Tuesday 17 February 2015

Animal headdresses - mini zoo theme


 For our theme topic 'Mini Zoo' - we had a role play pet shop in the classroom, a great visit from the 'Reptile man', and to finish off a performance for the other classes. We made headdresses for the performance.

 
 
The albino python that visited us - we recreated him for our pet shop. Printed in yellow using bubble wrap and cotton reels for the skin effect.
The fish were drawn or collaged, then cut out and put into tanks.

 
Again - I've enhanced the children's drawings by cutting them out and mounting them. I used some silver net from my fabric stash for the wire 'hutches'.

 
Oh look there's those mice I made! See previous post on how to make!

 
The boys especially loved making the snakes. I've put them in old Ipad boxes - with the middle cut out and plastic 'glass' put in.
 
 
I spy some herbie hens!! See previous post for how to make!
The children made snakes with plasticine. The glass tanks were made from a roller blind package.

 
raddits for sale - only 50p!

 
Oh look there's those 5 little speckled frogs!

Headdresses
 
My inspiration for the headdresses came from Googling, as usual. This time I looked at the Lion King show for headdress ideas (Which I saw in Cardiff in the New Year - amazing - lots of ideas!!). I also looked at real animals and drew a simple sketch. I find it easier to fold a piece of A4 paper vertically and draw half of the animal face. Then cut it out so that it is symmetrical. I then cut it out onto card - this was packaging card that I'd brought in from home. This card was used as a stencil for the children to draw around and cut out themselves. They also sponged over the mask to get the correct colouring. A little help with the eyes and finishing off from me though!! I made headbands from recycled card and display borders. The masks were stapled on to the headband (and covered the staples with tape - health and safety always!!)
Some of the headbands needed extra card support to make them stand up more - these masks did not over the children's faces, but rather sat on top of their heads.
 
 

 
The lion was made from a paper plate, with 2 circle eyes peeping over 2 circle cheeks. The children decided that he should look scary!! The children have sponged the paint over the plate and cheeks before adding the raffia and hessian mane. Then stapled onto the headband.

 
We used bubble wrap to print the crocodile's scaly skin. Careful folding here - it was rather large!

 
I quite like this sponged effect for the giraffe. I helped to add the eyes. More bands on the headband to make it tall was needed here.

 
The gorillas were collaged with squares of black tissue. The face was cut out in grey, then pastelled over. Help with the eyes - you have to get them right or it'll all looked cockeyed!

 
I drew the zones where I didn't want them to sponge - so that remained white - you can probable tell that I've gone over with a black pastel for the face!

 
60 masks later - I created these over a week with Year 1 children - and it was tough going to get them finished, with a fair bit of time spent mounting them onto sugar paper to give extra support.

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