completed project

Great photos of the auction project (thanks, Martha!) and the kids with their birds. The auction was really spectacular and I'm happy to announce that the bird display went for a large sum : ) AND the high bidder donated the display back to the school so the kids can enjoy their creations! So cool!!

Birds!

Some pictures from the Auction project for my son's school. I made 21 papier mache birds and the kids (and teachers) painted each one to represent a bird that they found in their field guide. The birds took on wonderful personalities as each child painted and gave life to their chosen bird.

painted tigers

Here are a few samples of the painted tiger masks from the 2nd grade class. They did such great work and I hope learned from the process (detailed on the following post) of creating with paper.

Tiger Masks

Working with 19 Second Grade students we created Tiger Masks in three sessions starting with a cardboard cutout in the shape of the tiger face.

During the first session the kids folded and built up a paper form on the cardboard and covered it with masking tape.

The second session was the wet paper mache work with strips of newspaper and the glue mixture. 2-3 coats of paper were necessary.

After the paper mache was dry I removed the backing (cardboard form and the paper) and was left with the hardened mask. I spray painted the masks white.

The last time we met the kids were given black and orange paint to give their masks life!

Finished mask pictures to come...

Not created by the children, but for use in a play for the them during a cultural study of India. Photos of the finished elephant mask. It is very light weight to make handling the mask effortless.

Mask in Action

The teachers from my son's school perform for the opening ceremony of their Cultural Study of India. The completed mask worked very well for their interpretation of "The Six Blind Women and the Elephant".

elephant mask

Elephant mask in the works! The mask is sitting on a bucket that is weighted down so the weight of the trunk and tusks won't pull the bucket over. The face is formed around a large rubber ball and the ball will be removed after the paper mache is dry. I have two layers of paper strips and will check after it's dry if a third layer is necessary. Next I will add the ears made from brown kraft paper and paper mache over them. Then it will be ready for paint.

The mask is also for the school and will be used for the telling of a story during the Opening Ceremony of their Cultural Study of India.

baby elephant

Created for my son's school and their cultural study of India. Made of polystyrene foam, many newspapers and masking tape.