You may use hot glue to add decorative items like yarn, tissue paper or feathers.
This is a wonderful technique that can be used in so many ways. I use art paste (methyl cellulose) which doesn’t get moldy or stinky like flour and water does.
Aims: To make an original, wearable mask
To explore the use of paper mache
Materials & Tools
newspaper (lots of it)
masking tape
scissors
odds and ends to use for the underbody (styrofoam cups, cardboard pieces, egg cartons, foil, etc. etc.
art paste
bowl or bucket for “slime”
For painting: tempera paint (or acrylic)
brushes
Optional: pipe cleaners, feathers, raffia, yarn, tissue paper, fabrics and other decorative items
Procedure: Motivate your students with pictures of masks from the culture you are studying. There are numerous examples from all over Africa, New Guinea and Oceania, Eskimo, Asian Indian, American Indian, etc.
To construct the mask, form a loose bunch of newspapers into the size you want the mask and tape it together. Tape on objects to make the form three dimensional--eyes might be egg carton pieces or coffee cup bottoms. Make sure it is very three-dimensional. Add ears, horns, a beard, etc. with cardboard or styrofoam. Use scrunched-up foil to form shapes, too. It doesn’t have to look good at this stage; it just has to hold together for the covering process. Look at the mask in profile and make sure you have enough things sticking out to make it sculptural.
To paper mache, cover your work area. Mix several tablespoons of art paste into water. A little will go along way. Use you hand to mix and get rid of any small lumps. It will thicken in a few minutes and you may then have to add more water.
Rip lots of newspaper into strips, along the grain. Make them mostly medium-sized--about 1-1/2” by 4 or 5 inches. You’ll need tons of them.
When you are ready to paper mache, dip each piece in the art paste mixture, scissor off with your fingers so it doesn’t drip too much and smack down, going over the piece a few times to make sure it conforms to the outline of your shapes. You’ll need about 3 or 4 layers for a strong mask. Go every which way, not just in one direction. Patting down is key for the surface to look good.
When dry, take out the “guts”. Sometimes you’ll need to cut around the back edges with scissors to pull out the form. You can use an exacto knife to cut out eye slits or nostrils, which you only need if you are going to wear it.
If you are painting you mask a light color, putting on a coat of white first will help block out the newspaper print. References of painted masks will help your students paint their masks more beautifully. Details are important to add at this point.
You may use hot glue to add decorative items like yarn, tissue paper or feathers.
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