November 5,2019

Class Three

Project Description

If you could travel the world in a hot air balloon, how would you paint, design, your balloon to show people around the world what you like/ where you want to go? Students will create hot air balloons using the classic techniques of traditional paper mache. These balloons will be hung around the classroom for display and discussion in our next class.

Essential Understanding

The essential understanding for this project was the expansion of 3D techniques students have learned in previous classes. We also introduced a new medium, paper mache, and allowed students to explore that in various ways.

Intended Outcomes

Students will continue to sketch their ideas for their projects and explain them
Students will continue to learn how to shape forms through various materials
Students will learn how to use paper mache
Students will make a paper mache balloon that represents an object or a place that the student enjoys

Skills

Learning Paper Maché techniques
How to shape and form with newsprint
Techniques of painting on a new material like paper mache
Designing 3D forms
Problem Solving

Demonstrations

We know this student really likes wolves. It was no surprise that he immediately started sketching a wolf during ideation. He plans on making his hot air balloon the head of a wolf. "I think wolves are cool animals." He insisted he did not know how to draw a wolf and needed help. Through conversation about what shapes make up a wolves face, he slowly drew each component to complete the sketch on his own.

One of the teacher hot air examples was of a sugar skull. "I want to make a sugar skull with flowers too," she started saying during ideation. After some reflecting about what she wanted her hot air balloon to say about her, she decided to go with a fish instead. "I think a fish is more my style because I like the beach." Through some careful thinking and looking at pictures of fish, she problem solved through her design and decided to flip her balloon to the side as this is a more accurate shape of a fish body. Using the shaping and forming skills we've been learning, she came up with fins and eyes.

This student was excited to work with paper mache and particularly excited to choose a red balloon because it's her favorite color. "I love red, it means love." Once she started applying the paper mache, however, she began to get frustrated because the balloon was unsteady and moved every time she put on a new strip of newspaper. Taping her bowl to the plastic bag covering the table helped provide stability and helped the student be happy with the independence she had to continue applying paper mache without assistance.

"I know Halloween is over but I like jack o'lanterns so I want to make one."The students have been understanding with each class the importance of sketching out their ideas before starting to work on a project. "If I draw out my idea first, then I will know what shapes I need to cut out later."

This student was excited to start forming and shaping his balloon. He had applied the layers to his balloon very carefully to make his balloon into the shape he wanted. Once he was done applying the paper mache he was particularly drawn to use the red yarn for his balloon, when I asked why he chose that particular color he said: "I like red."

This student was very hesitant to work with balloons and paper mache. But, after blowing up her own ballon to the size that she felt comfortable with, she started to create the hot air ballon. She really enjoyed working with the newsprint and glue, and thought it was fun to get messy!

This student has been continuously independent throughout the course of the class. She has shown a lot of interest in exploring the potential of materials and all of the different things she is able to do with one item. When I asked her what she was making she said "my new puppy" and promptly pulled an image of their new puppy out of her back pack. She was very enthusiastic about being able to depict her new pet through the the paper hot air balloons. She painted her hot air balloon basket red like her puppy's collar and added paw prints for decoration.

This student chose to make a snowman hot air balloon and used three separate balloons- a small, medium and larger balloon- to compose the body. All her hard work paid off and she was very happy with her finished piece.