Bug Extravaganza Problems

Wow! What a project I have undertaken with 24 kids from 5 years to 12 years. We are making insects using big balloons with 3 sections and paper mache'. We have gone through 4 boxes of Elmer's Art Paste. After the first initial coating of (hopefully) 3 layers of newspaper, we added our "parts" using aluminum foil. Large, medium and smaller were the choices. They had to crunch the foil beginning with the width, not length and putting it around the insect for legs. I secured it with tape each time. They added smaller pieces, using same technique for antenna, stingers or mouth pieces.
It has taken us 2 sessions just to finish coating these pieces with newspaper layers!
Today we begin to paint our bugs. We only have 3 sessions left before the production on March 20th. They are still creating their creatures and we have to have at least 2 to 3 sessions of painting, for one coat will not do it.
We are making marionettes out of these bugs using yarn and painted paint sticks. I will post pictures of today's painting and then the completed insect.

Bugs Galore

To paper mache...the very best is Elmer's Art Paste. It costs around $3.00 and makes a great paper mache'. This is why I prefer it:

• Put mixture in a bucket with a lid (I go to a deli and get a recycled bucket and clean it out.)
• Dries clear and lasts up to at least a year and probably way more
• Easy to work with and is thin, not thick, and dries perfectly

This year the children at Olander are putting on a puppet production featuring insects...real or not yet discovered.

Procedure:

1. Blow up large long balloon with at least 3 body parts. (I found the balloons at Party City.)
2. Paper mache' one layer on balloon before class for 10 students. (We have 24 enrolled, but wanted younger children to have a layer for a start.)
3. Have children tear strips of newspaper.
4. Have each child add at least 3 layers of paper mache' newspaper to balloon.
5. Allow "insect" to dry.

Next workshop I was at the Michigan Collaborative Conference so they began work on scenery.

1. Cut sea sponges.
2. Have various colors of paint. We choose paint for 4 different seasons.
3. Sponge (up and down) colors for sky (3/4 of large 4' brown butcher block paper) and 1/4 for ground/landscape.

Winter: blue, black, white, green, bits of red

Spring: green, blue, white, yellow

Summer: green, yellow, blue, white, orange, black (small amount)

Fall: orange, red, green, blue, yellow

Summer: green,