Week 9, August 1, Go Green Week

Extra project: Flip Flops from cereal boxes
*empty cereal boxes, scissors, pencils, masking tape
Note: kids can make flip flops throughout the week. The Louise Nevelson project listed below will allow for extra time for other projects (example- gluing base will only take 15 minutes).
Instructions: Cut open empty cereal box and trace both feet. Cut out tracing. Cut and attach any number and widths of straps. Tape straps to base of foot. Best for indoor use. 

1-3AB: Louise Nevelson Sculpture
*popsicle sticks (13 per child), glue, collected items (corks, keys, old game pieces, old floss containers, bottle caps, etc.), acrylic paint, brushes, water jars. Day 4 optional- template (trace squares onto large paper or on floor with chalk)
Note: this is a 3 day lesson.
Info: Louise Nevelson was a Russian-born artist, who spent most of her life in the USA. She created large, monochromatic sculptures.
Day 1 Create base: Take 2 popsicle sticks and write name & group name on bottom of one. Put glue on the top of the 2 popsicle sticks and lay other popsicle sticks on top of the 2 glued ones, one at a time and close together. Allow to dry overnight.

Day 2 Arrange & glue objects: Create an interesting sculpture with collected items. Encourage kids not to be influenced by the color of objects as it will all get painted over tomorrow. Pay attention to the shape, dimension & texture. Rules- keep objects on the base and not hanging off & if stacking, no more than 2 items stacked high. Note- teacher may want to sort collected items and limit the number of "special items" that kids can use. Tip- kids need to use a lot of glue for heavier items to stick.
Day 3 Paint sculpture with one color: Kids will paint sculpture one color like Louise Nevelson did. Acrylic paint sticks well to the variety of materials and is waterproof. The downside to acrylic paint is that it can stain clothing and ruin brushes. Kids need to be careful and soak their brushes in water jars when through. Teachers need to wash brushes really well later with soap and water.
Optional- Day 4 Arrange a group sculpture: Give kids numbered popsicle sticks. When their number is called, kids can place their sculpture on the template. If desired, they can move one sculpture to make a more interesting group sculpture. Number 5 and the last kid can move 2 sculptures if they would like. Take a photograph before individual sculptures are taken home.

Alternative Lesson: Weaving a Strawberry Basket
I cut pieces of yarn about as long as my wingspan. A trick to this is to fold the yarn over so it doesn't fray while you weave. Also because of the design of this particular basket, after every rotation, I had to pay attention to my last row of weaving to keep the pattern under/over. There must be an even number of spokes so I couldn't just weave without paying attention (i.e. every once in awhile I had to go over 2 or under 2 so the pattern would look right). Voila~ a pretty basket!