Template Printed onto Nutral Colored Cardstock
Extra Card-stock (Animal Print is fun)
Glitter Glue
Glue Stick
Markers
Acrylic Flat Backed Rhinestones
Scissors
Feathers
Optional: Elastic String and Hole Punch for holding mask in place.
1.
Cut out mask from template. Cut out eyes. Cut the slits marked at each corner.
2.
Inform students that each little slit will overlap at edges so don't put anything into this area.
3.
Using markers add in some of the design elements. Inform students where the mouth will be. (Children tend to make mouth too low) Have them put it up to their face.
Add other fun design elements. Let Dry.
Left Shows Leopard/Lion mask before stapling.
5.
Lastly fold each slit, I usually slide top slit over the side, and staple.
This is what it looked like when finished - you may choose to add elastic string at the sides (hole punch and tie them)
Important things to Remember.
Don't worry about pencil lines first - markers work great, encourage mistakes to become miracles by making them work out. I find more creativity this way and the masks don't take so long to design.
Don't do great dollops of glue or your mask will take to long to dry - Besides dots look better. Remember more glue means less stickabiltiy!
Your mask need not look exactly like a particular animal, just the idea of an animal. We do this when we study Africa, so I have a number of African Animal pictures to draw ideas from. Many students choose to do combinations of two animals.
I always staple things for younger children - Just explain; "I handle the stapler."
Masks that have some elements that stick out or go beyond the basic shape of the mask will help the mask look fantastic! Ears, Beaks, Trunks, Eyelashes, Manes and other elements are great things that can stand out three dimensionally beyond the basic shape of the mask.
Demonstrate the following: how to curl paper with scissors. How to create a shape that can stand out like a beak with colored cardstock. I also demonstrate how to make some ears and include some way to fold them so they have a small tab at the bottom that can be used to glue the ear and mask together. Encourage creative ideas.
Showing students how to turn and move the paper when using scissors and not the other way around is always helpful, when children manipulate the paper rather than try to turn the scissors it usually works better for hands that are not yet quite as dexterous.
Clean up - I say anything that is larger than a dollar bill we save for another project and anything smaller we can put in recycling. When we finish all materials should be put back and ready to use for next time. This way, that next time is just as fun as this time was! Have FUN creating your Animal Mask!
