Accordion Concept Books

Grade 3

 

Goal: The goal of this lesson is to help students explore the idea of concept books, experimental illustration, and book making. This lesson also helps students learn to weave text and imagery together

 

Objectives

Students will write a concept book

Students will illustrate the book

Students will incorporate their writing and illustration into the design of a simple accordion book

Students will explore concept books (Alphabet books, counting books, books about the seasons, etc)

Students will examine the works of various illustrators who use layering techniques in their work

Students will experiment with watercolors, text, and imagery

 

Content Standard: 1: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes
Content Standard: 2: Using knowledge of structures and functions
Content Standard: 3: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas
Content Standard: 4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures
Content Standard: 5: Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others
Content Standard: 6: Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines

 

 

Materials

Various Concept books

Various illustrated books

2 buckets one for brushes one for hands+soap

vinyl table clothes to cover tables or desks

music

toothpicks

hairdryer

small series of yogurt containers or butter tubs

paper towels

brushes

white sulphite drawing paper -9x12 (2 sheets per student)

rubbing alcohol

q-tips

crayons

toothbrushes

tape

paper plates

stamps

ink pads

markers

pencils

cardboard

colored pencils

chipboard- 5x6.5

strips  (cut from 12x18 paper)-6x18 for each student

glue sticks

popsicle sticks

 

 

 *PRIOR TO BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION OF THE BOOK CHILDREN WILL EXAMINE AND WRITE A CONCEPT BOOK TO ILLUSTRATE. THEY MAY ALSO MAKE A "DRAFT" BOOK TO TRY OUT THEIR ILLUSTRATION IDEAS AND LAY OUT.

Lesson Procedure

DAY 1-experiment with wet media

Introduction of project-share examples of book samples

Talk about non-representational images

Have four stations set up for experimentation

1)    wet into wet and folded mono printing, and alcohol

a.     make paper wet with a spray bottle and then touch various portions with a loaded brush

b.     paint one side of paper with paint and then fold it to achieve a pattern

c.     paint a wet area-using q-tips dipped in alcohol create circles in the paint

Have a hairdryer available to dry paper

2)    stamping with paint

a.     have paint in shallow trays and a variety of non-traditional and traditional materials to stamp with

3)    masking and flicksticks (toothbrushes)

a.     using paper or tape mask off areas on the paper-dip your toothbrush in shallow paint and ÒflickÓ the end of it across the mask. Move the mask and see the results

b.     make a pool of paint on your paper and blow really hard to make a small ÒsplatÓ mark

4)    crayon resist and drawing

a.     draw on your paper with crayons then  paint over it and watch the wax act as a resist

b. have toothpicks available to draw into the paint after it is on the paper

 

Go around to each station to demo each technique. At each station also have an example sheet to remind students what you have shown them.

Also have a few sheets were the techniques are layers.  Play music –change the music when you are ready for students to switch stations

 

Allow students to choose a station

Play music for 5 minute intervals and then when you are ready to switch give a one minute warning and then change the music

 

Allow time for clean up-ask students to label their papers and allow them to dry

 

DAY 2-DRY MEDIA EXPERIMENTATION

            Remind students not to worry about drawing images again. Ask them to look closely at their papers. Find areas that they like and areas that they dislike or find less interesting.

Set up and demo stations

1)    rubbing with crayons and pencils

a.     Have various textures available for students to do rubbings with a  pencil or a colored pencil or a crayon

 

2)    Markers and stencils

a.     Ask students to discover what kind of lines they can draw-fat thin crazy calm, etc. also show them how to use stencils

3)    Stamping with stamps and stamp pads

 

Allow students to spend 5-7 minutes at each station. If you have a large class you may need more than 3 stations

 

After students have played a bit ask them to gather back in a clump or clusters

Have them talk about what they liked the most and what they learned

 

DAY 3  MAKING COVERS AND TEXT BLOCKS

Give each student their dryed papers a pair of scissors and a sheet of scrap paper

First ask students to talk about what they enjoyed the most during the stations and experimental days. Then show them how to make a viewfinder and learn which parts of their papers they like the best

 

Next show them how to choose an area, trim their paper down to make covers and glue it onto the boards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Next have cut off the corners of the decorative paper

 

 

 

 

Finally add glue to the tabs of decorative paper and fold them over onto chipboard

Use a popsicle stick to smooth out bubbles and wrinkles

 

 

 


Repeat this procedure

Have students follow your lead step by step. This is not the most fun way to teach but it is successful in terms of having students create successful covers

 

Next make your text block

 

Take your 6 inch x18 inch piece of paper

Fold it in half end to end

 

 

 

Next fold the ends to the middle

 

 

 

 

 

 


This will equally divide your paper into 4 sections. Each section will be 6 x 4.5 inches

 

Re crease the folds so your paper forms the letter M when it stands on a table

If you want to double your text block length repeat the folding process

And match the two ends of the text block together so that the paper looks like this an M and a W next to each other

 

 

 

 


Cut the side of the w into this shape to make a tab

 

 

Glue the cut ÒwÓ to the M so that the tab is hidden

 

 

 

 

 

You can repeat this sequence as many times as you need in order to make your book have enough pages (remember you can work on the back of the pages as well.

 

DAYS 4 & 5-ILLUSTRATING YOUR STORY(you may need more time for this portion of the constrution)

Show various illustration techniques. Bring out the sample book you showed on the first day and talk about ways that you illustrated your sample book. Share examples of childrenÕs book illustrations and explain different techniques they can use to illustrate their books.

Include straightforward drawing

Collage

Thick and thin lines

Value, size and shape for depth

Working with text

And mixing media-remind them of what they learned during the days they made their cover papers. Also show them how they can cut up their scraps and use them to make images.

Tell them not to paint or draw on the part of their text blocks that will be glued. Mark them with an x so children do not get confused. Play soft music to inspire imagery. Go around and talk with each student about their ideas related to imagery. Encourage them to try things out on a scrap of paper before putting it on their text block. If they mess up they can cut a square and glue it on over the mistake.

 

Day 6 ADDING THE TEXT BLOCK TO THE COVERS

Hopefully the illustrations are complete and you are ready to assemble the books

 

First center your text block on one of your covered boards. Add glue to the back of the page and glue down

 

 

 

 

 

 


Next

Fold up the text block and center the second cover over the first cover.

Apply glue to the back page of the text block and press. Open up the book and use your popsicle stick to smooth out edges.

 

 

 

 

 

 


For best results press the books between weighted boards to flatten them.

 

Day 7 SHOW AND TELL

have students share books with one another and talk about their experience. Try to arrange a small exhibit of the books in the school library.

 

* special thanks to Nan Mercier and Suzie McNeil for teaching me how to make accordion books.