Third Grade Abstact Masks

For the second project in Ms Robertson's class we made recycled masks inspired by ceramic artist Kimmy Cantrell.   We looked at examples of his work and talked about realistic versus abstract art.  Fortunately they were already familiar with abstracts after a unit on Picasso.  The kids cut the basic face shapes from black styrofoam meat trays.  Then they used colored craft foam to make the facial features and larger designs.  When everything was cut and in place the students glued them to a piece of foam core with their choice of colored paper background for contrast.

The next step was to add details.  Some of the students used black sharpies to outline and add patterns on the foam shapes.  The last part was to add small nails, thumbtacks or decorative pins for accents.

Finished Kimmy Cantrell Masks

                                   
















                                                                                                     

Third Grade: Recyled Robots

Because the third grade classes were taught at separate times we ended up with different projects for each class.  Ms Robertson's class started with recycled robots.  We looked at pictures of robots and discussed how their function would  affect their appearance.  After deciding what job they imagined their robot would do each student made a preliminary sketch.


The next step was to cut out the basic shapes.  They had a variety of materials to choose from including corrugated cardboard, cardboard coated with silver, gold and black, plastic, foil, painted paper plates, foil etc...  











With the basic shapes cut out and glued to the background they were ready to add the finishing touches.  We assembled a variety of hardware and odd bits and pieces that could be used for  hands, feet, wheels, hair or other mechanical details.

2/3 Combo Class: Recycle Weaving

Continuing with the idea of recycling we started a project on weaving using recycled materials.  We began by painting discarded pieces of cardboard to use as the "warp".  After the paint was dry I used a paper cutter to make 1" wide vertical strips (the slits stopped 1" from the top of the cardboard).

Painted cardboard

Weaving materials

The students were given a variety of "weft" materials to choose from such as cardboard, foil, plastic garbage bags, raffia, twine, yarn, wallpaper scraps, painted paper scraps etc.....

Before starting the final project the students practiced the over under technique on a smaller piece of card stock. 

Examples of Finished Weavings

2/3 Combo: Recycle It!

Gees Bend Inspired Paper Quilts
 

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without"  was a phrase I was very familiar with growing up. My grandmother lived through the depression and instilled this idea in my mother who in turn passed it down to me.  To the early Americans the idea of living frugally was an everyday reality.  Today when and if we re-use things we call it recycling.  Quilting is an early American tradition that came from a desire to use up every scrap of fabric because cloth wasn't always as easy to come by as it is today.



Our first project was inspired by the women of Gee’s Bend Alabama who have developed a distinctive, bold, and sophisticated geometric quilting style.  They have  passed their skills and aesthetic down through multiple generations to the present.  Before starting this project we talked about quilting and how early quilters "recycled" used clothing and scraps to make their quilts.  For this project we didn't use fabric, instead we recycled leftover paper scraps from previous projects.


Each student started with a colored rectangle.  Then they used pieces of scrap paper to add geometric patterns in the style of the Gees Bend quilts.

When their rectangle was finished they each got larger piece of paper to use as a background.  It was their choice to glue it onto the background whole and make patterns around it or cut the patterned rectangle into smaller pieces to use as elements in their a final design.

     Our Finished Paper Quilts

Gees Bend Group Quilt

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” - See more at: http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=2240#sthash.PtaEGcKZ.dpuf

Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without

Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” - See more at: http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=2240#sthash.PtaEGcKZ.dpuf

Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without

Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without