Artists
in the Classroom
prepared
by
Worcester
Center for Crafts
Project

Explore
and Discover Program
Suggested
topics can be tailored to meet the grade level and teacherÕs curriculum.
- Papermaking (Social Studies):
Students discuss the origins of papermaking and the natural resources needed
to make paper. They then make their own samples.
- Colonial
Floorcloths or Placemats (Social Studies): Students learn about
Colonial history and crafts and create floorcloths or placemats that incorporate
what they have learned.
- The
Process, Not Product of Clay (Science): This workshop will focus
on the states of matter of clay--its properties. Wet, leather, bone dry
and fired states will be discussed. Students will focus on process; they
will not have a final clay product.
- Native
American Pottery (Social Studies): Students learn about Native American
history, clay designs and techniques and create their own vessels.
- Patterns
in Fibers (Mathematics): Students discuss patterns and create a
printed tee shirt.
- Ceramics
Tile Project (Geometry): Students design and create a round tile
installation. How can you make an installation of square tiles fit on a
round surface? What other shapes will you have to make?
- Ratio
and Proportion Clay Project (Mathematics): Students design and create
a soup pot, discussing issues of size and volume.
- Aztec
Gold Adornment (Social Studies): Students will learn about CortesÕ
search for gold and then design breastplates, bracelets and pendants with
either animal or geometric motifs.
- Painted
West African Clay Dwellings (Social Studies): Students will learn
about traditional home-painting and coil-building techniques. They will
then work cooperatively to make dwellings, combine them to make a village,
and paint them.
- Mask
Making (Social Studies/Geography): Students will learn about mask
making in various cultures--symbol and function, rites and rituals-- and
then translate their knowledge into masks of their own (teachers can also
zero-in on a particular culture).
- Tile
Illustrations (Language Arts): Children read a book picked by the
teacher and artist. They then design and create tiles that serve as illustrations
for the book--each child illustrating a part of the plot. The tiles are
installed so that the story can be re-read through them.
- Felting
Project (Social Studies): Students will talk about the history of
fibers. They will then learn how to make felt from wool. They will dye
the wool and then make hats.
- Paper
Murals (Social Studies): Children will learn about Egyptian life
and art and then make a class-wide mural. They will also incorporate Egyptian
hieroglyphics into the mural.
- Paper
Mache Structures (Social Studies): Children will learn how to make
a structure out of paper mache. All students in the class will work together
on this structure, which will be big enough to accomodate one child when
complete. Possible structures include a tee pee, a space ship and a temple.
(This project would require 2 visits; recommended for elementary school
children)
- Journal/Bookmaking
(Language Arts and Social Studies): Students will learn about the ancient
techniques of journal and book making. They will then create their own
which will be used in the classroom for composition exercises.
- Japanese
Marionettes (Social Studies): Children
will learn about the art of Japanese puppet making and then build their
own out of dowels and clothe them in kimonos they have created.
- Hawaiian
Paper Mache Gods and Goddesses (Social Studies): First students
will study the many gods and goddesses that make up Hawaiian religion.
They will then fashion their own gods and goddesses out of paper mache.
* Other possible
topics not on this list include weaving,
stained glass, color
theory, and printmaking.
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