Recycled Paper Quilt Squares

Fifth grade is combining a study of line symmetry, rotation symmetry, quilt blocks, and mandalas.

I photocopied the 9 block designs onto tag board paper and cut them down to 8x8 squares. 

We began by coloring the corners and center square.

 I made some templates of shapes that would work for tracing and cutting to make symmetrical designs. Some students made up their own. 

My students have been saving and collecting the tops of the cereals they have for breakfast. We used those (which are silver on the back!!!) and other scrap papers to create collaged quilt squares. 

These are some in progress. Hopefully each student will make 2, 1 to keep, 1 to become part of a larger paper quilt. 

another rotation symmetry!

Well while I'm on the subject of Rotation Symmetry here's a version done with metal and colored sharpies.

Clay Mandalas

For this lesson I introduced the concept of what a SLAB is in clay, rotation symmetry, Mandala's from various cultures, and Talavera tile designs from Mexico.

I had the students roll out their clay slab to be about 1/4" thick,  having them lay their hand down next to it to make it about the same thickness as their finger as a way to measure.  Then they traced around a circle stencil or paper plate to cut out their circle.
They created their symmetrical designs first on paper and then on the clay by incising into the clay and also building onto the clay to create a textural piece.
We used metallic acrylic and tempera paints on top of the air-dry clay.

FYI- I did this project during a summer class that did not have as many students as my public school classes but it would be very do-able in school. My students were grades 2-4. They came out beautiful!