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| Paper Toy Shark |
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| Army Dude - James A (Year 6) |
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| Easter Bunny - Madeleine M (Year 1) |
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| Rabbit - Olivia DW (Year 3) |
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| Batman - Kai M (Prep) |
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| Tasman S (Year 1) |
It's the last week of the school term!!! Two weeks holiday ... YEAH!! I wanted an engaging, fun activity to celebrate ... I've been
saving these Paper Toys for just such an occasion!
There are a number of Paper Toy sites out there - I found
Toy-A-Day on
Pinterest (where else?) and decided to base the activity around this simple box plan that has lots of scope for the kids to be really creative with. This site has well over 200 downloadable PDF templates for toys based around a simple box. I wanted the kids to create their own toys rather than simply adding color... Toy-A-Day have a great blank template (which for one reason or another were not quite what I needed) so I adapted it to suit my needs...
I get two toys from one A4 sheet of 210gsm card, with left over space for creating fish tails, dragon wings, batman capes or whatever else is needed to complete their masterpieces!
We started by designing our characters - I had a couple of examples made up to give them an idea of the diversity of characters they could develop, then we brainstormed some more ideas - otherwise I gave them a completely free hand.
Then we transferred our designs to the templates with black felt-pen and added color with crayons.
Cut out (carefully!! Accuracy is vital, so this is one cutting exercise where I help the Prep kids!) fold, and glue together. Voila! We have superheros, mermaids, dragons and monsters to name just a few.... I think they have done a wonderful job! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
Super cool!
ReplyDeleteKids love these! I haven't done them in a year or two. I will have to remember to pull them out. I call them flat-pack toys and we discuss how flat packaging effects the costs of shipping in the real world!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I like the resource too. Will give this lesson a go some time. Happy holidays! (Still a week to go over here...) :)
ReplyDeleteThese are AWESOME! I would love to try them with my students as well! Elizabeth, maybe we could set up a Skype "visit" with your class. My art class meets your art class! I know we have a pretty large time difference, but maybe we can leave messages for each other. What do you think? :)
ReplyDeleteHi Lauren, I'm really enjoying your blog. And what a fantastic idea! But unfortunately I don't think I can manage it at my end - I run after-school art classes at a different school each day of the week. We work in undercover areas (no classrooms) on collapsible tables with chairs borrowed from nearby classrooms. I tote in all the materials I need for each lesson - my storeroom is at home & in my car. NO computer access!! Otherwise I would have absolutely be in!!! :) :)
DeleteHi Elizabeth
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful! A perfect end of term lesson plan. Thanks for posting the link to Toy-A-Day - it is a great resource for art teachers AND parents.
So much inspiration. What a nice blog! and so much good work. Congratulations to all the young artists.
ReplyDeleteI really loved the diversity of ideas and how they are executed well. Congratulations on the job bright and inspiring.
ReplyDeleteHey...I just found your blog and I am loving it! Art teachers should rule the world...keep writing and posting! Thanks..
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth, I just followed you here to your blog from a comment you left in mine back in September of 2012. It's been awhile since I blogged, so when I went to see what I had last posted, and when, I found you had left a comment that I had not responded to. So here I am admiring all that you do, traveling to several schools, after school students. I'm very impressed. When you say "Prep" students, what does that mean? Is it elementary? Kindergarten? I teach PreKinder through 5th grade art, and would love to borrow some of your ideas. How many students do you have in one class at any given time? I've often thought I might like to teach after school or in summers rather than fulltime classroom, so it's something I could do when I retire. I've joined your blog, so I'm now a follower. Will be back. Perhaps I will start posting again!
ReplyDeletethanks for the lift, Elizbeth. Bea