Mona Lisa in Disguise

So this is the first year I did this project. I did get the idea from this here, FANTASTIC BLOG Art with Mrs. Seitz. Instead of calling it a parody, I wanted them to come up with a story, to link writing/literacy into it, about their Mona Lisa needing a day off and why she was in a certain disguise. I always like to give credit to where I find projects, but try to modify and put my own personal spin on it. After they completed their drawing, they had to fill out a 'graphic organizer' and write a story about their Mona Lisa being in disguise.

The students received a 11" x 17" piece of white construction paper. They also received a piece of paper with a photocopied black and white Mona Lisa Head and Hands. They cut out the head and hands and glued them on the paper. I gave them the option of using the hands, just in case they might have wanted her 'moving' or 'standing'.

We did this project in the fall near Halloween, so many students dressed their Mona's in Halloween costumes. All in all, the students blew me away with their creativity and imaginations and THEIR STORIES.

 

I wish you all could see the amazing stories that go along with their amazing drawings!

Happy Art Making!

Woven Basket Heads

My undergrad was for Crafts with a concentration in Fiber Design. If you just read that and are thinking "What in the world does that mean?" Don't worry, your not the first! I went on an interview right after I graduated (undergrad) and they though I had a concentration in Fiber-OPTICS. Yea, no way!
I took courses in weaving, needle felting, felting, knotless netting, etc. Then I went back to school to get my teaching cert. to teach k-12 art education.

SOOOOOOO.. what I am getting at is that I love to do a yarn woven basket with my 4th graders, pretty much every year. But after a while, even though the kids beg me to do this project, it gets a little redundant to say the least so this year I added a whole other element (humorous, engaging you might think!) to it, and they were totally successful.

I have the original lesson here. This year we turned our baskets in to Wacky HEADS/PEOPLE. We still focused on traditional vs. contemporary materials. They received a 'cup loom' a plastic cup cut into a odd number of 'spokes' or 'warp'. They wove in using a yarn color pattern 'weft'.

Add the top of the cup they could add a more contemporary material for hair or whatever they choose. Here are some of the outcomes:

 

These are just a few examples of the many that were extremely creative, humorous and well though out!

If you have any questions about the lesson, please let me know. This was done with 4th grade but could be adapted or modified for other grades

I love reading all your blogs but need to get it together with mine!

This site will be under construction. Just had a baby. but have so many lessons to upload, please bear with me!