SMALL BOX WITH A LID – Printmaking, Geometry, Colour

Students create a colourful monoprint and use it to make a small box.

Required Time

80 Minutes

Grade Level

Grade 1 to Grade 8

Subject

Language Arts
Mathematics
Visual Arts

Vocabulary

colour cuboid expressively horizontal monoprint vertical

Materials

Plastic Sheet Protectors Cardstock Paper - 13.9 cm x 21.6 cm (5.5" x 9") - 2 per student Cardstock Paper - 21.6 cm x 27.9 cm (8.5" x 11") - 1 per student Rulers Pencils Scissors Glue Sticks Newsprint Paper 21.6 cm x 30.4 cm (9" x 12") - 1 per student

Shop Crayola Products

Broad Line Ultra-Clean Washable Markers, 16 Count
Washable Glue Sticks, 2 Count
Pointed Tip Metal Scissors
Doodle Pad - 60 Sheets

Steps

SMALL BOX WITH A LID – Printmaking, Geometry, Colour - Step One

Step One

  1. Draw a rectangle 13.9 cm x 21.6 cm (5.5” x 8.5”) in the centre of a piece of cardstock paper. 
  2. Place the cardstock paper inside a plastic sheet protector. This will be your printing plate.
  3. Place the printing plate on your desk with the rectangle facing up.
  4. Use the flat side of the markers to draw a design on the plastic surface.
  5. Draw the design to fit the rectangle.
  6. Use lots of colour. 
SMALL BOX WITH A LID – Printmaking, Geometry, Colour - Step Two

Step Two

  1. Make sure the spray bottle is set so it gives a fine mist spray.
  2. Lightly spray a fine mist of water over the marker design.
    - the more water you apply, the more the colours will bleed together
SMALL BOX WITH A LID – Printmaking, Geometry, Colour - Step Three

Step Three

  1. Place a piece of cardstock paper 13.9 cm x 21.6 cm (5.5” x 8.5”) on top of the wet ink. 
    - be sure to line the paper up with the marker design
SMALL BOX WITH A LID – Printmaking, Geometry, Colour - Step Four

Step Four

  1. Place a piece of newsprint paper 22.9 cm x 30.5 cm (9” x 12”) on top of the printing paper.
  2. Gently rub the entire surface.
SMALL BOX WITH A LID – Printmaking, Geometry, Colour - Step Five

Step Five

  1. Remove the paper from the printing plate.
  2. Allow the paper to dry for about 30 seconds.
SMALL BOX WITH A LID – Printmaking, Geometry, Colour - Step Six

Step Six

  1. Draw an X from one corner to the other on the back of the printed paper.
SMALL BOX WITH A LID – Printmaking, Geometry, Colour - Step Seven

Step Seven

  1. Fold 1 side of the paper into the centre so that it lines up with the centre of the X.
  2. Gently run a ruler along the fold to make it firm and crisp.
  3. Unfold the paper and repeat for the other side and the 2 ends of the paper. 
  4. You should have made 4 folds.
SMALL BOX WITH A LID – Printmaking, Geometry, Colour - Step Eight

Step Eight

  1. Hold the paper in the VERTICAL (portrait) position.
  2. Cut along the vertical crease in an outside corner and stop at the intersection of the horizontal crease.
  3. Repeat in all 4 corners.
SMALL BOX WITH A LID – Printmaking, Geometry, Colour - Step Nine

Step Nine

  1. Place the paper on the desk.
  2. Fold the long sides of the paper up along the creases and at right angles to the desk.
  3. Fold the ends in and at right angles to the sides.
  4. Glue them to each other to form the end of the box.
  5. Apply lots of glue to the middle rectangle at the end of the paper.
SMALL BOX WITH A LID – Printmaking, Geometry, Colour - Step Ten

Step Ten

  1. Fold that rectangle up at a right angle to the desk.
  2. Fold the top edge down over the end flaps.
  3. Glue it into place.
  4. Repeat with the other end of the box. 

 

SMALL BOX WITH A LID – Printmaking, Geometry, Colour - Step Eleven

Step Eleven

  1. Trim .5 cm (.25") off one long side and one short side of the cardstock paper.
  2. Use this paper for the bottom of the box.
  3. Follow the same steps to make the bottom of the box as you did for the top.

 

SMALL BOX WITH A LID – Printmaking, Geometry, Colour - Step Twelve

Step Twelve

  1. Place the top on the bottom of the box.
SMALL BOX WITH A LID – Printmaking, Geometry, Colour - Step Thirteen

Step Thirteen

  1. Use glitter glue to decorate the top of the box.

Learning Goals

Students will be able to:

  1. Create a monoprint;
  2. Create a small box with a lid;
  3. Use colour expressively;
  4. Demonstrate technical accomplishment; and
  5. Support their ideas with evidence found in the works.

Extensions

Have students:

  1. Create a box-making project using one of the lesson plans available on this website, for example:
    Book in a Box
    Time Flies
    Memory Games
    Memory Clock
  2. Create a game consisting of different sized boxes and the challenge of finding such things as, 
    - the surface area of the smallest box
    - the total surface area of all the boxes
    - the volume of the biggest box
    - the volume of the smallest box
     

Prepare

  1. Pre-cut the cardstock paper 13.9 cm x 21.6 cm (5.5” x 8.5”) - 2 pieces per student.
  2. You may want to photocopy the printing plate template on sheets of cardstock paper 21.6 cm x 27.9 (8.5” x 11”) - 1 per student and place them into plastic sheet protectors. (Downloads - MonoprintTemplate.pdf)
  3. You may want to photocopy the How to Make a Small Box instruction sheet for students. (Downloads – SmallBox.pdf)
  4. Place students into groups of about 6 so they can share markers and spray bottles.
  5. Download and display the Colour poster available on this website.
    Posters
  6. Introduce or review characteristics of cuboids.
    - has 6 flat faces
    - all angles are right angles
    - is also a rectangular prism

Introduction

  1. Ask what types of prints students might know about.
  2. Explain that there are many different ways to make prints including monoprints, which are unique because they only produce one image of the print, rather then many. 
  3. Discuss the element of colour and characteristics of colours, for example, warm and cool colours, bright and dull colours, light and dark colours.
  4. Discuss how colours can be used to expressively to communicate different feelings, such as calm, happiness, excitement. (Downloads – CulturalColour.pdf)
  5. Show and discuss your sample. 
  6. Consider what a small box with a lid (a cuboid) might be useful for.
  7. Introduce the challenge.

Activities

The Challenge

  1. Create a monoprint.
  2. Create a small box with a lid.
  3. Use colour expressively.
  4. Demonstrate technical accomplishment.
  5. Support their ideas with evidence found in the works.

The Process

  1. Make sure everyone understands the challenge.
  2. Establish success criteria with your students, for example,
    I know I am successful when I have:
    - measured accurately
    - cut and folded the paper accurately
    - created a small box with a lid that fits
    - used colour to express a feeling
    - created decorations that match the feelings expressed
    - created a monoprint with marker and water
    - created a box that is in good condition
  3. Guide students through the steps outlined in this lesson plan.
  4. Encourage students to think of how they can use contrast to create areas of emphasis.
  5. Observe students as they work. 
  6. Provide individual assistance and encouragement.

Sharing

  1. Place students into small groups.
  2. Ask them to: 
    - Share their boxes and take turns discussing the things that are especially effective and why.
    - Talk about how the colours and decoration express a feeling.
    - Talk about what the box might be useful for, and why.
    - Talk about what they found satisfying about making the box.
  3. Share ideas with the whole class. 
  4. Ask students to tell how they felt about doing this project.

Assessment

  1. Observe students as they work – thoughtful focus, discriminating, seeking more information, elaborating, experimenting
  2. Observe students as they share and discuss their boxes – active listening, insightful contributions, supporting ideas with evidence found in the artwork and from personal experience.
  3. Use a checklist to track progress. (Downloads - SmallBox_tracking.pdf)
  4. Have students use the self-assessment form to reflect on their work. (Downloads - SmallBox_self-assessment.pdf, or SmallBoxPrimary_self-assessment.pdf))                   

Downloads

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