A Montessori art studio or general Montessori environment using the MAM curriculum has many art form activities that are two- or three-dimensional that allow for a breadth of experiences. Also included are activities that demystify how art is made, how art reflects life in different periods of time, and how an idea can be expressed differently -- all of which allow for a depth of understanding. In Montessori art education, both breadth and depth are controlled by each child. Some children sample all art forms and go back to those that most interested them. Children also choose one or more special work activities which is part of their contract. In my studio they were asked to do special work every time they came to the studio.
This course is a continuation of the MAM Curriculum Section Art Forms I, presenting additional fundamental forms. Some art forms were brought to my attention by parents and became perennial favorites with the children and myself.
Georgie Story
The head of the art education department at my university said at the beginning of her series of classes that a complete curriculum was possible if all you had to work with was paint and clay. Children would develop a deep understanding of making both two- and three-dimensional art. Traditional Art Education at that time described the perfect curriculum as having both breadth and depth. Both of these characteristics were controlled by the teacher. Breadth means that children would have the opportunity to creatively express themselves using a wide range of art forms using a wide range of materials. Depth meant that children exposed to an art form again and again would increase their skill with that art form. Depth also meant the children’s complete exposure to the many factors that influence the understanding of how art is created (see Special Work, in Understanding Art — I and II). In the Montessori environment, both these characteristics are controlled by the child.
The word collage comes from the French word “coller” that means “to glue.” Found images were incorporated into paintings or drawings by Braque and Picasso around 1910. The word assemblage is also used to describe a composition made from scraps, junk, and odds and ends, such as paper, cloth, wood, stone, or metal. Such artworks are usually three-dimensional.
A Collage Center is quite different from a collage tray (see MAM Section Basic Skills). Usually the materials in a tray are meant to decorate another art form. The variety of materials is small. Materials may be added to origami, for instance, to help define what the idea of the piece is, e.g., eyes on an animal shape.
The Collage Center has an enormous variety of materials. These materials, by themselves, can motivate creative ideas in the minds of children and the adults that introduce the art form. It also can accommodate specialty materials such as rub-on letters and numbers, glitter, magazine pictures, larger pieces of cloth, natural materials such as pine cones, sticks, stones, shells, etc.
Prerequisite: Experience using the Basic Skills
Introduction to Traditional Ideas
Introduction to the Art Continuum
(See: The Art Chart and Generating Personal Ideas) Experience using a collage tray
Direct Aim: Creative expression
Indirect Aim: Preparation for photomontage
Point of Interest: “Did you create an idea for your collage by looking at all the materials you could use?”
Materials: 5-12
- A Collage Center: An entire shelf unit or any spaces or structures or cabinets able to house 16–25 containers of different collage materials (See: Resources)
- Heavy background paper – bristol board, railroad board (smooth and colored on both sides), or mat board, different sizes and colors in a container
- 5” x 7”, 7” x 7”, 8½” x 11”, 9” x 9”, 12” x 12”
- Half sheets of paper that have a printed design or texture
- Wire record holder to hold background boards and patterned paper
- Check antique stores, or search eBay with the phrase ‘wire record holder’ (See Photograph)
- Narrow individual add-on file-folder holders
- 2–4 pencils in a container
- A long donut tray to contain all the small items (See: Basic Skills for individual presentations of the following equipment and materials)
- 4 Scissors in a container
- 4 Glue sticks in a container
- 4 2oz. bottles of Elmer’s Glue – with labels removed – in a container (no school glue)
- Caps from individual containers of bottled water
- Or individual empty containers that once held dry watercolor paint
- Or butter dishes
- Plastic toothpicks in a container
- 2–4 Staplers
- 2–4 hole punches ⅛”, ¼” in a container
- 2 Punch tools, as used in Montessori to punch out the shapes of continents
- 2–4 small square rugs for punching
- Alternative punch tool: 4–6 roofing nails (1½” – 2”) in the same container
- 2 sizes of brads in containers
- 2 Punch tools, as used in Montessori to punch out the shapes of continents
- 16–25 different collage materials
- A tray for the presentation
- Envelopes in a container
- A damp sponge from the sink for the presentation
Preparation: All Levels
- Select shelving and containers for each separate collage material (See: Resources)
- Cut the background paperboards and place them in the display container. Include paper with printed designs.
- Fill the donut tray (optional) with all the equipment and materials listed above – line them up in containers
- Note: When presenting to 5s, display only materials and tools you have presented in isolation (See: Basic Skills for detailed plans).
- Put one kind of material in each collage container (Less rather than more).
- Label each container.
- Staple or glue an example on the front of each box or drawer.
- Use words to label the boxes or drawers, especially for 9-12 students.
- If the drawers or boxes are transparent, they may not need labeling.
- Decide on the idea you wish to present. If an idea doesn’t come to you easily, look through all the boxes and see if your idea could be inspired by one or more collage materials.
- Make envelopes to store a few collage materials yet to be used.
- Choose collage materials such as
- Plain and printed paper strips and shapes
- Colored feathers, exotic feathers (cut in half if very big)
- Large and small sequins, flat buttons, small pom-poms
- Precut felt and/or plastic foam shapes
- Strips of lace or ribbon, silver and/or gold rick-rack
- Silk flower parts (new), sprigs or petals of plastic flowers (cleaned if used)
- Strips of raffia, jumbo yarn
- Pieces of colored plastic or cellophane straws
- Strips of chenille pipe cleaners cut into various lengths
- White or silver/gold paper doilies cut into interesting pieces
- Wallpaper shapes or scraps
- Fancy origami paper, wrapping paper, designs printed on tissue boxes
- Small pictures of objects taken from magazines (optional)
- Materials collected by parents.
- The materials may come from their place of work
- I received empty paper bobbins that once held thread for sewing.
- Ask parents for art materials that are no longer needed.
- Ask for used plastic flowers. Clean them before using.
- The materials may come from their place of work
- Label each container.
Note: When giving this presentation to 6-12, I only made one collage for that level. I worked on it for each class. The finished work was displayed when the classes returned. The presentation that follows is a description of the making of a collage landscape I made for 6-9 children. There are other examples of collages made during presentations. Students 9-12 need a presentation only if it is their first experience with this art form.
Presentation:
- See my collage designed for 6-12 students described in this presentation (see photo). Design a simple idea for 5-year-olds (a flower garden, an animal, a kite or airplane in the sky).
- Start your lesson at the Collage Center. Take a tray with you to collect what you need. Use the time to introduce the art form.
- Stop by the sink and get a damp sponge.
- A bowl of damp sponges can be placed where children will be working.
- “This is the Collage Center. Each box contains a different material that you can use to create an idea. On the shelf above the boxes, are glue and the rest of the equipment you will need to make a collage. The word collage comes from the French word “coller” that means “to glue”. Found images were incorporated into paintings or drawings by Braque and Picasso around 1910.”
- Very briefly, open and close a couple of boxes to see what is in them. “Look at all the materials available until you get an idea you want to make.”
- “Choose a color of heavy paper as the background for your idea. Put your name (and room number) on the paper.”
- “I am putting everything I need to start my collage on the tray.”
- Name everything as you put it on the tray: scissors, bottle of glue, a small container, a toothpick, a glue stick, a nail, a couple of brads, a hole punch, and stapler.
- “Don’t forget to get a damp sponge from the sink.”
- "Open and close boxes (drawers) and choose three pieces of collage materials. Get more pieces as you work.”
- “I’m ready to start. I like the dark blue board because I want to make an autumn landscape.”
- “I have a piece of printed paper I like, but I do not know what I am going to do with it yet. I found thin plastic sticks that could make a tall bush that had already lost its leaves. The yellow straw will look like a field of dried corn stalks after they have been cut down.”
- “The printed paper I like has a strip with circles in a row. I will cut the strip out and glue it to the bottom of my collage.”
- Use the glue stick to attach the strip to the bottom of the board.
Uncap the stick. Show how to wind the glue up. Spread the glue on the paper and place on the bottom of the board. Press down. Turn the board over and trim any extra paper that might be sticking out beyond the board.
- “Wind the glue back into the tube and put the cap back on it. Turn the stick over then push down on it until you hear the cap click closed.”
- Make a hole with a ⅛” hole punch in the center of the first circle (left side) on the strip. “I am using the smaller hole punch to make a hole in the center of the circle so I can decorate it with a paper fastener.
- “Sometimes you may wish to put a rug under the work, I can use a nail or punch tool to make a hole in the center of the next circle. Now I can add another paper fastener.”
- Staple the plastic sticks together so they appear to be a tree near the left edge of the board. “I am using two or three staples to create a bushy tree with no leaves near the edge of the board about half way up my board. The tree marks the beginning of a forest of trees and creates enough space for the harvested corn field.”
- Twist a bottle of glue open and put a little in a bottle cap. “Apply the glue with a toothpick or your finger.” Alternate a piece of yellow yarn with a straw placed diagonally across the board to create the corn field. Experiment putting tiny drops of glue on ridged materials like straw, sticks, heavy paper, or buttons. “Gently squeeze the glue bottle to make the glue dots.”
- Demonstrate the following procedure. “My favorite way to clean glue off my fingers is to rub my fingers and thumb over each other until the glue dries and falls off.”
- “I am going to stop the lesson now. Watch where I go to put my work to dry.”
- “Put any materials you need to continue the lesson in an envelope.”
- “Put your name on the envelope and put it with your work in the unfinished work box.”
- “Twist the glue bottle closed and wipe off the end with your damp sponge.”
- When resuming the lesson for another class, present to them how everything was done, then continue creating your collage.
Below are examples of future steps taken in the presentation to continue the making of the collage landscape—however, it was never finished.
- A marker was used to color 10 big toothpicks that represent tree trunks
- Pieces from the paper used to make the bottom strip were used to make the fall leaves on 3 trees
- During each lesson more yarn and straw strips were added to make the corn field.
- Dark green leaves were glued and/or stapled on to represent pine trees. They could have been added all the way across the board.
- Paper fasteners were added one or two at each lesson to make the golden fall tree and finish the decorating the circles at the bottom of the collage.
- Glue was used to create tree leaves with bits and pieces of orange handmade paper. One tree was created with 5 pieces of pasta and another with a strip of crepe paper.
- Enjoy the process of creating your idea while giving your collage presentation(s).
Extensions:
- The idea boxes have the word “collage” in them, so it is possible that collage is selected by itself or in combination with any other art form (See: Generating Personal Ideas).
- See “The Tree” in the introduction to Large Projects. It is a movie made using collage materials to create this stop-motion animation.
- Use the college center as a practical life activity. You will know when each container needs to be sorted, with all pieces of materials that do not belong removed to their original container.
- Choose a container (basket) for any unrelated pieces. Place in your work space.
- Choose one of the drawers or boxes from the collage center and dump out the contents.
- Sort the materials. Place the good pieces back into it container.
- Place non-related pieces into the basket.
- The basket is sorted into trash or placed back into their proper drawer or box.
Resources:
- CollageCenter
- My collage center was one shelving unit 3’ high and 4’ wide that had a top and bottom and 5 interior shelves that held 24 boxes. Later in my teaching career I attached a 2’ high shelf to the Center. It provided a top shelf and had only two interior shelves that held large AkroBins bins for materials that were used to make 3 dimensional art forms. Until Collage Sculpture or Papier Mache was introduced the bins were filled with straw construction activities or different kinds of building blocks.
- Other possible storage containers for a Collage Center
- Target: Sterilite 3 Drawer Small Countertop Unit White with Clear Drawers (model 23758003) - $7.99
- Amazon: Sterilite 20738006 Small 3 Drawer Unit, White Frame with Clear Drawers, 6-Pack - $27.96
- Sources for collage materials
- Railroad board: https://www.dickblick.com/products/pacon-railroad-board/
- com
- Michael’s
- C. Moore (Eastern U.S.)
- Oriental Trading Company
- Fabric stores
- Discount stores
- School supply stores
To prepare for presentation of this art form, become very familiar with every aspect of the Photomontage lesson, from the Georgie Story through Resources, because it incorporates many different basic skills and design principles. The information given here will allow you and your students to experience the fun and pleasure of this unique form.
The object of making a photomontage is to create a new image that looks like a photograph but is made from parts of other photographs. Without a computer this requires advanced cutting and pasting skills to create the illusion of a new photograph. It takes time to master this art form so it is not unusual for some children to create a collage before understanding and producing photomontage.
The first difficult concept to grasp when making a photomontage is to work from the background image to the foreground when pasting down the pieces of the montage with the glue stick. We tend to see the foreground as most important, and beginning students will tend to work on finding the foreground pieces first. Review Understanding Art I – Parts of a Picture Plane (foreground, middle ground, background) as you teach making photomontages. All parts of the picture plane need to be consciously selected. The montage pieces must be saved until they can be pasted down in reverse order from how they usually appear: background first, then middle ground if any, and last the foreground object(s). Students must have large enough envelopes to safely protect their montage pieces until they are ready to use them.
The second difficult concept is the importance of negative shapes and how to cut them out without destroying the positive ones. For clean edges, negative shapes are always cut out, not punched out. The child might need to cut into a positive shape in order reach the negative shape to be eliminated. The cut will disappear when the positive shapes are carefully pasted down. Cutting out the negative spaces can, at times, create fragile pieces of paper that require the skillful use of a glue stick so as not to tear them. I suggest you individually instruct students who need individual attention. It is as simple as knowing where to hold the paper down to support it as the paste is stroked on.”
Georgie Story
A parent asked me if he could present photomontage to his child’s class. I agreed, and afterwards I asked his permission to reproduce his lesson for the rest of my 9-12 students. To start his presentation, the gentleman explained to our students that he made photomontages in his study whenever he needed to relax and forget his stressful work. He searched through magazines for pictures to add to his photo collection until he found an image that sparked an idea. Most of his montages were made from parts of at least 3 or more photographs. His presentation was so well organized that it was easy to understand and use to create my own example for teaching. The following lessons evolved from that.
My 9-12 students were so creative and skilled that a fellow Montessorian asked why I would allow students to display “a magazine photograph” and claim it as their own. I asked him to choose his favorite photomontage and gently run his finger down the image. When he turned around, the look on his face was one of wonder, as he discovered the student’s skillful illusion.
One year, the music teacher and I decided to do a project together for the winter holiday program. He would teach the choir holiday songs which would be illustrated by photomontages made by my 9-12 children. The children in each class were asked to find a working partner.
There were a few three-person groups and a few individuals who chose to work alone. Each group illustrated a portion of the lyrics of a song.
The montages were photographed and then projected onto the stage screen as the choir sang. This process became a school tradition. Once in a while a good idea needs to be changed and in this case it wasn’t. In hindsight it would have been more fun if all the illustrated songs were sung by all the children and special music was sung only by the choir with no images.
Two years after I retired the music teacher invited me to the Holiday Program. The choir was a large group of children who were able to sing music in complicated parts. There were no projected images; the emphasis of the program was on their excellent musical performance.
For the holiday programs, my 9-12 students never had to think of an idea because they were given song lyrics to interpret. They were creating more like graphic designers than like fine artists. One year, several nine year olds chose to make photomontages using their own ideas. The most successful montage was called “Fish Farm.” The foreground was a large hay stack with a fish swimming in the hay. The background was an Amish couple standing in their harvested field. It was done with 3 different photographs.
Every year I asked parents for old magazines (Compulsive, Home and Garden, National Geographic, Scientific American, Sheen, Smithsonian, Travel, Up Scale). They filled an entire closet from the floor to the hat shelf.
Late in my teaching career I began including magazine pictures in a separate box in the collage center box for 6-9 year old children to use. They were creative in integrating a picture of an object or two into their ideas, though they sometimes did not yet have the skill to precisely cut out the object from its surrounding visual material.
Prerequisite: Collage making 6-12 Parts of a Picture Plane: Foreground, Middle Ground, Background Negative shapes (See: Sensorial Materials)
Direct Aim: Creative expression
Indirect Aim: Preparation for advanced media work
Point of Interest: “What inspired your idea for your photomontage?”
Materials: 6-12
- Heavy paper (paperboard, mat board or bristol board)
- You choose the size. Keep in mind the size of the magazines your children will be using.
- They can use a vertical or horizontal format (portrait or landscape) for the work.
- All montages made for the holiday programs were done on a vertical format a bit smaller than the size of the National Geographic magazine.
- Paper trimmer (optional)
- 4-6 scissors in a container
- 4-6 glue sticks in a container (see Resources for recommendations)
- Damp sponges in a container
- A large collection of magazines
- (6-9 only) A collage box with selected small images cut from magazines and a small stack of magazines were provided.
- 1 tray or container for magazines
- Change the magazines often
- 9-12 students were given permission to choose magazines from the closet.
- Large envelopes for keeping all the pieces of the montage
- 9-12: A black and white image of a stool for cutting practice
- Print the stool graphic from the PDF image provided here
- 6-9: if cutting practice is needed for the student’s idea
- Change the magazines often
Preparation: 6-9: This is an optional addition to a regular collage lesson.
- Note: No formal photomontage lesson was given until children were 9-12 years old.
- Create the box of magazine pictures for the collage center that are objects, people etc. Leave some space around the object so the children have cutting practice.
- Provide a supply of additional magazines for children to browse and to find more images.
- The regular collage materials are already present in the collage center.
- Have ready a work of art you are using for the collage presentation. Browse with a child or small group of children and find something you can add to your collage.
- That is as much as I have done with this age group.
Preparation: 9-12
- Make your own photomontage for the presentation. It needs to be in pieces and not pasted down. Prepare a story about how you arrived at the idea. Or, you can use the suggested surrealistic idea below.
- Choose a great photo you like that depicts wide open space like the sky or landscape from far away. You may or may not want anything in the foreground in this background photo. Then collect lots of boats, one kind or many kinds. You will want some small, some medium and some large. Plan to glue them down like they would appear if they were on water. Small ones would be higher on the page, the medium lower, and the largest ones near to the bottom. They may overlap to give a greater sense of space. Have fun thinking of its title.
- If the image has something in the foreground, you can figure out how to make it look like the boats are behind it!
- The front part of a boat can appear to be entering the picture to the right or the very end of a boat leaving on the left.
- Hint: Cut around the positive shapes of the foreground if there are any and attach them after the boats are glued down.
Displayed here is a photomontage I made the last time I gave a photomontage lesson. The idea was about a Christmas tree with gifts placed in a public space. The ceiling was replaced with a “night sky” which was really a photograph of microscopic animals. The star was added. The negative shapes that represent the spaces between the posts (balusters) of the staircase had to be cut up each side so the tree would appear to be behind the staircase. I had to cut into the staircase in order to reach the negative shapes. The toys were placed on the steps so they could be seen; if I had placed them under the tree they would have been hidden by the staircase.
- Feel free to show my Christmas piece in your presentation, to illustrate how the bottom of the tree had to be threaded behind the balusters without glue and was then trapped in place when the stair case was glued down. This situation could occur in your students’ work if needed to create their idea.
- Download and print the stool image for practice cutting.
- With scissors, cut it out yourself to use in the presentation.
- Using the scissors, cut into the positive shapes of the stool along the dotted lines to get to the negative spaces.
- Print and/or project photomontage images found online (See Resources for examples)
- I suggest you preview them. The video has music and the images are shown in rapid succession. The ones you can download and print will allow your students more time to absorb and enjoy them.
- Cut heavy background board to desired size and put in container similar to the one used for collage paper, or use a desk tray
- The photomontage will cover the entire board
- My Christmas photomontage is 9¼” x 6⅜”.
- Place scissors in a container
- Place the glue sticks in a container
- Damp sponges and paper towels from the sink
- Place a collection of magazines in several (4) large AkroBins, on trays or in shallow pans (See: The Uniqueness of Montessori Art Education: Our Environment). Change the magazines when needed.
- My students could go to the cupboard and choose magazines and restore it at clean up time.
- Choose a great photo you like that depicts wide open space like the sky or landscape from far away. You may or may not want anything in the foreground in this background photo. Then collect lots of boats, one kind or many kinds. You will want some small, some medium and some large. Plan to glue them down like they would appear if they were on water. Small ones would be higher on the page, the medium lower, and the largest ones near to the bottom. They may overlap to give a greater sense of space. Have fun thinking of its title.
First Presentation: Choosing the idea
- “I am introducing an art form called Photomontage. The name describes what it is. Photo is short for photograph. Montage is when a new composition is artfully put together from different sources. The object of making a photomontage is to create a new image that looks like a photograph but is made from parts of other photographs. Without a computer, this requires advanced cutting and pasting skills to create the illusion of a new photograph.”
- “You will need an idea before you can start making the montage. I would like to show you several montages made by professional designers. Some are funny, some are a bit scary, but all are very clever and will help you think about ideas of your own.”
- Discuss some of the images. How did the designer make their idea interesting?
- “You can choose a working partner or do the work alone.”
- At this point in the presentation, display the pieces of your own prepared photomontage. Explain the elements of the photomontage to the children and tell them how you were inspired to create it. Keep it short.
Second Presentation: Practice cutting negative shapes, finding pictures for ideas
- “Before you start this work, I am asking you to practice cutting out negative shapes by cutting into positive ones. Watch how I do it.”
- “With scissors, the negative shapes in the stool are more easily cut out while you still can hold onto most of the paper that surrounds a negative shape.”
- “Cut into the positive shapes of the stool by following the dotted line and carefully cut out the negative shapes.”
- “Begin by removing the tiny D shape. Ask for help if you need it”
- Display the finished stool over a darker background surface or a large photograph, to illustrate the result of removing the negative shapes.
- “When you are finished cutting out the stool for practice, start looking for pictures you like. Let the pictures help you generate an idea.”
- “Put your name on a big envelope and store your cut-out stool and all pictures you selected.”
Third Presentation: Pasting the idea down after selected pictures are cut
- Bring your work in pieces for the presentation. Have the backing board for it, a glue stick, a damp sponge and paper towel from the sink.
- Show and explain in what sequence each piece of your montage is to be pasted down. What goes first, etc.
- “Most of you are ready to paste down your work.”
- “Choose a board that is the size of your montage background. Use the paper trimmer if needed to make the board the correct size.”
- “Bring a glue stick, and from the sink bring a damp sponge and paper towel.”
- “Lay out the pieces of your photomontage. You are ready to paste it down if it is exactly the image you want. You must know in what sequence each piece is to be pasted down. If you like, I will check your work before you start pasting.”
- “Start pasting down the background piece(s). Apply the paste and place the background piece that is at the top of the image.”
- “Flatten your hand and pat down the background. If you get paste on your fingers wipe it off with the sponge and dry your fingers again.”
- “Keep your fingers free of paste as you work.”
- “What goes next?”
- “There are two ways to paste down difficult pieces. You can start with the largest part of the piece and paste just that part down. Then the projections or fragile parts can be independently raised from the piece, backed with glue while it is supported by your hand, and then pressed down.”
Note: Display the children’s photomontages on a bulletin board or wall.
Extensions:
- Use photomontages to illustrate a story, a poem, a song, a piece of music done by the children.
- Print the stool on different colors and create a group image on a large sheet of paper. Ask the children to plan an idea. Allow each child to attach their stool so that it contributes to the composition of the idea. Make it into a small bulletin board, hang it in a hallway, put it in the office. Have fun giving it a title.
Resources:
- Paperboard, mat board, bristol board, etc.
- Railroad board: https://www.dickblick.com/products/pacon-railroad-board/
- “When graphic designers get bored” for presentation images
- Video: When Graphic Designers get bored
- Printable images: When graphic designers get bored…Abrasha
- Staples: Avery Glue Sticks – Permanent Acid-Free Photo Safe $3.79
- Highly recommended – large cap and transparent case!
- Amazon Basics All Purpose Washable Glue Sticks
- Old Magazines: Compulsive, Home and Garden, National Geographic, Scientific American, Sheen, Smithsonian, Travel, Up Scale and other interesting ones.
I first introduced drafting during the first year the Children’s House (later renamed Sands Montessori) was open. I had one room for children 5-9. I offered the presentation to any child that had made a drawing that could easily be translated using the drafting equipment. I asked if the child would like to remake the idea using only the drafting tools. Those who chose the work did an amazing job. Unfortunately I did not photograph the results.
Later I gave group lessons to 6-9 children using only the simplest tools. For the 5s, I set up a drafting board with paper already on it and only showed them how to use the straightedge and two different triangles, and a French curve. When we moved into the downtown Sands location, the room for the 9-12 environment came with four full-size drafting tables – 36” or wider. I kept the best two. It was then that I designed learning materials for the use of the equipment. The 9-12 children had every piece of equipment an adult would use. Eventually I decided they were bigger than necessary, and were taking up needed space, so I removed them and purchased drafting boards to use on tabletops.
The size of the drafting board is your choice. A board that is 18” wide with an attached straightedge is easier for the youngest children. For the older group, a 24” board seemed large enough. I started teaching drafting with a 24” board with an attached straightedge. Over time the straightedge failed and I replaced it with a T square for 9-12 students.
Note: This equipment can be used as a teaching tool for geometry lessons. Just add a protractor to this activity. You will enjoy creatively designing these lessons.
Prerequisite: Montessori Math materials
- Names of geometric shapes (5s)
- Beginning geometry lessons: horizontal, vertical, diagonal etc. (5-9)
- Concepts of convergence, divergence, and parallelism etc. (6-12)
Direct Aim: Creative expression
Indirect Aim: To understand the drafting method and its uses for architectural, industrial, and graphic design
Point of Interest: “Would you like to use drafting tools to express an idea that you did as a freehand drawing (painting, print, etc.)?”
“Create an idea while you practice using the drafting tools.”
Note: Read the whole lesson for each age group. Although many features will be the same, reading all of them will make it easier to see how each level is structured to increase the level of difficulty.
Materials:
- The Basic Drawing Language Chart
- 1 Drafting Board 18” with straightedge attached
- The attached straightedge replaces a T-square for younger children (5-9)
- 1 Drafting Board 24” with an attached straightedge: (6-12)
- 1 Drafting Board: 24” 9-12, (optional)
- 1 24” T-square: 9-12 (optional)
- 1-2 Drafting tables with 24” T-square (9-12) (optional)
- 1 Drafting Board: 24” 9-12, (optional)
- Paper: 9” x 12”, 12” x 12”, 12” x 15”, 12” x 18”
- 4 pieces of removable tape for each board: 5-9
- Roll in a dispenser 6-12
- 2 Triangles:
- 1 right-angle scalene triangle: (8” for 5-9, 10” for 9-12)
- 1 right-angle isosceles triangle: (6” for 5-9, 8” for 9-12)
- 1 Set of French Curves for each level
- 1 Adjustable triangle: 9-12 (optional)
- 1 Small dusting brush: 5-12
- 1 Table brush: 9-12 which is larger (optional)
- 1 Drafting compass: 6-12
- Optional for 5s
- 1 Drafting divider: 9-12 (optional)
- 1 Pencil in a container
- 1 Pencil sharpener
- 1 Erase template: 6-12
- 1 Eraser
- 1 tray or container for all the small pieces of equipment
- 1 Dedicated table for drafting and an extra chair for an observer
Preparation: 5-12
- Copy the Basic Drawing Chart provided here on heavy paper and laminate it.
- Use a thin permanent ink pen or marker to make a short horizontal line 3” long in the center of the drawing board 2” down from the top to mark where the top of the paper needs to be placed, so the straightedge can be used to create lines all the way to the bottom of the paper. Instructions for how to make the paper parallel to the top of the drawing board are detailed in Preparation:
- Set up the drafting board on a desk or table, in front of a wall.
- Install the Basic Drawing Language chart directly on the wall behind the drafting board so it can be easily seen.
- Place the paper in a side loading letter tray or on a cafeteria tray near the drafting board.
- Place an observer chair next to the drafting table.
Preparation: 5
- Cut 4 pieces of removable tape and temporarily place them at the top edge of the board.
- Tape paper to the board. The paper is placed on the board (under the straightedge) parallel to the top edge of the board in landscape orientation.
- Line up the paper to follow the clear edge of the straight edge at the prepared line you drew on the board.
- Fold down the corner of each piece of tape and place it diagonally across each lower corner of the paper. (Folding a corner of the tape makes it easier to remove later.)
- Move the straightedge down and place a piece of tape diagonally across each upper corner of the paper.
- Put the 2 triangles and a French curve in a container (AkroBin). Place to the left of the board.
- Place the pencil in a tall container, the eraser in a shallow container.
Preparation: 6-9
- Set up the activity as suggested for the 5s and add more equipment.
- Add the erase template, pencil sharpener, and eraser in a shallow container or tray.
- Add all 3 French curves with the triangles in the Akrobin.
- Put the compass upright in a non-glass container with the pencil.
Note: The compass needs to be checked frequently to assure that the point of the pencil is sharp and aligns with the point of the needle. Every time the pencil is sharpened, the vertical position of the pencil will need to be adjusted in its holder, so the pencil point and needle point align again.
- Place the removable tape in its dispenser. Put it to the right of the board after teaching student how to attach the paper to the board as in Preparation: 5, above.
Preparation: 9-12
- Read the preparations for 5s and 6-9.
- Set up the activity using all the equipment. See the materials list above.
- Put related things together in containers and place them to the left of the drawing board (See 5-9 Preparation)
- Place the removable tape in its dispenser and place it to the right.
Note: In the following Presentations, the Lesson for each age group follows each part of The Basic Drawing Language chart.
Presentation: 5 – Individual Lesson (Group Lesson optional)
- To start the lesson, ask the child to sit at the drafting board. You sit in the observer’s chair. Once the demonstration is started other children may stand or sit to observe the lesson.
- “Drafting is done on a raised board. It is tilted towards you so you can more easily see what you are doing.”
- “Before we had computers, drafting was done using this equipment. It was the only way architects and designers had to draw plans for their buildings or machinery so other people could construct them. This is still an exciting way for you to draw an idea, or to plan a building, a bridge, a train or a car.”
- “Drafting is different from freehand drawing. Freehand drawing is done with only a pencil or a marker in your hand which is free to go anywhere on the paper you wish. Drafting is done with a pencil and drafting tools only. Both freehand drawing and drafting use the Basic Drawing Language that you see on the chart.
- “Your work today will be to have fun using each of the pieces of equipment you have and discover what you can do with them.”
- “This part of the board is called a straightedge because it is perfectly straight and can be moved up and down to make straight lines across the paper. Put both your hands on the straightedge and gently move the straightedge up then down the paper.” Assist the child. If needed, put your hands on theirs.
- “The Basic Drawing Language chart will help you learn to draw using the drafting tools.” Refer to the chart. “The chart shows you that a pencil mark called a ‘point’ might help you decide where on the paper you would like to start a straight line. Put a small dot there. Line up the straightedge with the dot. Now move the pencil point along the straightedge to make a straight line across the paper that looks good to you. It can be long or short.” Wait for the child to do their work.
- Refer to the chart. “There are two triangles that can be used to make lines that are straight up and down or lines that slant or lean over.”
- Give the child the scalene triangle: “This is a triangle that has 3 different sides and each side is a different length.”
- “Look at the chart to see how to place the triangle on the straightedge to make a straight line. Hold both of them steady as you make a straight line down the paper with your pencil.” Assist holding the triangle if needed. “Make the line as long or as short as you wish.”
- Wait for the child to do their work.
- “Place a different side of the triangle on the straightedge and discover what other kind of line you can draw. Remember to hold them together so they don’t move while you’re drawing, then make your new line.” Wait for them to do the work. Assist if needed.
- “Try turning the triangle over and see what happens.”
- “The next picture on the chart shows a second triangle on one of its sides. The two slanted sides look the same because they are the same length. Move the straightedge to a new place on the paper and make slanted lines.” (Suggest the child use the side closest to their dominant side).
- “Place a different side of the triangle on the straightedge and discover what other kinds of lines you can draw.”
- “The last picture is of a French curve. On the chart, the whole shape of the French curve tool was traced onto the board to show you what it looks like. The French curve has many different curves and is not meant to be traced completely as it is on the Chart. See if you can find and trace a special curve that is just one part of the French curve. You will have fun finding ways to use the different curves.”
- “Fill up the paper with lines and shapes you have created with your drafting equipment”
- Remember to ask the child if their work is finished.
- “I will help you remove your work when you are done drafting. You will need to put your name on the back of the work.”
- “Watch how I remove the tape and return it to the top of the drafting board.”
Presentation: 6-9
- Introduce the work as was done in the lesson for 5s.
- Demonstrate how to attach the paper to the board.
- “Cut 4 pieces of removable tape and place them at the top edge of the board.”
- “The paper is placed on the board parallel to the top edge of the board in landscape orientation (if rectangular).”
- “Move the straightedge up over the paper so it lines up with the paper guide near the top of the board.”
- “Line up the top edge of the paper so it follows the clear top edge of the straightedge.”
- “Fold down the corner of each piece of tape before you place it across a corner of the paper. This makes it easier to remove the tape later.”
- “Hold the paper down and tape down the two lower”
- “Move the straightedge down over the paper and tape the two top corners of the paper.”
- “All horizontal lines drawn on the paper with the straightedge will be parallel (going in the same direction as) to the top and bottom of the paper, and to each other.”
- Proceed as with the 5s presentation and introduce the pencil and the first triangle.
- “This is a scalene triangle. A triangle is a three-sided polygon. Tri means three. Each side of the scalene triangle is a different length. Where the sides meet they create three different sized angles.”
- Proceed to show how to place the triangle on the straightedge.
- “Drawing along the vertical edge of the triangle, lines that run up and down on the page will always be parallel (going in the same direction as) to the sides of your paper.”
- “Notice that the vertical line you draw with the triangle is not long enough to go from the top of the paper to the bottom.”
- “If you wish to continue the line, move the straightedge down the paper. Line up the triangle edge to match the first line and continue to draw the vertical line as long as you wish.”
- Introduce the isosceles triangle as in the 5s presentation
- “The right angle isosceles triangle has two sides that are the same length and contains only two different angles.”
- “You can make your diagonal line longer by moving the straight edge down, then line up the triangle with the first diagonal line and make it longer.”
- Introduce the French curves as in the 5s presentation
Note: You can stop the lesson for 6-12 students here to allow the child to use these three pieces of equipment. Continue the lesson another day. Have the child put their name on the back of the drawing, and store it for the next lesson. The compass, the erase template and brush can be introduced during a second presentation.
- “This is the erase template. It is a rectangle of metal with different sizes and shapes of holes in it. As you are working, you may find a mistake in your drawing that you want to erase.”
- “Let’s pick part of a line to erase. Lay the erase template over the line so that the part you want to erase shows through one of the holes.”
- “Choose a hole that shows just the part you want to erase, but covers the nearby parts that you want to keep.”
- “Now erase the part of the line that you can see through the hole.”
- Help the child choose the appropriate hole, and erase the line through the erase template if needed.
- “When you are done erasing, pick up the erase template and put it away.”
- “We will not use our hands to sweep away the eraser crumbs, because we might smear the drawing. Use the small brush to sweep the crumbs off the paper.”
- “The piece of equipment that will make a circle or parts of a circle is called a compass. The further apart the legs of the compass are, the larger the circle.” (This lesson presumes you will use the basic compass which is adjusted by pulling the legs apart. See Resources for Wescott Scholastic Compass.)
- “To use a compass to make a circle:”
- “Be certain that the pencil point and the needle point are the same length.”
- “Pull the compass legs apart a little bit.”
- “Put the needle on the paper where you want the center of the circle, and turn the top knob to make the pencil draw that circle.”
- Assist the child with the compass, if needed. Wait for the child to do their work.
- “I will help you remove your work when you are done drafting. You will need to put your name on the back of the work.”
- “I will show you how to remove the tape and return it to the top of the drafting board.”
Presentation: 9-12
- Introduce the work as was done in the lesson for 5s.
- Demonstrate how to attach the paper to the board.
- Proceed as with the presentation for 5-9 and introduce the pencil and the first triangle.
- Proceed to show how to place the triangle on the straightedge.
- “Notice that the line is not long enough to go from the top of the paper to the bottom.”
- “If you wish to continue the line, move the straightedge down the paper. Line up the triangle to match the first line and continue to draw the vertical line as long as you wish.”
- Introduce the isosceles triangle. “The next picture on the chart shows a second triangle on one of its sides. The two slanted sides are the same size which makes it an isosceles triangle.”
- Move the straightedge to a new place on the paper and hold the triangle and the straightedge to make diagonal (slanted) lines. (Suggest the child use the side closest to their dominant side).
- “You can make your diagonal line longer by moving the straight edge down then line up the triangle with the first diagonal line and make it longer.”
- Introduce the French curve, the erase template, the small brush, and the compass as in the 6-9 presentation.
- Open and close the triangle as you explain how to use it. “An adjustable triangle has a screw when loosened will open the triangle to a new angle. When the screw is retightened the triangle is ready to use. It is a delicate instrument and easily broken. It is not necessary to screw it down tightly. Just enough to hold it in place. It opens easily and tightens easily. Be gentle and it will last a long time.”
- “The divider is a straight legged instrument that has two sharp points.”
- “It allows you to measure and then reproduce the same size somewhere else on the drawing.”
- “I will help you remove your work when you are done drafting. You will need to put your name on the back of the work.”
- “I will show you how to remove the tape and return it to the top of the drafting board.”
- “I will show you how to remove the tape and return it to the top of the drafting board.”
Extensions:
- Suggest that a child
- Draft an idea that was done in another art form such as painting, freehand drawing, printmaking, collage, etc.
- Draft a plan of their bedroom.
- Draft an imaginary house, world, animal, etc.
- Add color using pencils, markers, Simple Watercolor Paint and oil pastels.
- Create a shape that looks 3-dimensional, using the chart called “Draft The Cube” pictured here. Use the drafting tools to follow each step on your own paper. Next, try to draw the same cube freehand!
- “Could you use both freehand drawing and drafting techniques together to make one work of art?”
Resources:
- Drawing paper (see Resources under Tempera Painting)
- Alvin PXB Series Portable Parallel Straightedge Board 18" x 24" (item #PXB24)
- Alvin 24" Transparent Edge T-Square (item #C24)
- Alvin Mini Dusting Brush (item #2340)
- Alvin 3-Piece Hot Pink French Curve Set (item #LX3PK)
- Alvin 8" French Curve (item #FC3391)
- Alvin Stainless Steel Erasing Shield (item #3298)
- A fine inexpensive compass! https://www.michaels.com/westcott-scholastic-compass/10064577.html
- Alvin Introductory 6" Bow Compass/Divider (item #201)
- Alvin 5 1/2" Economy Divider (item #560)
- Amazon: Adjustable triangle: Westcott Triangular Scale (AT-10)
- Amazon: Architectural Drafting: Procedures & Processes by Marcia G. Martin
As a beginning teacher I became enchanted by the Platonic or regular polyhedrons. These shapes were known and studied by ancient philosophers. Plato believed that they were so basic that he could relate the whole universe to them.
They are described as being regular since each side of the polyhedron is a regular polygon having equal sides, equal angles and equal edges. Each edge in a polyhedron is an edge of two polygons in that shape. Having regular sides the shapes are easily made with straws and string.
The shapes can be found as dice for games. They are made out of stone or crystal and sold at mineral shows. Small wooden ones can be bought online. They can be found in home decor stores. The tetrahedron can even be made into a small, medium, or large kite!
Note: Three-dimensional art forms will be fun and challenging for you and the children, because you will be thinking in ways different than those required by two-dimensional forms.
Georgie Story
One Friday, I had several students who could build a tetrahedron and who wanted to make an octahedron. Following the instructions I had for making the shape seemed difficult for me and the students (See: Laycock, Mary. Straw Polyhedra). That night before going to sleep, I thought there must be an easier way to make an octahedron. Saturday morning when I awoke I was being lazy and kept my eyes closed so I could enjoy my warm comfortable bed. The most amazing thing happened while I was resting. I experienced seeing a movie about how to easily make an octahedron. Four upright triangles were tied together at the bottom angles creating a straight line of triangles. The last triangle moved down and to the left and came up to hook onto the first triangle. Now they formed a square in the middle. Each side of the square was the base of a triangle. The two triangles which were horizontally across from each other came up to form four triangles. They were the top of the octahedron. The two triangles vertically across from each other went down together beneath the upper four to form the last four triangles that made the bottom of the octahedron. That weekend I created the book of easy steps for making an octahedron (see photo of the steps installed on cabinet doors). The book enables a child to make the shape with little adult help.
Is there an easy way to make an icosahedron? I failed to find a way. Give it a try.
Prerequisite: Introduction to the Five Platonic Polyhedrons Ability to tie knots: See Basic Skills
Ability to make simple straw triangles
Direct Aim: Simple introduction to creating three-dimensional shapes
Indirect Aim: Creative expression
Point of Interest: “Did you know that one of the polyhedrons can be made into a kite?”
To Introduce the Five Platonic Polyhedrons
Materials and Preparation: 5-12
- An example of each polyhedron made with straws or paper
- Tetrahedron (4 faces, 6 edges, 4 vertices)
- Hexahedron (6 faces, 12 edges, 8 vertices)
- Octahedron (8 faces, 12 edges, 6 vertices)
- Dodecahedron (12 faces, 30 edges, 20 vertices)
- Icosahedron (20 faces, 30 edges, 12 vertices)
- A set of labels with or without accent or syllabication marks
- Make vocabulary cards
- To make paper polyhedrons: https://www.polyhedrons.net/en/
- To make straw polyhedrons: Laycock, Mary. Straw Polyhedra
- Try searching Google for paper polyhedrons patterns to find more
- Tiny wooden set: https://www.mathartfun.com/WoodPoly.html
Modular Origami Dodecahedron: 9-12
Presentation:
- Introduce in the same manner as the Geometric Solids.
Straw Platonic Polyhedrons: 5-12
Materials:
- Straws in a container
- Paper or plastic straws – you choose
Note: Be aware there are many good environmental reasons not to use plastic straws. The subject would be an excellent research project for 6-12 children to pursue.
- String on a holder (See: Resources)
- 4 to 6 scissors in a container
- Models of each step presented using straws
- Written instructions for making each polyhedron (Optional)
- Name tags, strings and pencils in containers
- Envelopes to store flat pieces
- Large opened paper clips
- to hang polyhedrons in progress that are no longer flat
Preparation: 5-12
- Order of presentation: Tetrahedron, Octahedron, Dodecahedron (not rigid when made with straws, however a lesson is included here), Icosahedron.
- [A hexahedron made with straws and string collapses, so no straw hexahedron lesson is included here.]
- Download, print and assemble The Tetrahedron Book and The Octahedron Book included here as pdf files.
- Make a display tetrahedron using instructions below.
- Place on a shelf to the left of the materials.
- Display the steps for making the tetrahedron anywhere they can be seen (see photo of steps on chalkboard).
- Prepare written instructions if using. Place in a container.
- Place the straws, string, scissors, and instructions if any on a shelf, to the right of the display tetrahedron.
- Place name tags and string near the finished work box or with the work.
My Technique for Threading String into the Straws
Example: triangle
- Use the string directly from its holder. It is not measured.
- Hold the straw somewhat horizontally in front of you with the end that receives the string higher than the other end.
- Feed the string into it a little at a time.
- Insert 1½- 2” sections of string into the straw. Release the string. Pick up the string again 2” or more from the straw and push it into the straw.
- Put three straws on the string.
- Slide the straws down further on the string.
- Fold them into a triangle and make sure you have ample string (3”-4”) to easily tie three knots. Cut the string.
- Tie three overhand knots.
- Three overhand knots (granny knot) are taught because young children often say 1, 2, 3, as they make the knots but in reality only make two.
- It is discouraging to children when a polyhedron falls apart because of knots falling open, so tie three at each closure.
A Display Tetrahedron to Introduce the Study of Polyhedrons
Introduction: Best done individually or in small groups.
This is shelf work that precedes the materials for making of straw polyhedrons. Children are curious about the work and eager for its presentation. Later, general information about the common characteristics of the 
polyhedrons can be introduced with this work in a large group i.e. number of faces, edges, angles, vertices.
Materials
- White paper straws 7-8” long
- String used in food preparation (A heavier string is needed.)
- Sharp scissors
- A wooden bead
- Tacky glue
- A flat basket
Preparation: Display Tetrahedron
Note: For visual reference, download and print The Tetrahedron Book in this section, refer to it while preparing and presenting this lesson, then display it on the shelf with the materials. It is also helpful to display enlargements of the steps on a wall or board (see photo). In these illustrations, each new step is highlighted in red.
- Make a tetrahedron. Use the instructions given below (Presentation: 5-12: Tetrahedron).
- The bead called for in Materials serves two functions when installed
- It keeps the last straw from falling off the end of the string
- It allows the model to be easily opened flat to reveal the structure of the tetrahedron
- For this display model, do not tie the last long string to the top triangle that forms the tetrahedron. Instead, wind it around the top string once to make the tetrahedron stand up. Make sure the string is long enough to hang down into the center of the model (12” – you can cut it shorter if needed)
- Put the bead onto the end of the string and make a knot to hold it on.
- Rub tacky glue on the knot and end of the bead to secure it.
- Place the tetrahedron in a shallow basket or on a tray.
- Display it in the environment with the materials for making straw polyhedrons.
Presentation: Display Tetrahedron 6-12
Note: For 5 year olds, consider presenting your straw model without the technical terms “faces”, “edges”, and “vertices”. Introduce these terms later in a second presentation, at your discretion.
- “This is a model of a tetrahedron. It has four sides called ‘faces’. Each face is a triangle.” Count the faces.
- “I can unwind the string and open this model of the tetrahedron and lay it out flat.”
- “It is made of 6 straws which are called the ‘edges’ of the tetrahedron.” Count the edges.
- “The point at which 2 or more straws meet is called a ‘vertex’.” Count the vertices. [Note: the single straw in the open (flat) position only meets at one point.]
- “When I connect the last straw to the other two triangles, the tetrahedron is complete.”
- “The one last straw adds two more triangles. Each straw is an edge of one triangle and the triangle next to it! This is true of the edges of all”
- Put it back together and place it in the environment after the presentation, to be investigated again.
- Add more information if you wish.
Presentation: 5-12: Make a Straw Tetrahedron
- “Put 3 straws on a string, make sure you have ample string on each end (3”--4”) to easily tie 2 or 3 knots.”
- “Fold the straws into a triangle, cut the string and tie the knots.”
- “To add another triangle put 2 straws on a string, again leaving enough string on the ends to tie knots.”
- “Tie the free end of the string holding the 2 straws to one of the bottom angles of the first triangle. Make 2-3 knots.”
- “Slide the two straws on the string to meet the first triangle. Make sure you have ample string on the loose end to easily tie 2-3 knots.”
- “Fold the 2 straws up to the next angle of the first triangle and make 2-3 knots. You now have 2 triangles.”
- “Notice, the straw between the two triangles is a part of the triangle above and the triangle below. When the tetrahedron is complete each straw is the edge of two triangles.”
- “Put 1 more straw on a string to complete the tetrahedron.
- “Tie the string between either of the points where 2 straws meet. Make the string long enough to make 2-3 knots.”
- “Pull the single straw and the opposite triangle up and tie them together with 2-3 knots.”
- “With this one straw attached, you have added two more triangles which completes the tetrahedron.”
- “Remember, the tetrahedron has four sides. Each triangular side is called a face. Each triangle shares an edge with 1 other triangle. Because they share edges only one straw was able to create two more faces.”
- “The sharing of edges is true of all Platonic Polyhedrons.”
- Trace its edges with your finger to reveal this characteristic of the tetrahedron.
- “In a tetrahedron, there are four points where three straws meet called a vertex. A tetrahedron has four vertices.”
Second Presentation: 6-12
Introduction:
Simple tetrahedrons (single cell) such as the one presented above can be combined to make larger tetrahedrons; it is the only polyhedron that has that multi-cell characteristic. This is ideal as a 6-9 activity, and for 9-12 if they have not yet made polyhedrons. It creates a flurry of activity as the children want to make a bigger and bigger multi-cell tetrahedron, until they are satisfied with its size. The biggest tetrahedron we ever made was a 64 cell tetrahedron which was given as a gift to the school secretary.
While on a teacher exchange program in China, I introduced this work to a group of elementary students. They too made a 64 cell tetrahedron. One way of making a bigger one is to interest 256 children into each making one tetrahedron. Think ahead as to where you can put a large sculpture. A 16 cell will go through a doorway, a 64 cell might, and a 265 cell will not! Enjoy!
Materials:
- 4 tetrahedrons
- String
- Scissors
Presentation: 6-12
- “The tetrahedron has 4 triangular sides.”
- “I am going to attach these 4 one-cell tetrahedrons together to form 1 larger multi-cell tetrahedron.”
- “Tie three cells together so they form a negative triangle on the floor.” Do this.
- “There are three top vertices to which the 4th tetrahedron is attached.” Show them.
- “To complete the 4 cell tetrahedron, tie each of the bottom three vertices of the 4th tetrahedron to one of these top vertices.” Do that.
Single Cell Tetrahedron Kite
Introduction:
A tetrahedron made with 6 straws is a single cell. A single cell tetrahedron can be made into a kite. It is called a city kite in Steven Caney’s Toy Book Reissued (See: Resources).
To make a kite, cover two sides of the tetrahedron to make a “sail” with thin paper such as tissue paper or tracing paper, newsprint paper, or Dippity Dye paper. Below is an example of a sail pattern to print and cut out of laminated heavy paper. (See photo, and downloadable PDF file to print pattern.) The pattern here is sized for standard paper straws 7.75” long; it can be enlarged for use with longer straws. Fold in and glue down extra paper on the sides (flaps) with glue stick to hold the paper onto the straws. Color the sails with watercolor paint if desired.
The kite is flown point-down, which is opposite to the way it is placed on a table. The bridle on a tetrahedron kite is a slack string tied on from the bottom straw up to the top of the straw which is covered by the fold in the sail. It needs to be long enough for a loop knot to be made ¾ of the way up the kite. The flying string is attached to the loop. Happy Sailing!
Make four complete single cell tetrahedrons, and they can be connected and stacked to make a large multi-cell kite. Tie three cells together so they form a negative triangle on the floor. The sails must all be facing the same direction. The last cell is tied to the bottom tetrahedron so that its sail is facing in the same direction as those beneath it. Any size tetrahedron can be made into a kite.
Note: There are many online sites that explain how to make a tetrahedron kite. Here’s one I like https://youtu.be/qZUKTyRtL0Y to use with the following suggestions:
- The video shows an interesting alternative way to make the basic tetrahedron for 9-12 children.
- My preference is to use glue stick rather than plastic tape to adhere the flaps of the sails.
- For better kite control, I suggest tying the bridle across the entire edge of the kite, from the outside point of the first cell to the outside point of the last cell (regardless how many cells make up the kite).
Presentation: 6-12: Octahedron
Note: For visual reference, download and print The Octahedron Book in this section, refer to it while preparing and presenting this lesson, then display it on the shelf with the materials. It is also helpful to display enlargements of the steps on a wall or board (see photo). In these illustrations, each new step is highlighted in red.
- “Make 4 straw triangles. Make the knot and strings the top of each triangle. The string will be used to finish the octahedron. Do not trim.”
- “Line the 4 triangles up in a row. Use a piece of string and attach them to each other where two bottom angles meet.”
- “Move the right bottom angle of triangle 4 around to the left bottom angle of triangle 1 (forms a square in the center) and tie 2-3 knots.”
- “Arrange the triangles so that the bottom of each triangle forms 1 side of a square.”
- “Tie together the tops of the two triangles which are vertically across from each other. The spaces between these form two more triangles to complete the top of the octahedron.”
- “Move down and tie together the two triangles across from each other horizontally beneath the upper four, to form the last four triangles that make the bottom of the octahedron. Trim the strings.”
Motivational Presentation of a Dodecahedron: 5-12
Introduction:
I found this activity in a math book in my husband’s library (See: Resources). It was a favorite with children and adults, and became shelf work after I presented it. I gave the motivational presentation of a dodecahedron to all levels. This version motivates children to make a dodecahedron, yet isn’t necessarily the version they make. For 5-9, an activity using half of the dodecahedron shapes to make a nest became popular, as outlined below. A more fulfilling activity for 9-12 is described later as a “modular” version.
Materials:
Note: This dodecahedron is made with heavy paper because a straw-and-string construction of this polygon is not very stable.
- 2 halves of a dodecahedron made of heavy paper
- 1 large rubber band in a container
- Label: Dodecahedron
- 1 tray for the work
Preparation:
- Download and print the PDF file furnished.
- Cut out two halves of the dodecahedron.
- I had paper that was white on one side and green on the other.
- Score the dotted edges of the center pentagon and gently bend the attached pentagons down, with color on the outside if there is any.
- Use ordinary rubber bands out of a large collection of them.
- The rubber bands must be cut and knotted together into a circle to get the right size which is about 12” in circumference (6” when folded in half).
- If it is too little the dodecahedron will curl up in half
- Place the rubber band in its container.
- The rubber bands must be cut and knotted together into a circle to get the right size which is about 12” in circumference (6” when folded in half).
- Practice assembling the dodecahedron using the Presentation instructions below. Also refer to the photos of steps of assembly.
- Select the tray or basket for the work.
- Assemble the work on the tray.
Motivational Presentation: 5-12
Note: The presentation is given silently first using the directions below. It is given again using the spoken presentation. Practice.
- “Watch carefully while I demonstrate how to turn these two flat pieces of paper into a three dimensional shape called a dodecahedron.”
- Pick up each piece of the paper dodecahedron and describe them.
- “I have two pieces of paper that match. Each is made up of 6 pentagons (five-sided shapes). One pentagon is in the middle and there are 5 more pentagons connected to it.”
- “Each paper has been folded where one of the five pentagons is attached to the pentagon in the center.”
- “Notice I pick up the two pieces so that both have its 5 pentagons slightly drooping down from its center one.”
- “Watch what I do,” Turn the half that is in your left hand over so it cups up and slide it off your hand. Turn your hand over and press the paper flat.
- “Notice that there is space between each pentagon.”
- “I am going to place the top half down on the bottom half so the points of the top pentagons fill the spaces between the bottom ones.”
- “Notice that the bottom points fill the spaces between the ”
- “Now I am going to weave the top and the bottom half together using the rubber band.”
- “I use one hand to hold the centers of the two pieces down, while I thread the rubber bands around them.”
- Practice switching hands. “You might prefer to use the opposite hand half way through.”
- “Put the rubber band over the top points and under the bottom points.”
- Without talking, slowly lift your hand off the work and the dodecahedron stands up.
- “This is a dodecahedron. It has twelve sides. Each side is a pentagon.”
Dodecahedron Nests: 5-9
Introduction:
Children made nests using only half of a dodecahedron tied together with decorative string or yarn. Its function was to provide students practice using the basic skills such as cutting, punching holes, tying knots and lacing shoes. It is a higher level of difficulty to give the basket a handle. Grass can be made or purchased. I created a step-by-step to display for the children to follow.
Prerequisite: Introduction to the Platonic Polyhedrons Motivational Presentation of a Dodecahedron
Direct Aim: Practice using the basic skills tying knots, lacing shoes, and bow tying
Indirect Aim: Creative Expression
Point of interest: Can you think of another way to use the nest?
Materials:
- 1-6 halves of a dodecahedron printed on heavy paper
In a desk tray used for paper and file folders (Resupply as needed)
- 2-4 scissors
- 2-4 Paper punches ¼”
- 2 Burnishing tools (or round pencil, popsicle stick, ball point pen)
- Yarn, thin ribbon, or fancy string cut to 12” lengths (5-10 pieces for each nest)
- 4-6 wooden I form for yarn, string etc. Or
- Use large plastic foam hair rollers, remove hard plastic parts
- Burlap or other loosely-woven material, natural materials like straw, or commercial faux grass
- Colored markers for decorating
- Tray(s) and basket(s) for the equipment (see photos)
Preparation:
- Copy the dodecahedron pattern onto bristol board or two colored cover paper.
- Put scissors, paper punches, and burnishing tools in containers.
- Loosely wind yarn, thin ribbon and/or fancy string on an I form, or the materials will develop kinks.
- Foam hair roller will also hold the materials. If you press the beginning and end of the string directly on the foam cylinder it will usually stick to it.
- Cut out half of a dodecahedron for the presentation.
- Assemble the work.
Presentation:
- Quickly show the motivational dodecahedron again and remove the top half of the shape. “The bottom half can be turned into a basket or a container.”
- “Notice that the sides of each pentagon touch the others.”
- “Cut out half of the dodecahedron printed on the paper.” Demonstrate as you are cutting. I never cut the whole shape out because it makes the lesson too long.
- “If you wish you can color the outside of the basket using markers before you begin folding the shape together.”
- “Each side of the pentagon in the center has another pentagon attached to it.”
- “Use the line where the center pentagon meets one of the other pentagons to fold the attached pentagon down. Press along the line using a burnishing tool or both your pointer fingers (forefingers).”
- Demonstrate where to punch holes into the attached pentagons. “Punch two holes on each side of the attached pentagons. Punch one at the top, one at the bottom.”
- If you see that children have a hard time making two holes, suggest they make only one at the top of each side of each pentagon (see photo).
- The top hole of one pentagon is tied to the top hole of the pentagon next to it.
- “Each pair of holes can be strung together and tied into a bow. Thread (put) the string into the hole and then thread it out of the other hole. Make the ends equal.”
- “Tie a bow.”
- The sides can be laced like a shoe if that skill has been mastered or taught during the lesson.
- Add a handle that is 1” wide and 11”-12” long. Punch a hole on each end of the handle and attach it to holes punched on the basket.
Extensions:
- Make the nests (basket) to celebrate any holiday.
- Put treats in them
- Use as gift box
- How could a container like this made with laminated paper be used in the environment?
Resource:
- Burnishing and scoring tools: BronaGrand 2 Pieces Bone Folder Paper Creaser Set on Amazon
I did not develop directions for making a straw dodecahedron. Only one student ever made one. When it was finished it was too wobbly.
Instead, I found how to make a modular origami (paper) dodecahedron on a Web page (See Resources)
Prerequisite: Introduction to Platonic Polyhedrons Motivational Presentation of a Dodecahedron
Direct Aim: To make a modular origami dodecahedron
Indirect Aim: To use the shape to express an idea
Point of interest: Now that you know how to make an origami dodecahedron, can you imagine or create an idea using this skill? What paper would you use? Could it be a way to express an idea? Could it be a way to record learning?
Materials:
Note: This is an origami activity so each step taken can be pre-made and numbered. You will be making 12 pentagon shapes (modules) which will then be combined to create the dodecahedron.
- Use A4 size paper for larger shapes (easier for children to fold), or A6 size paper for smaller shapes (half a sheet of A4 size). [See Resources for A-size papers.] If A-size paper is unavailable, use 4” by 6” index cards.
- 2 Burnishing tools (or round pencil, popsicle stick, ball point pen)
- Envelopes or small bags to hold the pentagon modules
- Rub-on numerals and containers (for steps)
Preparation:
- Print an instruction page from the PDF file below: Instructions for making a “fauxdecahedron” (good enough!) [PDF]
- Make 2-4 copies of laminated instructions.
- Create a pentagon in separate steps and number each step using the instruction page you printed. [For photo examples, see lesson Origami in MAM Section Art Forms]
- Place each step in a numbered container.
- Or, if each step is numbered, just place the steps in a basket.
- Assemble the pentagon module-making activity and place it in the environment along with the instructions.
- Make 23 origami pentagon modules
- 12 to display a finished dodecahedron
- 11 more to assemble a dodecahedron during the presentation
- Complete one dodecahedron using one set of 12 pentagon modules.
- Pay special attention to steps 7 and 8 in the fauxdecahedron instructions, and continue inserting module tabs into module pockets until the dodecahedron is complete.
Presentation:
- Show the instructions you have printed for making a pentagon module.
- Referencing the numbered steps you’ve prepared for pentagons, continue to fold the paper to produce the 12th pentagon module you need to assemble the dodecahedron
- Point out that the bottom of each pentagon is just a folded edge made in Step 4
- Optional: use the burnishing tool to sharpen the folds.
- Complete one dodecahedron using one set of 12 pentagon modules.
- Pay special attention to Steps 7 and 8 in the fauxdecahedron instructions, inserting the tabs of two modules into the pockets of a third, and bringing the bottoms of the first two together at the top point of the third.
- Continue inserting module tabs into module pockets until the dodecahedron is complete.
Extensions:
- Suggest using a fauxdecahedron to show evidence of learning.
- Use fancy paper to make a gift.
- Change scale and make a giant dodecahedron. Use heavy paper.
Resources
- Instructions for making a “fauxdecahedron” (good enough!) [PDF]
- Other instructions for making modular origami dodecahedron
- https://www.origami-resource-center.com/A6-dodecahedron.html
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6PvQb34AMo (video narration is in Spanish, but shows the complete construction of the dodecahedron from the 12 pentagons)
- The Amazon book: Brilliant Origami: A Collection of Original Designs (pages 80 and 81) also contains helpful illustrations.
- Amazon: Burnishing and scoring tools: BronaGrand 2 Pieces Bone Folder Paper Creaser Set
- Amazon: A-size paper: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FTXJCYF?pf_rd_p=183f5289-9dc0-416f-942e-e8f213ef368b&pf_rd_r=TKNCN77MDXXJRTRP8RHR
Straw Icosahedron: 6-12
Like the dodecahedron, I did not make my own book of instructions for making an Icosahedron. Students made them but only one person stellated it (see Extensions) and added strings of hanging beads (see photograph).
Use the following presentation, make the steps with straws end display them in the environment in preparation for the presentation.
Prerequisite: Introduction to Platonic Polyhedrons. Experience making a tetrahedron, octahedron, etc. Concept of Convex and Concave
Direct Aim: Higher level of construction difficulty
Indirect Aim: Creative Expression
Point of interest: Would you enjoy creating a dual of this platonic polyhedron? (see Extensions)
Materials:
- Straws in a container
- Paper or plastic straws – you choose
- The example in the photos here used standard-length drinking straws cut in half
Note: Be aware there are many good environmental reasons not to use plastic straws. The subject would be an excellent research project for 6-12 children to pursue.
- String on a holder (See: Resources)
- 4 to 6 scissors in a container
- Models of each step presented using straws
- Name tags, strings and pencil in containers
- Envelopes to store flat pieces
- Large opened paper clips
- to hang polyhedrons in progress that are no longer flat
Preparation:
- Create an example of each step in construction of an icosahedron.
- Attach each step to a wall or door with removable tape.
- See photos for step-by-step, and display options.
- Note that the examples are constructed with straws of a color which will show up well on the vertical surface you use for the display.
- Number each example in order.
- Construct a pentagon of 5 triangles for the presentation.
- Add four of the 5 hanging triangles to the pentagon. (The last one will be added during the presentation).
- Set out all materials for use.
Presentation:
- “The steps for making an icosahedron are displayed on the wall. It is a three dimensional shape that has 20 equilateral triangles for faces and 30 straw edges.”
- “I have made several steps ahead of time to speed up this presentation.”
- Make the icosahedron as you give the lesson.
- “Step one shows how to construct a pentagon of 5 triangles.”
- “Start by making 1 triangle and then adding 3 more.”
- “Put 3 straws on a string and tie 2-3 knots to make the first triangle.”
- “Put 2 straws on a string and tie the string to the bottom of the first triangle. Leave enough string to tie knots and cut the string. Attach the 2 straws to the first triangle to create the second triangle.”
- “Position the 2 triangles so that the first triangle points up and the second points down.”
- “Put 2 straws on a string and tie the string to the top of the top triangle. Leave enough string to tie knots and cut the string. Attach the 2 straws to the bottom of the top triangle, where it meets the bottom triangle, to form a third triangle.”
- “The third triangle points down.”
- “Put 2 straws on a string and tie the string to the top of the third triangle. Leave enough string to tie knots and cut the string. Attach the 2 straws to the bottom of the top triangle, where it meets the bottom triangle, to form a fourth triangle.”
- “There is a wide space between the 4 triangles.”
- “Put 1 straw on the string and tie it to the vertex of the bottom straw that points down.”
- “Leave enough string to tie knots and cut the string.”
- “Tie the straw to the bottom corner of the fourth triangle.”
- “This closes the gap and forms a pentagon of 5 triangles which I will I will put aside for now.”
- “Repeat this procedure to create a second pentagon of 5 triangles identical to the first in order to finish the icosahedron you will make.”
- “For this presentation, I have prepared a second pentagon of 5 triangles for the next step and I have added to it 4 additional hanging triangles.”
- “To finish this step, put 2 straws on a string to create the last hanging triangle and tie the string to the last vertex that is open. Leave enough string to tie knots and cut the string.”
- “Attach the other end to the next vertex and tie three knots.”
- “Now the second pentagon looks like a star.
- “With the second pentagon of triangles I just finished, the icosahedron now has 15 of its 20 triangular faces and all of its edges. No more straws are needed to complete the icosahedron.”
- [Point to each of the 5 spaces between the star points.]
- “The missing 5 triangular faces are present but do not have a third edge. Next we will do what needs to be done to complete the last 5 triangular faces.”
- “Attach a hanging vertex of an added triangle to an outside vertex on the first pentagon using 1 piece of string long enough to make knots. Then attach the next hanging vertex of the second pentagon to the other end of the same edge of the first pentagon.”
- Now the space between the 2 hanging triangles has formed another triangular face
- “Trim excess string.”
- “Continue to attach the hanging vertices to the next available outside edge of the first pentagon.”
- The first pentagon of 5 triangles will be positioned under the rest of the shape to complete the icosahedron. It will be turned up-side down from convex to concave. You made an icosahedron!
Extensions:
- Every Platonic Polyhedron has a dual. The dual is a multi-cell tetrahedron built out from the original single-cell.
- To create the dual, the original straw polyhedron is first stellated – made to look like a star.
- Build a pyramid on each face of any polyhedron. (A tetrahedron has four star points, a hexahedron six, an octahedron eight etc.)
- Connecting the points of the pyramids with new longer straws forms the dual, which is another polyhedron.
- The tetrahedron is its own dual because the resulting multi-cell shape is another tetrahedron. The hexahedron and octahedron are each other’s duals, as are the dodecahedron and the Icosahedron.
- Stellate each face of any polyhedron.
- Create its dual.
- To create the dual, the original straw polyhedron is first stellated – made to look like a star.
- Add beads on the string at each vertex while building the polyhedron.
- Add any decorations desired after it is made.
Resources:
- Paper straws – prices vary
- I used these straws to construct the examples in the photos.
- Platonic Solids in Douglas Fir - $44 per set
- Laycock, Mary. Straw Polyhedrons by Mary Laycock
- This book was published in 1970 and again in 1992, with two different covers. Prices may vary depending upon the source. It is a rich resource which includes illustrations of stellation and duals – the later edition cover (ISBN 0-918-932-99-8) has color photos of three of the duals.
- Steven Caney’s book - https://www.amazon.com/Steven-Caneys-Toy-Book-Reissue/dp/0911104178 See the City Kite
- Amazon: Steinhaus, H. Mathematical Snapshots. New York: Oxford University Press, 1969, Chapter 7, p 197. This chapter is filled with interesting photographs and information about the Platonic Polyhedrons. It is worth looking for online or in a library.
- Printable templates for constructing paper models of polyhedrons (scroll down each page to find downloadable PDF files)
Introduction:
Papier-mâché is a material for sculptural expression consisting of strips of paper or cloth soaked in glue. The glue-soaked strips are wrapped over and around an armature to form the finished sculpture. An idea is shaped wet and painted when dry. Glues commonly used in children’s art environments for this art form include wallpaper paste, Elmer’s Art Paste, and white resin glue (added to the paste as needed for strength).
Although I rarely presented papier-mâché to children younger than age 9 as a way to make individual creations, I presented it to all levels as a material to make large ideas created by many children (See Large Projects). That way, even younger children can participate for a short time during each step of the making process without losing interest.
Note: While instruction on this art form will follow the format of the rest of the curriculum, the lessons will be more about examples of using the materials in small and large projects. I am describing in these lessons the ways my students used papier-mâché to create the sculptural ideas presented in the accompanying photos.
Prerequisite: Block Sculpture, Collage sculpture for 5 -12,
Tempera Painting 5-12, and Acrylic Painting 9-12
Direct Aim: To learn how to use papier-mâché
To learn how to use and construct armatures
Indirect Aim: Creative expression
Point of Interest: “What would you build using an armature and papier-mâché?”
Materials: 5-12
- Newsprint paper
- Pre-printed newspapers
- Sheets of newsprint paper sold in reams of different sizes or as packing material
- Brown paper towels or 9”--12” colored newsprint (advertisements, comics)
- Butcher paper (or brown paper bags for extra strength)
- Elmer’s papier-mâché Art Paste
- White resin glue (Elmer’s Glue not “school glue”)
- Masking tape (dispenser optional)
- A roll of carpet thread or twine in a container
- 4-6 scissors in a container
- Balloons and a balloon pump
- 4-6 pie pans with a smooth surface (not disposable aluminum ones)
- 4-6 small dishes with low sides, e.g., ramekins, for paste
- 4-6 aprons
- A complete painting setup (See Tempera Painting in Art Forms II.)
- Plastic floor mat or table mats, or a wooden or Formica table
- I had a wooden work table.
- Name tags, strings and pencils
- A drying rack, clothes horse, or a space on a shelf or floor mat
- A lightweight clothesline strung across windows, or from light fixtures, to hang balloons
- Clothes pins in a container
- A special shelf in a storage space with limited access dedicated to drying 3D projects away from children.
- I had children put their work with a name tag attached on the shelf under the building table to be hung later.
- A dedicated closet for drying
- Markers and stapler to design large shapes
- For example, clothing for a human figure, animal wings, etc.
Armatures
Armatures can be built using balloons, newspaper and/or three dimensional collage materials.
A Balloon as an Armature:
Balloons in different sizes can be armatures for heads of people, animals and mask making when cut in half after it is dried. Large balloons can be used to create body parts for humans, animals, snow people, hot-air balloons, or non-objective table decorations. Small balloons can be used as armature for snowballs, fruits, vegetables, bugs, and critters.
A Rod or Stick of newsprint as an Armature
Newsprint rolled into sticks or rods of different sizes can be armatures for to build skeletons for people or animals, limbs of trees, handles for tools, magic wands, ropes holding the basket of a hot-air balloon or any linear element of a non-objective idea.
Flat Pieces of Newsprint and crushed shapes of paper as Armatures
Layers of pasted flat paper shapes and crushed paper can create clothing, hats, hair curls for people, as well as wings, tails and nests for birds or fins and flippers for water animals.
Preparation: General Materials used with all armatures
- Mix the papier-mâché glue following directions printed on the box. Store in a wide-mouth lidded container.
- Add a little white resin glue if needed for strength in large shapes or large balloons.
Note: Not all children want to put their fingers and hands in the papier-mâché glue. However, even reluctant students have joined in after observing others working.
- Newsprint and Paper Towel Strips
- Paper has a grain. To control the straightness and width of strips, it must be torn with the grain. (If torn against the grain, the tear will tend to wander diagonally.) Practice first with both newsprint, old news paper and with paper towels. Keep strips about 1” x 7” for ease of use. Make them shorter or longer strips when indicated by observing how they are used.
- For tearing newsprint, find the grain of the paper you are using I found it most effective to fold the paper in half so the grain is vertical then tear inch and a half strips.
- Make brown paper towel strips. Tear with the grain,
- Place each color strips in containers.
- Place folded prepared newsprint and paper towel in containers so they are available in the environment for immediate use when more strips are needed.
- Place all the other materials and equipment listed above in containers based on what is being created.
Presentation Steps: 5-12
- Explain the idea or develop one.
- Why papier-mâché:
- Explain the armature(s) needed for that idea.
- More than one kind of armature may be needed
- Briefly mention each kind that is needed:
- Preparation: Make armatures
- Presentation of how to use the armature, paper strips and glue to create the idea.
- More than one kind of armature may be needed
Snowballs: 5s: Armature: Balloons
The idea:
- “All the 6-9 year old classes at Sands are making a snow scene. They need help to make snowball sculptures. The request is called a commission. Each person will be free to choose the work or not. Either way is ok.”
- “Think about this commission for a moment.” Let them have a few moments then call the question. “Are you willing to help the 6-9 students by making snowball sculptures? Good, I will let them know that room X wants to help.”
Why papier-mâché:
- “The easiest way to make a snowball is with papier-mâché glue, strips of glue and a small balloon.”
The armature:
- “The shape of the balloon is like the shape of a snowball. For this idea, the balloon is called an ‘armature’ because the balloon supports the paper strips until they are dry. After the papier-mâché becomes hard, the balloon is removed, the hole is sealed, and the sculpture is painted.”
- “It will take three layers of paper strips and glue to form the snowball.”
Preparation:
- Demonstrate how to blow up the balloons.
- Use a balloon pump.
- See: Tying a balloon filled with air
- Make what you think will be needed for one working session.
- Put the balloons in a container
- Prepare both kinds of paper strips with the children before the presentation.
- Put the strips in containers
Presentation: 5s Snow Ball
- Lay out your materials as you name them, “You will need a balloon, a dish of papier-mâché glue, newsprint paper strips, paper towel strips and a pie pan for your work”
- Put a strip of paper in the pie pan along with a balloon.
- “White strips of newsprint (newspaper) go on first until the balloon is completely covered.”
- Demonstrate how to put paste onto the paper strips and then on the balloon.
- “Use your three middle fingers and tap them into the paste. Just wet your finger tips.” Turn your hand over so the children can see the paste on your fingers. “Rub the paste onto the strip.”
- “You will soon know when the strip is wet enough to put on the balloon. The paper will darken and will easily stick to the surface of the balloon but does not slide around.”
- “Use both hands to place a strip on the balloon and smooth it down with your fingers. Keep adding strips to the balloon until it is covered. Make sure you put the strips right up to the neck of the balloon. This will make sure the hole is small after the paste dries.”
- “A layer of brown paper towel strips are used next”.
- “After the balloon is completely covered with brown strips, the last layer of white paper is applied.”
- Attach a name tag to the balloon, and put it aside to dry.
- The sculpture is dry. “Puncture the balloon. Pull the balloon out slowly.
- “Cover the hole with small pieces of paper and glue. When dry again it is ready to paint.”
- If that does not work, cut the nipple off of the balloon and let the rest of it stay in the snowball. Seal the hole.
- Paint the snowball. Add glitter (optional)
Kwanzaa tableau: 9-12: Armature: Rods or Sticks
Note: The terms “rod” and “stick” are used interchangeably throughout this lesson to describe the armature.
The idea:
- “The Kwanzaa tableau the 9-12 classes designed required six sculptures of adult people, one eight year old girl, one baby, and one pet monkey as part of its idea.” See Large Projects and Generating Personal Ideas for details concerning this tableau.
Why Papier-mâché:
- “Each sculpture was designed to be near life-size, so they need to be made out of a light-weight material that would be strong.”
- “The skeleton for each body was created using multiple rods or sticks of rolled newsprint paper.”
- “The finished sculptures were easy to move and did not cost a lot of money to make.”
Explain the Armature:
- “The rods of paper are called an armature. The sticks were used to build the spine, shoulders, arms, hands, hips, legs and feet of each figure except the baby, which was made with a wad of paper.
- “The ends of the rolled stick can be folded back to strengthen the roll, or to form feet and hands.”
- “A balloon was the armature for each head.”
Preparation:
- Make long rods or sticks of newsprint and place in a cylindrical trash can.*
- Do this process with the children so they can make more sticks as needed.
- Gather the materials you will need for the lesson.
- A stack of newsprint papers
- Masking tape and scissors
- A container to hold the finished rods.
- Work on the floor or an empty table. Lay out the first piece of newsprint paper with the fold opened out flat. Lay the next opened sheet overlapping the first, offset about 2” to 4” down from the preceding one until you have 6 to 8 pieces in a row.”
- Keep adding sheets until the overall rectangle is about 3’- 4’ in length.
- “Grab the sides of the pages and fold them in, then start to roll the paper into a rod.”
- “Keep rolling the paper until the stick is almost finished. The edges on the other side of the papers may not be even. Fold them in, and then finish rolling the rod.”
- “Tape the rod in the middle and again on either side.”
- “Tape the rod in the middle and again on either side.”
- When overlapping sheets 2” to 3”, the stick will be strong.
- When making sticks for a part of the armature that will need to be bent, overlap the sheets farther apart, e.g., 3” to 5”.
- Use more than one bendable rod where strength is needed..
- Place all the materials in containers on the shelves dedicated to the activity. Use the list of materials to make sure everything the children will need is available.
Presentation: 6-12, Build a Person
- “It is easier to construct the body when you don’t need to stop to make more sticks.”
- “Decide what position the body will be in before you start building the armature.”
- “The papier-mâché paste and strips of newsprint harden when they dry over the rods, making the position permanent.”
- “To make a small armature for a person or animal start by making a big loop for the torso, using a bendable rod.”
- Leave a piece of the rod sticking out of the top of the loop. That piece is where the head is attached.”
- “Bend a rod to form the shoulders and arms. Tie it with string to the top of the loop.”
- “Bend another stick to form the pelvis and two legs. Tie it with string to the bottom of the loop.”
- “Pull the front and back of the loop together and secure it with tape to secure the shoulders and pelvis in place.
- If a large body is needed, the ends of two or more rods can be overlapped at the top center of the loop to make shoulders and arms longer and stronger. The same can be done at the bottom center of the loop for a larger pelvis and longer legs.”
- “Position the body in a pose that expresses the idea, e.g., a seated child playing with a dog, and another child lying on their stomach on the floor reading a book.”
- “Cover the armature with 3 layers of papier-mâché strips and let dry.
- If needed, add more layers to shoulders and hips and let that dry.
- For the Kwanzaa Tableau, even more strength was needed for human figures sitting, standing, or in action. We wrapped the dried papier-mâché with heavy medical cast gauze-and-plaster at the hips and shoulders.
- Note: To prevent plaster from clogging plumbing, perform cleanup of hands and tools in a large bucket of water and let the plaster debris settle in the bucket overnight. Then carefully pour the water off into the toilet or outside (not into the sink!), keeping the debris in the bucket. After the plaster debris dries, scrape it out into the trash.
- “Also for the Kwanzaa Tableau, a child’s parent made wooden stands that invisibly supported standing figures.”
- For the Kwanzaa Tableau, even more strength was needed for human figures sitting, standing, or in action. We wrapped the dried papier-mâché with heavy medical cast gauze-and-plaster at the hips and shoulders.
- Hands and feet can be attached at the ends of the rods.
- “If the rod is long enough, the bottom can be bent and taped into an appropriate size foot or shoe.” (See photo.)
- “Hands may need to be added using layers of paper cut, pasted, shaped, and attached after the arms (rods) of the figure are glued in place.”
- Shape the paper to look like a mitten so the thumb is in place. Make the shape wide so that it can be cut to form individual fingers when the paper is rolled. The shape must include paper at the back of the hand so it can be attached to the arm to dry. (See photos with hand details.)
How to attach a head to a body.
Note: Features like a forehead, a nose, cheeks, and a chin need to be created with strips of paper and dried before the head is attached to the body.
- “A dry balloon that has been covered with three layers of glued strips is glued and taped onto the rod that protruded above the paper loop that represents the body’s trunk.”
- “The bottom of the balloon is glued to the top of the loop.”
- “The head is secured using papier-mâché strips that attach the head to the chest and shoulder rods.”
- A Neck can be created by winding strips around where the neck would be or created by ¼ sheet of newspaper glued and folded into a 2”-3” band and secured with glued strips.
Spring tableau : Armature: Rods or Sticks
- A Spring tableau created by 5 year olds included several tree branches to hold a robin on her nest.
- Overlapping rods glued and tied together formed appropriate sized tree limbs.
- The branches were made thinner as they progressed to the end of the limb.
Creating papier-mâché details to enhance the idea:
- Papier-mâché can be used to fashion organic shapes necessary for an idea such as hair, flowers or leaves on trees, buttons on a snowman (Use black paper for traditional buttons)
Adding found objects to enhance an idea:
- In the Kwanzaa Tableau, there were elements for which we used existing items: a baby blanket and pacifier, a briefcase, a family photograph, Grandfather’s cane, and a flagpole.
Idea: Peace Tableau 6 - 9 children
The 5 year old classes made a Spring Tableau one year using papier-mâché. It featured a robin on a nest of eggs on flowering tree branches. I saved the main pieces because I could not in good conscience throw them away. The next school year I asked all the 6-9 classes if they would like to recycle the pieces – made by the now 6 year olds – creating a new idea. The classes agreed to create a Peace Tableau.
How to make and attach large flat pieces: Bird wings
- The original wings in the Spring Tableau were made out of newsprint and butcher paper glued together with white resin glue to make a big enough wing shape.
- Stack the paper and staple them together so it is easier to cut them out.
- Draw the pattern on the paper with a marker.
- Cut out the shape.
- Separate the layers of the cut-out shape.
- Smooth papier-mâché glue on the first shape layer.
- Demonstrate how to wet all your fingers with glue not just the tips and spread it on with your whole hand.
- “Spread out all the glue that’s on your hands before getting more glue! Start in the middle and work out to the edges or start at one end and work to the other.”
- Stack another layer on top and apply glue, Keep stacking and gluing until at least 3 layers thick and allow to dry. If it is not strong enough add more layers.
- The children laid the bird’s body on its side and attached the first wing with white resin glue and masking tape or something stronger. Make sure the wing is supported in some fashion until it is dry.
- Next use 2” to 3” wide strip that are 9” to 12” long to attach the bottom and side edges of the wing to the bottom and side of the body (balloon armature).
- Attach the other wing..
- The wings of the Peace Bird were attached at the top to suggest flight.
How to make and attach flat pieces: Papier-mâché Clothing
- Read cutting and gluing instructions for wings, above
Note: The armature of a figure must have been given at least 3 layers of strips to cover the rods and completely dried, before adding clothing.
- Clothing: See photos of the shapes for shirts, pants, belts suspenders, hair pieces and skirts.
- Stack at least three layers of paper for each piece of clothing – more layers for larger pieces – and staple the layers together around the edge before cutting out
- Cut out the clothing shape
- Separate the cut-out layers for gluing
- Apply papier-mâché glue on one layer. Cover it with another layer and continue adding glue.
- Drape the piece of clothing over the rods.
- Note: Make a piece for the front and back of a garment and overlap the garment pieces at the shoulders and at the sides of the figure. Front and side pieces overlap the back pieces.
Painting papier-mâché figures:
- All papier-mâché must be completely dry before painting
- Only acrylic paint was used to paint the figures in the Kwanzaa Tableau
- The two 5’x8’ paintings behind the Kwanzaa figures were painted with acrylic paint by the children on the stretched canvases constructed by the teacher and parents.
How to use fabric clothing on papier-mâché figures:
- Note: All papier-mâché armature parts such as head, hands and feet, and other details of each figure were painted and dried before fabric clothing was added.
- The Kwanzaa Tableau was enhanced by dressing the figures with real clothing. Parents volunteered: A parent fashion designer created and made the clothing from the cloth the children chose. She helped the students sew the clothing onto the figures.
- Ready-made clothing can be purchased or donated.
- Because the papier-mâché armatures are stiff when dry, ready-made clothing will need to be cut apart into pieces which will fit over the figure, then sewn back together.
How to use crushed paper shapes
Idea: Spring and Peace Tableaux 6 - 9 children
- The nest had a flat bottom made of three layers of butcher paper, glued edge-to-edge and cut to shape to the proper size. Then the butcher paper was coated with papier-mâché glue.
- The rim of the nest was made of a very long piece of 18” wide butcher paper.
- The paper was laid out in the hallway. The children lined up next to the paper, reached down, and crushed the paper in from the edges.
- The crushed paper was glued and stapled to the base with white resin glue.
- Finally, the entire rim was covered with three layers of papier-mâché strips.
- Strips started at the outside bottom of the rim, then ran over the top of the rim and to the inside bottom of the nest.
- White then brown, then white
EXTENSION:
- A collage sculpture can be used as the armature for an idea. See the Collage Sculpture Lesson in Art Forms II.
- The papier-mâché conceals joints where shapes come together and can be used to create appropriate details.
Resources:
- Amazon
- Brown paper towels (most schools stock these for the bathrooms)
Introduction:
Off-loom weaving is an art form best done with individual lessons. Group weaving can provide experience using a table loom but provides limited opportunity for the individual expression of personal ideas. Weaving takes time so I was left with the task of making different sized looms that would stimulate different ideas and satisfy different attention spans.
There are key skills needed to make beautiful weavings that are learned over time. The following lessons not only introduce weaving skills but the different tools that can be used. There will be students who seem to be natural weavers and others who will need extra help. The work they produce is amazing.
The success the children had was due to the book I found. Fortunately it is still available in used copies (See Resources). My advice is to color copy the pages and make the learning materials I had. Share this resource with other Montessorians when the old copies are no longer available. I will keep looking for alternative sources.
Prerequisite: Unweaving/Weaving (See lesson below)
My practical life weaving frame (See lesson below)
Square knots
Direct Aim: To learn off-loom weaving techniques
Indirect Aim: Creative Expression
Point of Interest: You finished working with Unweaving and the Weaving Frame. You are now ready to make a woven work of art.
Unweaving: 5-9
Georgie Story
My child’s Montessori teacher asked me to share with her how I would go about introducing weaving to 3-6 year old people. I thought the most sensorial way to comprehend how weaving works is to take a piece of woven material apart. So I told her to find loosely woven material and cut it into squares and demonstrate how to take it apart. When enough threads are removed, the cloth will disappear, leaving behind a pile of strings. See the photo of Unweaving in Ann Neubert’s environment at Xavier University. Note how the available pieces of cloth for deconstruction are pinned to the board above the floor work table.
Materials:
- 6-8 Pieces of loosely woven fabric 3” X 3” or larger
- The size of the cloth is important. If it is the best size, the child finishes pulling the cloth apart and experiences the point of the activity.
- Burlap is inexpensive and works well; however, it is not as exciting as the cloth Ann Neubert used. You choose.
- Container for cloth squares or rectangles.
- Container for the unwoven strings (a collage material)
Preparation:
- Choose the fabric, cut into squares or rectangles and put them in a container or pin them to a display board.
- All fabric has two selvage edges (bound sides) that must be trimmed off in order to pull the fabric apart.
- Practice unweaving the cloth you chose to make sure it will easily pull apart during the presentation. Pull several vertical strings and horizontal strings and place in their container. It helps to use one hand to hold the cloth down while the other pulls out a thread.
- Place the activity on a tray or install on a table.
- Decide where all the weaving activities will be placed in the environment.
Presentation:
- “This is a piece of woven cloth. To help you understand how it is made, I will show you how to take it apart.”
- “Notice there are strings going up and down in the cloth.” Use your finger to follow an end one from the top down. “Watch as I pull the closest string out of the cloth.” Grab a string end with one hand and hold the rest of the cloth down as you pull the string out.
- “Notice there are strings going across the cloth.” Use your finger to follow the top one across the cloth. “Watch as I pull the top string out of the cloth.” Grab a string in with one hand and hold the rest of the cloth down as you pull the string out.
- “Choose a piece of cloth. It’s your turn.” Stay and coach if needed.
- “I will check back with you to find out what happened to the cloth.” Expected answer: “The cloth disappears and only strings are left (remain).”
- “You are ready for the next lesson. The weaving frame is used to teach the tabby stitch which makes a weaving strong.”
Unweaving: 9-12
Introduction:
If your students have had no experience weaving, this activity may be more exciting than doing Unweaving for 5-9 (above) and Georgie’s Practical Life Weaving Frame (below).
Review knot tying. (See: Square Knots and Lark’s Head knots in Basic Skills)
Materials:
- Burlap rectangles
- Collage materials
- Ribbons of different widths
- Natural dried stuff
- Feathers
- Long paper straws, plastic straws
- Beads
- Yarn
- Objects not usually thought of being put into a weaving
- A pencil?
- Dowel rods: ⅛” diameter and up
- A coping saw with blades, Sanding block
- Markers: to color dowel rods
- Needles: metal or plastic with a large eye
- Different sized safety pins
- White resin glue (See: Gluing with a collage tray in Basic Skills)
- Hardware storage cabinet, containers and tray or desk tray
- Envelopes to store a child’s collage materials in between work periods. (See The Environment: Paper Products to Protect Finished & unfinished Work)
- A container for the threads that will be removed from the cloth.
Preparation:
- Remove the selvage edge from the burlap.
- Cut burlap into 4-6 rectangles: 9” X 12”, 8” X 10 “
- Or sizes that make better use of the cloth.
- Roll them up gently and put in a container.
- Cut burlap into 4-6 rectangles: 9” X 12”, 8” X 10 “
- Select collage materials and put them in containers, on a tray, and/or in a storage cabinet with drawers.
- Make an unweaving of your own to use in the presentation. Pull a few threads out before the lesson. Work on your own unweaving before and during presentations to gain the experience needed to better assist your students.
Presentation: 9-12: Removing the weft and warp threads
- “This is a piece of woven burlap that is my unweaving. This whole piece of cloth was made using only the Tabby stitch which makes it strong.”
- Notice there are strings going up and down in the cloth.” Use your finger to follow an end one from the top down. “These are called warp threads.”
- “Notice there are strings going across the cloth.” Use your finger to follow the top one across the cloth. “These are called weft threads.”
- “The first step in making an unweaving is to remove warp and weft threads to create an interesting pattern of empty spaces in the cloth.”
- “When you remove weft or warp threads, you choose how many to remove, the width of each open space and where on the unweaving each will appear.”
- “Keep all the string you pull out of the weaving to maybe use later.”
- “The second step is to fill those spaces with new and interesting materials using the same Tabby stitch that was used to make the cloth.”
- “Before you start removing weft threads decide how much cloth to leave at the top and bottom of the unweaving.”
- ¾” - 1½” at the top
- 1”- 2½” at the bottom
- or you choose
- “I will demonstrate how to remove a weft thread using my work.” Choose the thread you will remove.
- Grab the thread end with one hand and hold the rest of the cloth down as you pull the thread out.
- “Notice a very small space is now left in the cloth.”
- “If you wish you make that space larger, pull out another thread that is above or below the first. Keep removing strings until you are happy with its size.”
- “Create a pattern of open weft spaces across the cloth in several places all the way down the length of the unweaving.”
- “Before you start removing warp threads decide how much cloth to leave at each side of unweaving.”
- 1”-1½” at each side
- or you chose
- Do the sides need to match?
- “I will demonstrate how to remove a warp thread with my own work.” Choose the thread you will remove.
- “Watch as I pull a top warp thread out of the cloth.” Grab a thread end with one hand and hold the rest of the cloth down as you pull the thread out. Keep it.
- “Notice a very small space is now left in the cloth all the way down the cloth.”
- “You can make the space larger by removing more threads.” Pull out another warp thread and make the space bigger.
- “Something new happens when you remove a warp thread.”
- Follow the larger space down the weaving with your finger until you find where it crosses the space left by removing the weft thread.
- “A hole is created where the warp space meets the weft space.”
- “Create a pattern of open spaces across the length of the unweaving.”
- “I will check back with you later. You may wish to think ahead about the finishing touches you could use as you continue to remove weft and warp threads.”
- Will the weaving be designed to hang? Does it need a straw or dowel rod at or near the top to facilitate it hanging?
- How will the bottom of the weaving be designed? Will it have fringe made by removing 1”-2½” or more of the weft threads from the bottom of the weaving?
- How could knots be used at the bottom of the weaving?
- Could things be tied or hung from the bottom?
- Does it need a straw or dowel rod at or near the bottom?
- “Let me know when you are ready to fill the spaces with collage materials.”
Presentation: 9-12: Weaving collage materials into the empty spaces
Note: To insert materials into either the warp or weft spaces will require a student to use the tabby weaving stitch. Practice inserting different materials. Prepare a tray to bring with you when giving the second presentation with your own work. Include a piece of yarn, a needle, one safety pin, one dowel or stick, and a wide ribbon. You choose them.
- “This presentation will show you how to use the tabby weaving stitch to fill the spaces you have made by removing warp and weft threads.”
- “Weaving materials back into the cloth using the Tabby stitch restores its strength.”
- “The materials can not be woven in over one thread and under one thread. It will be more like over 4-5 threads and under 4-5 threads.”
- “Thread the needle with a piece of yarn much longer than the width of the cloth.”
- “Using a needle is the easiest way to weave yarn or narrow ribbon into the empty weft (warp) space.” Proceed to weave the yarn.
- “I am weaving the yarn under the first few threads then over another few threads, then under the next few thread then over the few threads again and again.”
- “As you work the cloth may bunch up. Hold the needle and yarn in one hand and stretch out the cloth with the other.”
- Weave the first piece of yarn across the material and remove the needle. “Leave the string extending past the both end of the burlap.”
- Thread the needle with a second piece of yarn.
- “To start weaving the second piece of yarn I must reverse the first pattern. This time I will start weaving over a few warp threads then under a few warp threads and continue weaving that pattern of over then under across the entire width of the cloth.”
- “Those two patterns that are repeated again and again create the Tabby weaving stitch.”
- “Every other row will match. That is what makes the stitch so strong.”
- “You can use a safety pin as a needle. Ribbon that is wider than a piece of yarn may need to be cut into a point on the end and attached to a safety pin.” Have samples ready to show and use.
- “Cut and color dowel rods before you weave with them. Straws and dowel sticks can extend past the weaving and hold knots, beads, or other decorative elements.”
- “I will check back with you later. If you have a problem, let me know, and we’ll find creative solutions together.”
Note: When the unfinished weaving is finished, you may wish to demonstrate how to turn the weaving over and glue extra string, yarn, and ribbon ends to the back of the weaving. Use a needle to weave two or three inches of yarn ends back into the work and trim. Ends next to each other can be tied into square knots with beads or feathers added.
Georgie’s Practical life Weaving Frame
Georgie Story
After years of teaching with this frame I discovered a mistake I made in the presentation of this material. All the old photographs of the weaving frame show the warp sticks in a container to the right of the frame. Here is the mistake. All daily living frames are presented in complete form. The buttons are all buttoned, the zipper is zipped and the bows are all tied. The presentation starts by opening the frame, taking it apart, then restoring it. First the child sees the finished frame then the lesson gives them the information needed to restore it. OOPS!
(See the Blog: Extensions for Grace and Courtesy)
Introduction:
I made my own weaving frame so it would be easy to see weaving mistakes. The design of the frame presents weaving in a super concrete manner. Like all frames it is presented finished or closed then taken apart and reassembled in the lesson given to a child.
I invite you to design your own weaving frame. I decided to make one that is simple but has never been presented to children. Until you make my original or design one of your own, consider this possibility.
Prerequisite: Unweaving
Direct Aim: To learn the technique of Tabby weaving to repeat the over/under pattern for strength
Indirect Aim: Creative Expression
Point of Interest: “Practice using the weaving frame. Have your work checked so you can have your first weaving lesson on a loom.”
Materials:
- A pieces of tempered masonite 12” x 12” x ¼”
Hard smooth surface on both sides
- Plastic sheeting to make the practice loom (color of choice)
12” x 20” (See drawing of pattern)
Note: My frame was made with pink sheeting I happened to have.
- Bench knife
- 6 grommets and grommet kit: ¾”
- 6—2” circles of plastic sheeting to reinforce the grommets
- 2--1”Dowel rods:
- White resin glue (no school glue)
- 2 shoe strings: Round 45” black or color of choice
- 4-5 pieces of wooden lattice: 1” X 12” or like material
- A small container of paint that has its own primer in it.
- To paint the dowel rods (color of choice)
- To paint the lattice strips (color of choice)
- 2-4 Cheap throw-away brushes
- Possible tools needed: electric drill, C clamps, router, wood screws
Preparation:
- Have everything cut to size.
- Cut the Masonite base of the weaving frame.
- Cut the dowel rods to size.
- Paint the ends and curved sides of the dowel rods.
- Prepare the dowel rod to be glued.
- Flatten the bottom of the dowel rods with a router.
- Glue a dowel rod at the top and bottom edges of the weaving frame. Clamp and let dry for at least 24 hours.
- Or: Glue and clamp the dowel rods at the top and bottom edges of the weaving frame.
- Drill a hole from the back of the frame into each end of both dowel rods and secure them with wood screws.
- Cut the plastic sheeting to create the warp bands for the practice loom.
- Flatten the bottom of the dowel rods with a router.
- Lay out the sheeting and copy the pattern on the back.
- Cut it out with scissors and a bench knife.
- Cut out the spaces between the warp bands.
- Grommet the two ends.
- Cut 6--2” circles of the plastic sheeting.
- Glue a reinforcement circle on the back of the warp pattern where the grommets will be placed.
- Place 3 grommets at each end. Follow the pattern.
- Assemble the weaving frame.
- Stretch the fabric over the Masonite base. Turn the base over and tie the top edge and the bottom edges together using two shoestrings.
- Put one end of the shoestring down through the top left grommet and the other end down through the bottom left grommet.
- Crisscross the two strings.
- Put the top string which is now crossed to the bottom up through the bottom middle grommet.
- Put the bottom string which is now crossed to the top up through the top middle grommet. Make the ends equal in length.
- Tie the two ends together in the middle of the frame using a square knot. Do not trim the ends.
- Use the second shoestring to secure the other half of the frame.
- Follow the same procedure as used on the left side.
- Cut and paint the lattice strips.
- Weave the lattice strip into the frame and place in the environment after Unweaving.
Presentation: 5-12
- Point to the parts of the frame as you speak of them.
- “This is a (practical life) weaving frame. In order to weave you must have a loom. The weaving frame is a big loom designed to show you how to do Tabby stitch weaving. The red wooden lattice strips (weft) have been woven over and under pink bands (warp) into the tabby stitch pattern so you can see how it looks. Tabby stitch weaving is used to start and at times used to end a weaving because it makes the weaving strong.”
- “To start the lesson we need to take the weaving frame apart. Watch.” Demonstrate how to pull the top piece of lattice out of the weaving from the right side. Place it to the right side of the frame.
- Pull the next lattice strip out from the left side. Set the piece to the left side of the frame.
- Continue to pull out the lattice strips alternating pulling from the right side then the left side. This emulates the process of weaving.
- “The weaving framed is now divided into the two main parts of a weaving the warp and the weft.”
- “The strips of plastic sheeting that are attached to the loom and go straight up and down are warp bands.”
- “The lattice strips that are woven from one side to the other side of the loom and back are weft strips.”
- “Now we have what we need to do tabby stitch weaving.”
- “We took the weaving apart starting from the top now we will start weaving near the middle.”
- If it is needed, review the concept of over-under using your two hands.
- “We can start from either side of the loom. I am right handed so I will pick up a weft strip with my right hand.”
- “To make the tabby stitch I will weave over and under the warp bands all the way across the loom.”
- “I will start weaving the weft stick over the first warp band then under the next.” Continue to say what you are doing. “Over one, then under one, over one, under one etc.”
- “When you are finished weaving across all the warp bands, make your hands into claws then insert them into the loom above the weft strip and gently move the stick to the bottom of the loom. Center the stick if needed.”
- “To continue to weave I must start on the same side where I stopped and weave a strip back to the other side.”
- “In order to create the tabby weaving stitch I must reverse the over under rule to under over.”
- “The next weft stick must start under the first warp band then over the next one.” Continue to say what you are doing as you weave.
- Pull the stick down towards the bottom of the loom as before.
- Hand the last stick on the right side to the child. Coach her to start over. Continue to say what she is doing as she weaves. When she gets to the other side the stick will be over the last band. Have the child pull the stick toward the bottom.
- Remind the child. “In order to create the tabby weaving stitch you must reverse the over under to under over.”
- Coach the child when needed. The last weft stick will be under the last warp band so the stick will be woven over first.
- Continue to say what she is doing as she weaves. Remind her to use her hands to pull the stick down a bit.
- Hand the last stick on the left side to the child and coach her.
- Ask the child if she would enjoy taking the weaving frame apart and putting it back together again. Observe and teach as needed.
Note: Other children will observe all or part of your presentation. Know you might find the loom taken apart and returned with all the sticks woven under and over the same warp bands. The sticks will all fall out of the loom if it is moved. Hopefully, weavers will put it back together again without being asked.
Making Looms
Introduction:
Before weaving with children you will need a number of looms. I suggest you have a number of different sizes and shapes for different age groups. You are free to choose what you want. I taught 500-700 students so I needed more looms than a Montessorian with 25 children would need.
Georgie Story:
The first looms I made were made out of cardboard and dowel rods. After a year I knew I would have to make them out of permanent materials. I chose Masonite and copied the design of a loom illustrated in the weaving book I used (See: Resources). My father had a wood working shop in his basement. My summer project was to make the looms I needed with his supervision.
When he stopped working in his shop, I found a man in a neighboring state to assist me in making materials. He made wonderful wooden toys for children. When he retired, I bought a scroll saw and a portable drill press. In the summer I brought home the miter saw I had bought to use in my studio environments. My neighborhood hardware store owner would find craftsmen who could make exactly what I wanted like a 5” x 5” piece of smooth edged metal for my texture tablets.
You too can find the resources you need. In recent years, a number of ‘makerspaces’ have been established that provide tools and expertise for projects such as this. Enjoy the adventure.
Materials:
- Masonite
- Inexpensive 12” plastic T Square, pencil or pen (black)
- Dowel rods (½”)
- OR: Wooden pieces that have 6 flat sides ½ thick (see resources)
- Note: The rods or strips of wood across the loom are important. They provide space below the warp threads for easier weaving.
- Coping saw with blade
- Polyurethane
- Inexpensive throw away brushes
- Glue
Preparation:
- Cut smooth ¼” Masonite into rectangular looms
- 12 looms: 11” x 7¼”
- 18 looms: 11” x 4”
- 16 looms: 9 ¾” x 2½”
- 12 looms: 6” X 2½”
- Use the T square and a pen to draw a line across the width of a loom ⅜” down from both its top and bottom edges.
- Make a dot on the line where each slit will end.
- Use the T square and pen to make lines from the top and from the bottom to the dots that end the cut.
- See the details below for each loom size. Note that all looms will have an even number of slits on each end.
- A cartoon is a detailed drawing of the proposed weaving. See How to make a cartoon.
- 12 looms: 11” x 7”
- Centered at the top and bottom is 6” of cuts.
- The cuts are ¼” apart and ⅜” deep.
- Cartoon: 9½” x 15¼”
- 18 looms: 11” x 4”
- Centered at the top and bottom is 3” of cuts.
- The cuts are ¼” apart and ⅜” deep.
- Cartoon: 8⅜´ x 9¾”
- 16 looms: 9 ¾” x 2½”
- Centered at the top and bottom are 1½” of cuts.
- The cuts are ¼” apart and ⅜” deep.
- Cartoon: 7¾” x 5½:
- 12 looms: 6” x 2½”
- Centered at the top and bottom are 1½” of cuts.
- The cuts are ¼” apart and ⅜” deep
- Cartoon: 4” x 5 ⅝”
- Cut slits at the top and bottom of edges of each loom which will hold the warp threads. Use a coping saw (saw teeth facing the handle) for the best results. The slits are very narrow and grip the warp threads until the weaver pulls them out. It is a slow process but worth the effort.
- Using a band saw or scroll saw could make the slits too large. If the slits are too wide see Warping a Loom to solve the problem.
- Paint the dowel rods with Polyurethane
- Flatten the dowel rods using a planer.
- OR: Paint the wooden strips with Polyurethane
- One long side is not painted.
- Cut the dowel rods or wooden strips the widths of the looms.
- Glue them onto the horizontal line that ends the slits at the top and bottom of the loom using the unpainted side.
Note: Cardboard looms are available but need to have multiple wooden strips (popsicle sticks) glued under the slits at the top and bottom of the loom, to hold the warp threads above the loom. See Resources.
If you wish to make your own cardboard looms, use parts of strong boxes. Many different sizes and shape of looms will be possible. Have fun.
Common Weaving terms used in the lessons:
- Heading: The first few rows of tabby weaving at the bottom of the loom which creates a strong base for the idea.
- Selvage edges: The 2 (or more) bound side edges of a weaving.
- Hourglassing: Hourglassing happens when not enough yarn is used when weaving across the warp threads of the loom. The end warp threads are pulled by tension toward the center. Unless corrected, the weaving looks like an hourglass. See photograph.
Bubbles: Bubbles are made while weaving the yarn across the warp threads. Instead of making a straight line across the warp, you create a hump or a curved line of yarn. Once the hump or curve is completed, it is combed (batted down) to the bottom of the weaving thus busting the bubble and there is enough yarn to keep the weaving from hourglassing. However, if too much yarn was used a small loop will appear around the last warp thread on each side. Eliminating hourglassing and side loops are learned over time.
- Shuttle: A shuttle is a long piece of wood or plastic designed to hold a large quantity of weft thread. The shuttle can be used as a needle or with a shed stick. See photo: a shuttle and a shed stick
- Shed and Shed Stick: A shed stick is a long thin flat not too wide piece of wood or plastic which is used to creates sheds. The stick is woven through the warp threads then turn on end which opens a space called a shed. The shuttle can then be threaded through the open space to continue weaving. The new thread is then combed down to join the rest of the weaving. The stick is removed and inserted again to continue weaving.
Materials: Loom weaving 5-12
- Looms in a container or containers
- Warp thread in a container
- Yarn: 7 oz
- 2-4 Hair picks (beater or batten is a tool to push the weft threads down to join the weaving)
- 2-4 Scissors
- 4-6 Needles, medal, plastic, and/or wood in a container
- 2-4 Shuttles, 2-4 Shed Sticks: Popsicle sticks, in a container
- 1 Crochet hook: large enough to hook 3-5 ply yarn
- Learning materials organized in file boxes (See resources)
- Shoes strings for necklaces (See resources)
- Name tags and string available somewhere in the environment
Preparation:
- Make or buy looms.
- Buy one or both of the books suggested in the Resources.
- Copy the resource book(s) and make learning materials. Organize the finished materials in a file box and holders.
- Make yarn balls and place in a container.
- See the video “How To Wind A Ball of Yarn With Your Thumb”
- Warp the smallest loom and cut individual yarn pieces for the 5’s first weaving
- Put the equipment in containers and place in the environment after Unweaving and the Weaving Frame.
Three Steps of Making a Weaving
- Warp the loom.
- Wind warp thread around the loom then tie it in the back.
- Weave an idea on a loom.
- Use a variety of weaving techniques that express your idea..
- Finish the weaving.
- Remove the weaving from the loom and add needed decorations.
Step 2: Weaving with a Loom
First Weaving: 5s
Introduction:
The two goals for the first weaving are to learn to make bubbles and to practice tabby weaving. I suggest what to do with the finished work but the child may decide on another course of action. Just follow their lead i.e. a rug for a doll house, placed in a picture frame.
Materials: 5
- 2-3 Warped looms: 6” x 2½” in a container
- Yarn pieces in a container
- 2 Scissors
- 2-3 Metal, plastic, or wood needles in a container
- 2-6 Shed sticks: colored Popsicle sticks in a container
- 2-3 Hair pick (beater or batten is a tool to bust the bubbles and push the weft thread down to join the weaving)
- The shed is used as a beater in the photo below.
Preparation:
- Warp your smallest looms.
- Prepare 2 or 4 looms.
- Follow the “Warping a Loom” lesson below.
- Cut pieces of yarn twice the width of the loom.
- Maybe include yarn that changes from one color to another.
- Place looms, yarn, large eyed needles, and shed sticks in containers
- Practice threading the needle. If the eye is large enough it is not a problem. If it is not, try the technique below.
- Squeeze the end of the yarn between your thumb and forefinger in one hand and the eye of the needle in the other. Press the eye of the needle over the end of the yarn forcing the yarn into the eye then slowly release the hold on the yarn and pull it through.
Presentation: 5 “Warp and Weave”
Prerequisite: Unweaving my practical life Weaving Frame or one of your own making square knots
- “There are three steps to making a weaving. Step one is to warp the loom. The loom you will be using has already been warped. The warp thread was wound around the loom then the ends tied together in the back.” While you are talking show the child what you are describing.
- “The next time you weave you will warp the loom yourself.”
- “The second step is to weave the tabby stitch and make “bubbles.”
- “The third step is to remove the finished weaving from the loom.”
- “Think about what you can do with your finished weaving.
- Demonstrate putting the yarn in the eye of the needle.
- “Before you use the needle and yarn to weave across the warp threads you must make a decision. Are you more comfortable starting to weave the yarn under the first warp thread or over the first warp thread?”
- “I like to start under.”
- Start weaving just below the middle of the loom.
- As you weave, voice what you are doing. “Under one and over one and under one etc.” “Now I will stop. Remove the needle.”
- “Grab the two ends of the piece of yarn and pull them down to create a hump or a curved line of yarn. The curved line is called a bubble.”
- “Use the comb as a beater to flatten the curve and push it down to the bottom of the loom.”
- “The bubble gives( provides) enough yarn between each warp threads so that the warp treads are not pulled into the middle loom making the weaving look like a hourglass.”
- Use your thumb and index finger to squeeze the warp threads together to make an hourglass effect.
- Hand the work over to the student and mentor them as needed.
Presentation: 5 “Finish” Remove the weaving from the loom. Decide what to do with it.
Note: Review making square knots if needed.
- “Once the weaving is removed from the loom, you can decide what to do with it or how it can be used.”
- “Turn the weaving over. Cut the two strings tied in the middle in half.”
- “Cut all the warp threads in half.”
- “Start on the top left hand-side of the weaving. Remove the first 2 warp threads from the loom and tie them together using a square (or 3 overhand knots).” Describe what you are doing while you work.
- Select the next 2 warp threads and tie them together. Describe what you are doing.
- Hand the work over to the student and mentor as needed.
- “It is your turn. Remove the next 2 warp threads from the loom and tie them together making a square knot (or 3 overhand knots).”
- “I will check back with you when you are ready to tie the knots on the other end of the loom.”
- “Think about what you can do with your finished weaving.”
- “Now that you have had some time to think about it, did you think or imagine what you could do with your finished weaving?”
Finishing: the 5’s Weaving: Suggested Options: and ones to be created.
- The long pieces of yarn that hang off the sides can be fringe.
- Or: trim the ends to parallel the sides of the weaving or cut them at an angle(s).
- The long pieces of yarn that hang off the sides can be tied together with square knots and trimmed.
- A Necklace
- Tie the finished weaving onto the middle of a shoestring.
- Close the shoestring using slip knots. See Basic skills.
- Finish the bottom of the weaving with square knots.
- Trim the strings straight across or at one or two angles.
- Framed and Hung
- Attach the weaving to a piece of colored mat board.
- Put the weaving in a small frame and hang it.
- Hung Unframed
- Tie the top of the weaving onto a colored popsicle stick. The bottom of the weaving can also be attached to a stick.
- Decorate the face of the stick with beads, lark’s head knots, tiny silk flowers or shells, etc.
-
Warp the Loom
Materials:
- A loom
- Cotton warp thread
- Scissors
- Containers for the above materials
- Name tags, string & 2 pencils
Preparation: 6-12
- Put the warping materials in the environment after, Unweaving and the Weaving Frame.
- Practice warping a loom if needed.
Presentation:
Note: Know the child’s dominant hand before you start.
Even number of warp threads makes weaving easier and friendlier to lots of different weaving patterns.
- Describe the features of the loom.
- “The loom is a rectangle of Masonite.”
- “There are small slits along its top and the bottom edges that hold the warp threads.”
- “The dowel rods at the top and bottom hold the warp threads above the Masonite base to make weaving easier.”
- “Notice there is a black line under the first and last warp thread. The line is a guide. It also shows the weaver the basic woven shape the loom can create.”
- Describe what you are doing. “Wrap carpet thread around the palm of your (sub-dominant) hand. The larger the loom the more you wrap the thread you need.”
- “Hold the empty loom in the same (sub-dominant) hand. Hold the thread taut with both hands.”
- “Bring the carpet thread up from the back into the first slit.”.
- “Move down the front of the loom with the thread and put it into the first bottom slit.” “Stretch the thread up the back of the loom then into the second slit at the top.”
- “Take the thread back down the front of the loom and place it into the second bottom slit (etc).”
- Transfer the work over to the child. Mentor as needed.
- “All the slits are filled. Now turn the loom over to the back.”
- “Tying the knot is best done by two people.”
- “Leave the threads from both sides longer than you think you will need. If the ends are cut too short it may be that you will not have enough thread to easily tie the square knot.”
- Tie the two ends together in the middle of the loom.
Note: To help secure the important first and last warp threads, wrap each around the slip next to the last and back before tying the knot in the middle. See photo below.
- “You make the first overhand knot and I will hold it in place while you make the second part of the square knot.”
- Watch what they are doing and talk them through the process if needed. “Left over right then right over left” or the opposite.
- “Slide the knot under my finger and pull it tight.”
- Trim the ends of the warp threads.
- Attach a name tag.
-
Weaving on a Loom: 6-12
Introduction:
Allow each 6-9 student to choose the smaller sized looms for their first weaving. The following lesson is given using the 11” x 4” loom but the steps are the same for any size. Let the child stop the weaving process if you see they are not interested in going on. I suggest that you present the third step so the work cycle is completed and the child has evidence of their effort.
Prerequisites:
- Unweaving
- My practical life Weaving Frame or one of your own making
- Square knots
Presentation: 6-12 Warping
- “There are three steps to making a weaving. Step one is to warp the loom.”
- “The second step is to weave using the tabby stitch or plain weave and to learn to make ‘bubbles’. You will then be ready to learn other weaving techniques before you finish the weaving.”
- “The third step is to remove the finished weaving from the loom and decide how to present the weaving.”
- “Think about what you can do with your finished weaving.”
- “Today you will warp your loom and attach a name tag to your work.”
- Follow the Warping lesson above.
Preparation: 6-12 Weaving
- All materials and equipment are present the environment.
- See: Loom weaving 5-12 (above)
- Read the presentation and warp and weave a loom using the presentation as part of your preparation. It takes time to learn how to make bubbles when you only have the needle, a shed stick and yarn. Your experience is key to helping your student succeed.
- You might consider making a sample weaving of several different stitches. See photo below.
Presentation: 6-12 Weaving
- Have the child choose the color of yarn to use.
- Thread a needle with an 18” to 24” piece of yarn.
- Demonstrate putting the yarn in the eye of the needle. If the yarn does not go through the needle easily, try the process described next.
- “Squeeze the end of the yarn between your thumb and forefinger, Position the eye of the needle over the end of the yarn and push down between your finger and thumb.. The yarn is forced into the eye of the needle. Pull 3 to 4 inches of yarn through the needle.”
- Remove the yarn from the needle and have the child repeat the work.
- Introduce the shed stick (use a colored popsicle stick). “A shed stick is a long piece of wood or plastic used to create sheds.”
- “Before you use the shed stick to weave across the warp threads you must make a decision. Are you more comfortable starting to weave the stick under the first warp thread or over the first warp thread?”
- “I will start under for my demonstration.”
- Start weaving the stick below the middle of the loom.
- Demonstrate how to weave the shed stick through the warp threads.
- “I use both hands. One hand weaves the shed the stick under and over the warp threads. The fingers of the other hand are placed over the warp threads ahead of the shed stick. My middle finger pushes down on the warp threads so the shed stick can easily move over then under the next.” Voice what you are doing. “Under one and over one and under one etc.”
- “With both hands twist the shed stick to stand on its edge which opens a space called a shed.”
- Put the needle and yarn through the open space and leave 3“ to 4” tail.
- Grab yarn on either side of the loom. Pull the ends down to create a hump or a curved line of yarn. The curved line is called a bubble.”
- “With both hands twist the shed stick flat again to close the shed.”
- “Slide the shed stick down to flatten the curve and push the yarn down to the bottom of the loom.”
- “The bubble gives (provides) enough yarn between each warp threads so that the warp treads are not pulled into the middle loom making the weaving look like a hourglass.”
- Use your thumb and index finger to squeeze the warp threads together to make an hourglass effect.
- “There is a line under the first and last warp thread. It is a guide. If you start to see the line it means the weaving is beginning to make the hourglass shape. Make larger bubbles.”
- Remove the shed stick.
- “The stick is removed and inserted again to continue weaving.”
- “Notice, I wove the first weft thread from right to left starting under the first warp thread.”
- “I finished the row of weaving going under the last warp thread”
- “I will weave the next row from left to right.“
- “The tabby stitch requires that I now reverse the order by going over the first warp thread then under all the way across the loom ending over the last warp thread.”
- “Check before starting each new row and reverse the pattern.”
- Use the shed stick to weave across the loom.
- Voice what you are doing. “Over one and under one etc.”
- Open the shed and put the yarn through the opening,
- “The second bubble will look different because it will be made with only the yarn and needle.”
- Voice what you are doing. “Pull the yarn straight across the warp threads part way then down to form a bubble.”
- Close the shed.
- “Use the shed stick as a beater to burst the bubble and push it down to the bottom of the loom.”
- Optional: A hair pick can be used to close the shed. You choose.
- If the bubble was too big a loop of extra yarn may be around the end warp thread. Explain the situation.
- “There is a loop of extra yarn around the first warp thread. The bubble needs to be made smaller. Watch how it is done.”
- Move the shed stick up a bit and open the shed again. Tug gently on the yarn until the loop disappears and a new smaller bubble is made.
- “Use the shed stick to burst the bubble and push it down to the bottom of the loom.”
- Turn the work over to the child and mentor as needed.
- After the child has woven 3” to 4” inches of tabby stitch weaving, the real creative potential of weaving begins. Below is a list of the choices open to the weaver.
- The easiest new technique to for you to introduce and for the student use is the blanket stitch. It is done just like the tabby stitch except it is woven using 2 warp threads instead of 1 (under 2 and over 2 etc).
-
Finish the Weaving.
- Now that you have had some time to think about it, did you think or imagine what you could do with your finished weaving?
- “During the weaving process the threads are continuously pushed to the bottom of the loom. Turn the weaving upside down and see if you like the design better in that direction.”
- “Turn the weaving over. Cut the strings in half.”
- Or: “If more warp thread is needed at the bottom of the weaving, then cut the warp thread closer to the top of the weaving. Remember you will need string to tie knots at the top as well as the bottom.”
- “Start on the top left hand-side of the weaving. Remove the first 2 warp threads from the loom and tie them together using a square knot (or 3 overhand knots).” Describe what you are doing while you work.
- “Select the next 2 warp threads and tie them together.” Describe what you are doing.
- Hand the work over to the student and mentor as needed.
- “It is your turn. Remove the next 2 warp threads from the loom and tie them together making a square knot (or 3 overhand knots).”
- “Tie the knots on the other end of the loom.”
- “Think about what you can do with your finished weaving.”
- Clean up any pieces of yarn that are extending out from the weaving.
- Use a needle and weave them into the back of the weaving. Cut off any excess yarn.
- Or: If the ends are too short, turn the weaving over and glue them to the back.
- Tie together overlapping yarn ends on the back of the weaving, if used.
Design Options: 6-12
Note: Print this list on separate cards. Put in a folder for 6-12 advanced students.
- Color choices for both the warp and weft materials
- Size, texture, and kinds of yarns available both natural and synthetic
- Textural qualities of different techniques
- Plain texture: Tabby, Beading, Twining
- Medium Texture: Soumak and Egyptian Stitches, Chain Stitch
- Lacy-Open Stitches: Spanish and Mexican Laces, Leno
- Super Texture Stitches: Slip-Knot-Loop, Cut Rya, Looped Rya
- Added non-weaving fiber techniques: embroidery, macramé
- How the finished weaving is to be used and appreciated. See photo of pencil holder below.
How to make a cartoon: 6-12: Optional
Note: A cartoon is a detailed, full sized, full color drawing on paper of the proposed weaving.
- Cut a strip of paper the length of the loom. Make it wide enough so it can be taped together on the back of the loom.
- Put it back on the loom and draw the black lines on the paper where the first and last warp threads are on the loom.
- Draw a line across the top and bottom of the loom to establish the shape of the weaving.
- Remove the paper and design the idea.
- Warp the loom.
- Slide the cartoon in place under the warp thread and over the back warp threads.
- Tape the two ends of the cartoon together over the two strings that are tied in the middle.
- Ideas can always be revised and a new cartoon made.
- Make a record of the cartoon size for each loom in the environment.
Weaving Techniques
Introduction:
There are two places a teacher can go now for instructions about weaving techniques. One source is in a written book (See Resources). The other is found on-line only using the name of the stitch or weaving technique.
Each source has advantages. Both sources will help the children to weave and help Montessorians to teach.
The stitches illustrated in books can be copied and made into learning materials. (See photograph). A student can learn to weave with both illustrated and written instructions. The learning materials need to be made, laminated, and organized which may pose a problem.
A video online enables a child to see and hear the instructions given by an artist who is actually weaving the technique. How many computers are in the environment and the time schedule for their use may pose a problem.
Common Weaving Stitches
- Plane Weave, Tabby Stitch Weaving
- Blanket Stitch: Using 2 warp threads instead of 1
- Beading: Tabby weaving using 2 colors of yarn, one after the other, back and forth that forms vertical lines.
- Hatching, interlocking and dove tailing Stitches: Tapestry Weave:
- 2 colors of yarn are used. 1 color is woven from the left side and other from the right side. Each technique has a different way the two colors connect to make a row of weaving that creates an interesting design called a tapestry.
- Rya Stitches:
- Technique 1 makes loops that stand out from the weaving. Technique 2 is cut rya knots. Knots with long ends can hang down the weaving.
- Technique 2 is cut rya knots. Knots with short ends make a shag rug effect or when brushed form a soft dense shape.
- Soumak and Egyptian Knot: Each is the reverse of the other.
- Both require you weave behind the next warp thread or over the next warp thread. The difference is in the direction that the needle is held while making the stitch.
- Both can be done alternating 1 row of Soumak (Egyptian) then one row of tabby etc.
- Quick Egyptian and Soumak knot: make 2 rows at once. Place two ends of a piece of yarn into a needle. Weave the knot in between the two threads.
- Either knot stitch can be used to create a curve that produces an empty shape in the weaving. It is a creative opportunity to figure out what to do with it!
- Twining:
- Fold a length of yarn in half. Wrap the center around the first warp thread. Twist the two cords between each warp the same way. Twisting back and forth across the loom.
- Slits: See Sampler weaving above in Preparation: 6-12 Weaving.
- Slits occur when only a group of warp threads are woven. The weaving can be split into sections by grouping the available warp threads and woven separately.
- The slits can be closed by returning to weaving all the available warp threads with a stitch of your choosing.
- Macramé Wrapping knot:
- To wrap groups of warp threads that create open areas between each group.
- Other stitches not described:
- Chain Stitch
- Puff Stitch
- Slip Knot Loop
- Spanish Lace and Mexican Lace stitches
Making and Organizing Printed Learning Materials
Introduction:
The learning materials I had in my environment were made using copies of the book Weaving Techniques, The Beginner’s Guide to Off-Loom Weaving which I bought when It was first published in 1977. Used copies are still available. See Resources
- 5-9 Environments
- All illustrations and written information contained in the book were mounted and laminated on heavy 4“ X 6” yellow card stock. They were organized in a wooden file box.
- 9-12 environment
- I used both sides of each page. I made a folder for the illustrations and instructions for each of the three steps of weaving. I made separate small folders for the illustrations and directions for each weaving technique. See Photo.
- I used both sides of each page. I made a folder for the illustrations and instructions for each of the three steps of weaving. I made separate small folders for the illustrations and directions for each weaving technique. See Photo.
Extensions:
- Use weaving or any other art form as the basis for a writing assignment.
- Use the history of weaving to practice public speaking or as a research project.
- Browse the internet using “Artists who weave” to see contemporary weavings.
- Google Image Search: ‘artists who weave’
- Try refining the search with the topic buttons shown on the search page, such as textile art, tapestry, textile artists, or fabric
Resources:
- Weaving Techniques. The Beginner’s Guide to Off-Loom Weaving, by Jeep Ziemer: com
- Popsicle Sticks to use as shuttle sticks for some looms
- Cardboard Looms 3.25” x 13” : com : $10.50
- 3 ⅔” popsicle sticks to hold warp threads above the loom: com $8.99
- Cardboard Looms 6” x 10”: com : $6.60
- 6” popsicle sticks to hold warp threads above the loom: com $7.99
- Cotton Warp Thread: DickBcom : $6 to $8
- Plastic Needles, Large Eye : com $1.27
- Plastic Needles, Large Eye : Susan Bates Luxite Plastic Yarn Needles $1.99
- Susan Bates Steel Yarn Needles Size 13 : $1.99
- (Optional) Wood Weaving Crochet Needles : com : $11
- (Optional) 8-Pack DIY Weaving Tool Wood Shuttles : com : $12
- Yarn 7 oz. Red Heart Super Saver: Amazon
- Hair picks to use as beater: find these in the beauty department of any drugstore or supermarket
- Shoestrings for necklaces: Amazon
Introduction:
Collage sculpture is made from paper products that are usually thrown away. The raw materials for this art form are free. It takes time to collect and store enough of these materials when you are teaching in a big school. Parents will help if asked. The children easily see what could be done with them.
Prerequisites: Collage, Basic skills,
Tempera Painting
Art Continuum (realistic, abstract, non-objective)
A collage sculpture could be non-objective
Direct Aim: To see the creative potential in the materials
Indirect Aim: Creative expression
Point of Interest: “Think of a good title for your work.”
Materials:
- Containers for the basic building materials
- Trash bags
- Leaf bags
- Large appliance boxes
- Cardboard tubes from paper products (toilet paper, paper towels, gift wrap), egg cartons and small boxes with slick paper removed
- Papier-mâché shapes made to safely hold products for shipping
- Paper cups
- Sturdy cardboard sheets: small to large
- White resin glue, Tacky Glue
- Masking tape
- String
- Rubber bands
- Scissors include a kitchen scissors
- Staplers
- handheld stapler (optional yet highly recommended)
- Paper punches: ¼”, ⅛”
- Roofing nails: for making holes in difficult to reach places
- Metal fasteners: all sizes
- Tempera paint set up 5-9, 9-12
Acrylic paint set up 9-12 - Brushes
- Collage materials: for details as needed
- Containers for the tools, glues, masking tape and string, etc.
- Show suggested videos
Preparations:
- Gather all the materials and equipment needed for the art form.
- Place the building material in large bins or boxes by type
- Tubes, egg cartons, small boxes, pieces of cardboard, one-of-a-kind packing pieces, paper cups
- Place the tools and other materials in containers.
- Decide what you will make in your presentation (a tree).
- Have an example of each of the recycled materials available for making your sculpture with you at the time of the presentation.
- One long tube
- The bottom part of an egg carton
- The base for the tree base
- Have a second set that you have changed in some simple way so the first lesson will not be too long.
- Make long cuts into the paper towel tube to make branches.
- Make short cut to make roots of the tree.
- Have all the tools and materials you might need to create your tree. (See Materials section above.)
- Have an example of each of the recycled materials available for making your sculpture with you at the time of the presentation.
Presentation:
- “The raw materials for Collage sculpture are free. All we need to do is to collect them. They are paper products that are usually recycled or thrown away.”
- “Items such as the cardboard tubes from toilet paper or paper towels, and small boxes are ideal. You could also use papier-mâché containers made to safely hold products for shipping like eggs or a new vacuum sweeper.”
- “Drink holders from drive-thru restaurants, corrugated heavy paper used for shipping, or new paper cups are all good materials for this art form.”
- “Our families will help us collect the materials if we ask.”
- “Our next writing lesson will be to compose the letter together with a list of the materials we need.”
- “I am going to make a tree with leaves.”
- “A paper towel tube like this (show the uncut paper towel tube) will make the three main parts of the tree
- Show the tube you cut and explain each part of the tree. “I made long cuts into the tube for branches.”
- Bend the long cuts out away from the tube. “These are the branches that will hold the leaves.”
- “The part under the branches is the trunk of the tree.”
- “At the bottom of the tube I made short cuts to form the roots that will allow the tree to stand up.”
- Bend the short pieces out from the tube. “They look like rectangles.”
- “I am going to cut the corners off each, so they look more like roots that disappear into the ground.”
- Cut the corners.
- “The tree will need to stand up. I could not find a box to use as a base. I did find a sturdy square of cardboard.”
- “I punched 1/8” holes in the middle of each root. I put the trunk on the cardboard base and marked the position of each hole on the base with a pencil.”
- “I put the base on a piece of rug and used a roofing nail to punch small holes where I had marked the base.”
- “Then I secured the roots to the base with paper fasteners and glue.”
- “I will need leaves for the tree sculpture. I want the feeling that the tree has lots of leaves. I decided to use lots of cups from an egg carton to create that illusion.”
- Show a torn egg-cup. “Instead of cutting the egg-cups apart, I tore them apart. I think they will look more natural.”
- “To make it easier to tear the cups apart I made a small cut in between each cup and at each end of the carton.” Show a marked carton.
- “I have glued and stapled several of cups together.”
- “I want to connect some groups of cups together inside the tree branches.”
- Connect as many as possible while teaching.
- “I will finish my idea later and present you with the constructed collage sculpture.”
- “Tempera (acrylic) painting will be available to paint your sculpture.”
- “Adding collage materials is also an option.”
Special construction techniques:
- Splicing two tubes into one longer tube
- Cut a small tube and wrap it round the two longer ones.
- Secure with glue, and string if necessary.
- Using rubber bands
- Cut the sides off the bottom of an egg carton.
- Bend the whole bottom of the egg carton into an arch.
- Insert glue where the cups touch each other.
- The whole thing can be wound around a tube.
- Rubber band it until the glue dries.
- Remove the tube if desired.
- Using string
- When the piece cannot be attached with a staple or paper fastener or rubber band, glue the piece and hold it in place with one or more tied strings. Make a bow for a tighter hold.
Paint the sculpture
- Please refer to Art Forms I: Tempera Painting
- Add collage materials if desired
Extensions:
- Collage sculpture can be used to build models of academic concepts.
- Symmetrical, asymmetrical, and near symmetrical
- Big and little
- Vertical and horizonal
- Illustrate a story
- Parts of a flower
- Paint the sculptures with acrylic paint for longevity.
Resources:
-
- Amazon search: paper cone cups white
- Rubber bands
- Handheld stapler
- Paper punches: ¼” and ⅛”
- 2” Roofing nails: Most Hardware stores