Classroom Art Projects for Auction: Tin Punch Screen

One of the challenges that comes with creating classroom auction projects is to find blocks of time in which students can create the art without disrupting the teacher and monthly classroom schedule. An approach that reduces overall impact on the teacher is to design a project comprised of individual units. A "project kit" may be left in the classroom for students to use during their personal downtime or study periods. The project team could schedule a session to present the project to the entire class and then follow up periodically to track how the individual pieces are progressing. One possible item that could be divided into smaller units, is a room divider or screen. For example, students could make small glass mosaics on squares of fiberglass netting to be assembled and installed by parent volunteers outside class time. (Search "indirect mosaic techniques, mosaic netting" etc., for directions). If wet applications (such as mosaics) are applied to wood, make sure that the wood itself can tolerate it. Use marine plywood for the screen panels (IE., for the mosaic base) or waterproof and seal a store bought prefabricated screen so that it doesn't warp and separate. Another simple stylish idea is to use paintable tin punch ceiling tiles, installing them on both sides of a screen. Palettes and themes can be preselected to ensure that all the tiles function as one piece when assembled together in a screen. If a stack of ceiling tiles is left in the classroom, students could either work alone, or in groups to paint them during periods of free time. Giving both the teacher and students open ended work time will more likely produce careful unhurried paintings. This is a link to directions
for building a wood screen, and using tin punch ceiling panels as the decorative element.
http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/projects/Tin_Punch_Screen_1106.aspx