3rd and 4th Grade- Fall Foil Reliefs!

So, I was having a difficult time making up my mind on a texture related project for 3rd and 4th grade. It was also smack dab in the middle of my favorite season- Fall! So I eventually decided to let 3rd grade to a glue print of something fall, and 4th grade make these foil reliefs. Both grades started out the same way. I had them make a list of things that related to fall, and I wrote them on the board. I then instructed them to make a simple drawing (large and not many details) of their favorite thing about fall on a small peice of cardboard. I got a lot of pumpkins and candy corn! The next step was adding glue to the plate. The students used squeeze glue to cover their lines. They had to make sure the line was thick so that when it dried their would still be texture. Some students had drawn to small and detailed and their glue made a big messy blob. :( But we fixed it!

Now here is where my first lesson was learned. I attempted to teach my first class of 3rd graders how to print their glue plates. My example turned out fine, but the students had trouble understanding how much ink to use and they all turned out where you were unable to tell what they were. They were pretty discouraged. I then decided to let all of the other 3rd grade classes make the foil relief like 4th grade was. We can always try printing again later! 

The next step of the project was to cover the whole plate with aluminum foil. Then the students pressed down with the side of their thumbs or with their knuckles to make their glue lines noticeable through the foil. I told them to press hard around the edges of the glue and get in all of the small areas really well so everything would stand out. 

Here is where my next lesson was learned. I had a few of the fourth grade classes cover their plates with just a smudge of black paint and then wipe it away till they could see the image good. I emphasized only putting a tiny dab of paint on it and showed them several times. However, almost all of the students put way too much paint on theirs and other wiped too much off. So, for the classes I left, I decided to use a black crayon to rub over the image. They turned out way better and you can see their images very well! I guess you really do learn as you go!