Grade
3
Paper
Cone Owl
(from
2D to 3D)
The purpose of
this three-week project was to create a three-dimensional object from
a flat two-dimensional sheet of heavy paper and use a small cutter
knife (exacto knife) to create an airy bas-relief effect. The use of
a cutter knife, being very sharp and newly introduced as a tool used
in crafts, was also a mini-lesson in using dangerous tools
responsibly and safely.
We used a fairly heavy weight though
still flexible paper coated with two colors one on each side. I had
prepared enough templates for each table that the four kids at the
table had to share. Each table had one set of templates and four sheets of
paper of different color combinations. The children were free to
exchange papers, but only with other kids at their table (to prevent
general pandemonium), if they wished
The lesson was also one of waste not
want not in relation to the material. The entire sheet of paper was
used up if properly done with very little in the way of scrap. To
this end the templates had to be laid out just so on the paper to
achieve the maximum usability of the sheet. I drew a large rectangle
the same shape as the kids' papers and drew and directed the proper
placement of the template shapes. They then traced the shapes on
their own papers. I had a sample attached to the whiteboard as well
that looked like the picture on the right. The other side of the
paper might be, say, yellow.
The large fan-shape would be rolled
into a cone and stapled to form the body. I didn't tell the students
what we were making. Kids like to be held in suspense and try to
guess what the object is going to be. Of course, from time to time I
would ask if they knew what this was yet before I trotted out my
sample for more detailed discussion and instruction. The large
arrowhead shapes are for the wings and the smaller one the beak. The
left over areas were later used to make a tail for the owl.
Once the tracing was done, scissors
were used to cut out the shapes and set aside the left overs. Now the
fan shape was ready for the difficult new technique using the cutter
knife. The idea was to cut V shapes in the lower center of the fan
and curl them up with a pencil to create “feathers”. First, the
paper had to be roughly divided into thirds. I showed the kids with a
diagram of the fan on the whiteboard how to estimate “thirds” by
drawing lines on the fan shape. The students then showed me their
work and I adjusted as necessary.
Using a cutting mat and a cutter knife on my own paper
and a diagram on the board, I instructed the student to cut two lines
in a V pattern by using two down strokes meeting
at the bottom of the V and to create
a pattern of eight to ten V cuts with space in between. I then showed
them how to punch out the V shape and to use a pencil to curl the
flap out and up. When they had successfully completed (and all of
them did) the belly feathers they brought the cone to me.
To make sure the body size was
correct I had instructed to the kids to bring their cones to me and I
would make the initial alignment of the straight sides and do the
first two staples—top and bottom. I then told them to add two more
staples toward the middle of the sides. When all the cones were
finished we gathered the remaining shapes and the left overs and
stapled them together and affixed them to the cone ready for the next
lesson the following week.
To be continued...
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