Aztec Suns

2nd grade experimented with clay to create Aztec-style suns in our Mexican Art unit. We pinched the sides to create the "rays" and used basic shapes and the "slip and score" method to add facial features. Then we used warm colors to brighten them up.

Calaveras Masks

5th grade amazed us with their paper mache Calaveras masks for our Mexican Art study. I loved hearing stories and facts from our Mexican students and celebrating their culture while educating their classmates. :)

We used plastic mask forms, newspaper, glue, and water. I always just mix regular white glue and water instead of using paper mache mix and I've found it works pretty well. Once they dried we painted our masks with Calaveras designs. Gorgeous results! Way to go 5th grade!

Cactuses & Patterns

1st grade took their knowledge of patterns and colors to create these amazing Mexican cactus paintings! We started with a guided drawing to create the pot and different kinds of cactuses. We added patterns to the flower pot and outlined everything with Sharpie to make our lines bold. After that, we viewed different skies from photographs and tried to recreate what we saw. Thank you Jamestown Elementary blog for the inspiration! 

Video Here!

Oaxacan Animals

4th grade created animals based on the folk art from the Oaxacan region of Mexico. We viewed original Oaxacan animals and created our own from clay. We painted them with bright colors and patterns to look like real Oaxacan folk art. Love the diversity of these animals!