mask making lesson

Title: mask making

Age Group: 5th or 6th grades

Objectives:
1. Demonstrate personal expression and original concepts.
2. Demonstrate beginning skills of modeling and constructing.
3. Recognize the existence of similarities and differences among works of art produced in various times and places.
4. Select from a variety of sizes, shapes and textured objects, and organize them in a three-dimensional arrangement.
5. Respond by talking about art in their own words, thus expressing the results of personal observations.
6. Accept the range of special interest and abilities of their peers.

Motivation: Show slides or pictures of masks from different cultures and time periods.

Materials:
1. mask-making gauze. one roll makes 2 1/2 masks. You can purchase this at most art stores. It's gauze with plaster dried into it.
2. plastic bowls for dipping strips of gauze in.
3. scissors for cutting gauze
4. petroleum jelly to spread on face
5. large plastic garbage bags to protect clothes.
6. towels and work area.

Procedure:
Step 1. apply petroluem jelly to face
Step 2. dip strips of plaster gauze into water. Begin applying to face in horizontal layers. Then vertical layers.
Step 3. repeat step 2 (horizontal and vertical layers) once more.
Step 4. let dry on face for 15 minutes. Using thumbs, pull mask off starting with the chin area. After my mask was dry I decided to add extra strips over the eyes and nose. But this was purely artistic license.
Step 5. Decorate the mask using paints (tempera, acrylics work fine), add beads, glitter, shiny paper, cloth, etc.
Step 6. Finished!

Evaluation:
Students share what cultures or ideas inspired their masks. Students share what items were used to decorate their mask. Students share what they hope to communicate through the design of their mask.