The cost of 33 containers of paint, three packs of plastercraft, and four coils of wire from Sax Arts & Crafts is $470, including shipping and <a target="new" href="http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm" onclick="g_openWindow('http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm', 300, 800, 'fulfillwindow');return false;">fulfillment</a>.
I teach art in a rural eastern North Carolina School. Our student population is approximately 632 with 39% on free or reduced lunch. We have a large percentage of Hispanic students. I feel it is important to teach all of my students about the Mexican culture. Often I will have my Hispanic students help me teach these projects. They love to talk about their country and its traditions. This proposal is for enough plaster strips, wire, and paint for each of my forth and fifth graders to create a Oaxacan-like sculpture of a snake.
Oaxaca is one of Mexico's largest and poorest states yet their folk art traditions are one of the richest. The Oaxacan people have carved toys and masks out of wood for years. The fanciful, exuberant, and brilliantly painted sculptures range from cats and dogs to mermaids and skeletons.
The Hispanic students have graciously offered to bring in examples of these wonderful sculptures to show the other students. I asked these students what materials they thought we should use to make our Oaxacan-like sculptures. Traditionally they are carved from wood. We decided that the most important element of these sculptures is the detailed painting on them and since wood carving is not a possibility with elementary students, we came up with using wire and covering it with newspaper and plaster strips and finally painting them.
All of my students are so excited about creating their own Oaxacan-like sculpture. They so enjoy learning about other cultures and who better to learn from than your friends.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. G. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.