An issue that always comes up in class is copying. “Ms Ale.. so and so copied my flower, my tree, my house, my idea!” Is this something you hear in your classroom? Now that it’s the beginning of the school … Continue reading
As many of you know, I love starting off the school year with a few lessons exploring and creating self-portraits. It’s a great way to re-connect with students, get to know new ones and teach or review face proportions.
I wanted to share with you a lesson I did with my grade 3 students three years ago. Being the queen of recycling, I saved some packaging boxes that reminded me of pizza boxes. If you can’t get your hands on some just start eating a lot of pizza (!!) or better still, tell your students to save some pizza boxes that are relatively clean 🙂 then you are set to go. These pizza boxes will become a sturdy frame for the self-portraits.
I present to you: Self-Portraits on a Box…
The stand up mirrors are so handy and great!
Practice makes perfect 🙂
Review face proportions, have your students practice drawing their face using a stand-up mirror  and do a final drawing on a piece of paper no bigger than the surface size of your box.
I had my students leave their self-portraits in pencil and use markers for the clothing. If you do this project with older kids, try having your students paint their portraits with watercolors. The effect is quite nice and soft and older students can control the watercolor better. The pizza box should have contrasting colors and designs so the self-portraits stand out. Another thing my students did was glue pieces of recycled cardboard to the back of the self-portraits and glue these onto the finished boxes to create a 3D effect!
My students wrote a bio of themselves and glued these inside the decorated boxes. Instead of a bio why not have your students write poems, goals for the year, hopes and dreams, a story about their holidays, etc. Go crazy people and take advantage of that back to school high everyone is on now.
What I love about this project is that you can display the self-portraits anywhere! I placed these around the room for open house. When my parents came to visit the art room, I challenged them to find and recognize their child by their self-portrait drawing. These were a hit!
For more ideas for self-portrait lessons read this post I wrote last year. Still want more ideas? Check out my best selling PDF e-books I have made for you with loads of ideas. For only 5 $ each it will save you lots of planning time! You can find them here , above on the lesson plan tab or on the side bar —>.
Have fun!
PS: Did you know Art Lessons for Kids has a Facebook page and you can follow my adventures on Twitter (@Ms_Alejandra)? Click on over!
Good Luck!
I just wanted to wish everyone here a wonderful new school year filled with success and memorable teaching moments. You are all AMAZING Â and special because teaching art to children of all ages is one of the most satisfying jobs I can think of. Do you agree?
Dad cutting up sugar cane-yum!
Some news for you…I won’t be teaching this year because I decided to take a much wanted sabbatical year off and return to Bolivia. I left home in 1999  and although I have been here for short holidays, I really wanted my son to experience having a grandfather and to learn about his own cultural heritage. As  for dad, well he has no clue what it’s like to be a full time grandfather other than the short moments he gets during holidays. By the time he has finally made a connection with any of the kids, the holidays are over.
This major decision of mine to just stop and chill was tough and way out of character for me but I am so happy and grateful this opportunity came about and that I finally embraced it rather than put it off like I did for the last 11 years. At times I just panic and think to myself if this is right, what am I going to do for an income, bla bla bla and you know what? It is ALL GOOD- I truly believe and feel this!
Starting October though I will be on the hunt again looking for another international teaching adventure somewhere in the world because I know that’s where I like to be. This doesn’t mean you won’t see art projects and lessons here at Art Lessons for Kids. I am here for YOU this whole year! Please drop me a line anytime if you need any ideas, have any questions or just want to say hi. I sincerely mean this 🙂
New e-books will be in the works, maybe some online workshops and lots and lots of  ideas for you to use in your classrooms. Did you know Art Lessons for Kids has a Facebook page and you can follow my adventures on Twitter (@Ms_Alejandra)? Click on over!
Here’s to your continued success today and every day. As I always say to my students..” There are no mistakes in art. Just treat them as opportunities to create something much more exciting and better than you ever dreamed of!”–applies to life, don’t you think?
ART LESSONS FOR KIDS 