More poetry books

Here are more photos of the poetry books from Hilltown Charter School. Most of this batch were made by the younger students. 

Students' Books

After five visits to the classroom, and a lot of hard work, our poetry books are completed. I love the range of topics: everything from the ocean to cupcakes, flatscreen tv's to cats and fruit. Here are a few photos of their work. There is one button on the cover with a string attached that wraps around the four corners of the book. The younger students hand wrote their poems. The older students used computer text that was glued into the books. See the previous post for more information about the project.

Classroom Project

HANGING POETRY BOOKS

I've been preparing all week for a classroom bookmaking project that starts next week at the Hilltown Charter School in Haydenville MA. Two classes will be involved, a grades 2-3 mixed-class and 6th grade class. The students will work in teams, with one older student paired with each younger student. Students will write poetry with the classroom teachers and then choose one poem to be showcased with illustrations in a hand-made book--that's my part.

Here are some photos of the sample books I've been making, including the mock-up sketches and finished books. One is a poem that I wrote, and the other is a peachy poem by Emily Dickinson. Some people call this the lotus book, others call it the diamond-fold book.

Mock-up sketches. The second-graders still write with lines, so writing will be on a diagonal (just like in Persian poetry).

The finished books and some details of the illustrations and text:

The books are made from three 8.5" squares of origami-folded card-stock, glued together. The book folds up into a 4 1/4" square and has added covers and a button closure. The string that wraps around the button can also be used to hang the book on the wall.

These were my samples. To see student's work, go here and here

Want to try this project in your own classroom? Download draft sheets, printing sheets and instructions here.

Please note: print drafts sheets on copy paper and glue together; final pages are printed on white card-stock. All sheets are printed on 8.5 x 11, but cut to 8.5 square.

bird in the garden

the birdie and her egg are taking a stroll through the garden...

watercolor, 4x6-ish

bird again

another bird painting...
watercolor on hotpress paper

3 birds

more birds from my sketchbook...

pattern

a little fun with fish and birds...

in the pink...

I finished a new mandala. Reminds me of mosaic tiles.

Bermuda

I'm on vacation in Bermuda, visiting family. Yesterday I attended a Baha'i neighborhood children's class and taught an art lesson with about 10 children ages 4-10 and 5 moms. We made hand-painted Etegami cards for Nawruz (Bahai new year). We will send some to family and some to the Baha'i prisoners in Iran as part of Amnesty International's Nawruz project. Here are a few photos...

Ayyam-i-Ha Arts Weekend

Ayyam-i-Ha Arts Weekend, a set on Flickr.

Six art projects were created during an inter-generational Ayyam-i-Ha weekend at Green Acre Baha'i School.

Wishing Wind-Chimes
Wish on a Star Lotus Book
House-shaped Prayer Card
Origami Rainbow Prayer Books
Gratitude Journals for the 19-day Fast
Japanese Etegami Painted Postcards