Paper Plate Birds

This idea came from from another Western Australian art teachers blog....I loved it so much that I have done it with a few different classes since! (from Year 2;s to Year 5's).
You can find Anne's blog here: useyourcolouredpencils

Mixed-up Minibeasts

Another way to create a project using paper plates! I came up with this while doing my teaching prac in a Year 1-2 class who had a Minibeast theme. I wanted to make them a bit more unusual so I asked the students to take different parts of different minibeasts and put them together to create a new creature. We used a large paper plate for the head and coloured card for the body. Students could then choose how they wanted to decorate their 'bug'

Woven Dream catchers

After looking at a number of examples of dream catchers, we made our own using the centre of the plate and lots of different coloured wool. These are heaps of fun and look amazing when they are done....but.....they do need a lot of prep if working with younger kids (making the looms, cutting and sorting the right lengths of wool and untangling looms every 2 and a half minutes!!)

When they were finished, we punched some holes in the bottom of the plate and used paper clips to add feathers and beads.

**I have had a few enquires about exactly how to make the dream catchers....so here are a couple more pics...

I have found the best 'needles' are made from an extra large paper clip that you bend into shape and tape the two end together - that way it doesn't catch on the wool as you weave.

Setting up a table with pre-cut lengths of wool is a lifesaver when working with younger students!

Jonathan - Year 3