Paper Molas in Fourth Grade

My fourth graders have been deep in a Mexican crafts unit.  Many things we made I didn't get around to photographing (ceramic Oaxaca creatures, tinwork, Papel Amate) but I did take the time to photograph our latest work: molas.  Based on the molas of the Kuna people of the San Blas islands, we really work to make them colorful:

Each student makes two.  They're given two 9 x 12 black papers and choose THREE 6 x 9 different colors of constuction paper.  They glue two of their 6 x 9 papers, and keep one loose. They then draw the outline or shadow of an animal/creature on the loose paper and cut it our all in one piece:

This is a student who was sick and absent a lot, so hers is unfinished.

 They then put the positive image on one paper, and the negative on the other one.  Then they use a variety of colored paper to add shapes and details.  I tell them to "cheat" and cut two different colors of paper at once, so they get twice as many shapes for their work.

A close-up of her zebra.

Here you can really see that he cut the green and blue
grass shapes at the same time.

These are always so successful for students, (as the whole Mexican craft unit is, I'll really have to remember to photograph their other crafts next year).  Now, we're moving on to George Catlin and Native America.

One final one, (I couldn't resist!) he's a truly delightful
special needs student who makes us all smile every day.