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

Classroom Auction Projects - Begin with a simple survey

Prior experience as a chair for classroom auction projects at various schools has taught me that the easiest way to get started is to send out a simple survey to the teachers, using the survey input to create a timeline for each class to bring the projects from idea to procurement.
This is a sample of a survey I used at a k-8 grade school.

RE: Classroom Auction Projects/Art Projects

Dear Teachers:
This initial survey is the first step to getting the Classroom Auction Projects off the ground. Please return this survey to the office by __________. Thank you very much for your participation.
My classroom auction project is already in process and it is:

I would like my project to be:


Parents to contact as possible project volunteers are:


These are some prospective exciting projects for which we have artist/parent volunteers. Is your class interested in doing one of them?
(List any art projects talented adults have already volunteered to facilitate- IE., mosaic objects, painted furniture, class quilts,) etc.,

Do you have any ideas that would make a good classroom auction/art project, even if they are not suitable for your class?

If you have any questions, please call me at:___________

Thank you,

Parent Auction Chair

Classroom Auction Projects

For an impressive inspirational display of classroom art projects, visit a link to the Rooftop Alternative School in San Francisco. http://mywebpages.comcast.net/rooftop-art/portfolio/auction.html Classrooms with artist parent volunteers can produce spectacular group art objects for their school auctions. I have come across situations in which the parents in charge of classroom art projects were almost forced into the position by default and extremely stressed out by it. The first question is, "what to make". Instead of first looking through magazines and books at other art projects for ideas and asking the teacher and students for input, an alternative is to poll the parent volunteers to see what skills and volunteer time are available to donate to the project, and use those volunteer skills as the basis for selecting a project. Sometimes, it's quite difficult to find volunteers with specific skill sets to help facilitate a project when it is in the process of being implemented. Lining up the volunteers first and selecting a project tailored to their skills, can save a classroom committee parent a lot of anxiety over the year, and make the classroom project enjoyable for everyone. It's likely that some of the parents in a class have basic carpentry, woodworking and tiling skills. This is an example of a project which is not too intrusive on class time, and provides individual distinct student art in the context of a finished piece: a handmade clay tile framed mirror. Ask a parent to place a mirror inside a plywood base. It might be a good idea to install the hanging hardware at this stage. Measure the dimensions of the plywood surrounding the mirror and make dark clay tiles (red clay is always attractive) and cover with white slip to cover the area. (Clay shrinks, so expect a little margin.) Bring the wet tiles into the classroom and have the students do contour drawings through the white slip exposing the dark clay. A variety of nails and paper clips make good drawing tools. A possibility may be to have a theme based motif and have the students draw the images first on paper. After the tiles are dry, have them fired to bisque. The students many then paint a few layers of glaze on their tiles. Fire again. The finished tiles are ready to incorporate into the mirror. Arrange the tiles in a visually pleasing manner. Some will be darker (more white slip will have been removed in the drawing process) than others. Think of the over all balance and weight of the design when arranging the tiles. Lay the tiles in a bed of tile mastic. If you decide to grout, be careful not to cover the face of the tiles with grout, as detail will be lost. Finish the edge with a wood frame stained a color compatible with the color of the darker clay. This is one example of the direction one may go if parent volunteers offer carpentry skills.