Papier Mache Monsters

This was a project I taught for the first time a couple of years ago. To be honest, papier mache projects aren't my favourite because, first of all, they take so long to complete when you only see your students once a week. Secondly, I find it really difficult getting my students to use good paper mache techniques- they want to rush, use huge pieces of paper and just don't take the time and care needed to get a nice smooth finished. 

Nonetheless, students tend to enjoy paper mache so I sucked it up and forged ahead!

I taught this to a mixed class of Grade 7-9.

I saw this lesson posted on Instagram, and, for the life of me, I can't find where I got it from. So, if you're the originator of this lesson, please leave a comment so I can credit you!

Materials you will need: black ping pong balls (I found it was cheaper to order beer pong balls off Amazon!), newspaper or newsprint, a variety of empty plastic bottles and small boxes, masking tape, acrylic paint.

I asked students months before to bring in empty coffee creamer. Spoiler alert: barely anyone did!  I find my older students are pretty much useless at bringing in things from home. So yeah, it mostly came from me!! I also asked staff. For boxes, I collected small ones such as kleenex, Kraft dinner, and any other small food boxes from home.

I have a large roll of newsprint that we used for paper mache-ing. 

So students chose either a bottle or a box, then, using newspaper, the taped on arms and limbs and a head, making sue to include a ping pong ball for an eye. 

Here's my sample below:

They do a layer of papier mache. Let dry completely.

Then paint it however you like using acrylics.

Students work:

I use Elemer's Paste for my papier mache mix. 

It's essentially wallpaper paste. 

I made the biiiig mistake of also starting this project in may, forgetting how hectic and crazy May and June are at my school, with so many field trips and missing students. So I ended up with half the classes not finishing their monsters which was super sad for me!

Nonetheless, lesson learned maybe?!

Here are some completed monsters:

 

Autumnal Mushrooms Painting

This is an autumn inspired project I created based on a decorative throw pillow I saw at a furniture store. I often find inspo for projects while out shopping!

I started off by showing some images of these fly agaric mushrooms- they are the ones typically used in fairy tales. They are whimsical and cute but very toxic! We discussed the parts of a mushroom and their role in nature. 

I taught this to mixed  Grades 4-6 classes.

Students started by doing practice drawings of mushrooms.

Then, on wide brown paper, they sketched out their mushrooms. 

I encouraged a variety of sizes as well as some overlapping, for realism. 

In between the mushrooms, students added different types of fall foliage or berries.

Once everything was drawn out, students painted the stems using one pale colour of tempera paint.

Then, mixing a variety of warm, autumnal colours, students painted the mushroom caps. 

Let these dry.

Once dry, students outlined their filler details using paint pens.

They outlined the gills on the underside of the caps using a dark coloured pencil.

Then they used a charcoal pencil to outline the mushrooms, 

smudging the lines with their fingers for a soft, shaded effect.

For a final step, they added dots to their mushroom caps using white tempera.

Autumn is my favourite season and I also love seasonal themed art so I love how these turned out!

 

Witch Legs Collage

 

If you're allowed to teach Halloween themed lessons at your school (thank god I am) then this is a really fun and quirky project your students will love!

I *believe* the original source for this lesson, of which there are now many variations on Pinterest is HERE.

It really reinforces good craftsmanship skills.

You need: large heavy white paper, tempera paint, various coloured paper, glue, accessories such as sequins, glitter, black lace trim, etc.

See all the steps when I posted about this lesson previously HERE.

These were made by Grades 4-6 students.