Well...I was SO successful :) at blogging (thanks Kelly!) that I did decide to come back and blog again. One of my first lessons this year (with 3/4/5's) is titled "Talking Sticks"...also referred to as "Medicine Sticks", "God Sticks", and/or "Walking Sticks". It has been so much fun making these with the students. I got the lesson idea actually from the Dick Blick Catalog. There are always a few really interesting lessons included in their catalogs each year, detailing steps, media needed, etc. I chose this particular lesson as part of my Native American Unit and feel it has been a pretty good success. If you'd like to see what Dick Blick listed in their catalog on this lesson, go to DickBlick.com and type in "Polynesian Medicine Sticks". It will pull up info such as pictures of the actual artwork, process steps, and National Standards for Visual Arts Education.
I decided to use Model Magic Modeling Compound in neutral colors, instead of the recommended clay, and it does work great, but is fairly expensive to purchase. I had my students bring in an appropriate size stick for the core.Give LOTS of prior notice and notes home to parents so they don't forget to bring them. Even with all this, I had to bring in lots myself to help out the ones that forgot (or didn't bother to do it...), but most kids did bring them and were very enthusiastic. I "pumped" them up on this project, showing them lots of pictures of them on the Elmo ahead of start of lesson... and telling them how exciting this project would be!
I will bring an example to show you at our next meeting.
Thanks,
Cindy
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