Symmetrical Name Mandalas

This is a wonderful project to keep the kids focused and working even when they're antsy at home. 

Simple materials as well: photocopy paper (cut into squares) and markers or colored pencils.

I found this lesson HERE on the blog Apples Loves Oranges. 

She gives excellent detailed instructions which my students followed. 

Here are some Grade 5 results:

Hamsa Hands

The Hamsa is a palm-shaped amulet popular throughout the Middle East and North Africa and commonly used in jewelry and wall hangings. Depicting the open right hand, an image recognized and used as a sign of protection in many times throughout history, the hamsa is believed by some, predominantly Jews and Muslims, to provide defense against the evil eye.

I teach this lesson to my junior high students as part of my unit on "The Art of Islam". I show them actual hamsa hands that I own (jewellery, a clay wall hanging and a hammered brass mirror. I also ask students to bring in any examples they have. Students then do some research on their laptops, looking up different types of hamsas. Then they draw out a template from photocopy paper and use this as a pattern to trace onto a piece of cardboard. I've then tackled this two ways: students papier mache over the cardboard in order to cover the raw edges of the cardboard. This technique takes much longer as more drying time is involved. Another class I simply had them prime their hamsas white one class, then the next class they designed their hamsa. They use their paper template to draw their ideas onto. They need to include some type of eye. I provide glass blobs and plastic gems to use for decoration and for the eye. Then they can use paint or markers to create their designs.

Some Grade 7,8,9 results:

Watercolour Mosque Paintings

I absolutely adore Islamic architecture- the domes, the arches, the dramatic minarets, the tiles and Arabic calligraphy. I was inspired for this lesson after taking a tour throughout all of Tunisia a couple of years ago. I visited many beautiful mosques including the Great Mosque of Kairouan.

I developed a handout which shows the main elements of a mosques and lots of clip art of mosques for the students to be inspired by. I also showed a slide show displaying all the famous mosques from around the world. Then my Grade 8 students got started:

Practice sketches in their sketchbook first- they had to include minarets, a dome, arches and the composition had to look somewhat balanced and symmetrical.

Then start their good copy on large white heavy paper:

Once the drawing is complete, pass over all the lines with a permanent black marker.

Some used a regular Sharpie, and others used the fine tips ones.

We used the bleeding' marker watercolour technique:

outline within/inside each shape with waterbased markers, then use a wet paintbrush to blend and bleed the colours together.

It's a more controlled type of watercolour technique, I guess you could say.

Here's a detail:

You can also add patterns with your markers and it still shows up a bit after the water is used.

I have a set (thanks to a lovely birthday gift) of Islamic rubber stamps. 

Students used these around their border.

Students painted the background with metallic tempera paint. I like the Italian brand "Primo" as you only need one coat for decent coverage. I find other brands of metallic tempera you have to put on 2-3 layers to get it opaque.

Ta da!

love the creativity in this one!