Relationship Building

5 Projects to Combat Spring Fever

chalk mural

When the sunshine of spring comes out, behavior tends to disintegrate like the gray piles of snow left in the parking lot.

If you’re like me, then you are looking for something – anything! – to keep your students focused and engaged.

Use any of these five projects to get your kids making art in a way that’s sure to combat the worst cases of spring fever.

1. Interactive Chalk Murals

chalk mural

Forced perspective is fun, but adding chalk makes it even better! I gave my kids chalk and a few examples for inspiration and let them loose on a beautiful day. They loved the assignment, and the results were stunning.

2. Stop-Motion Animation

creating a stop-motion film

Making a stop-motion film is a great group assignment. All your students need is a smartphone. I recommend the free app Stop Motion Studio. (It’s available on iTunes and Google Play.) Next, show them a selection of examples from www.thisiscollosal.com, like the work of Pes or Aug(de)mented Reality. Finally, gather up a selection of materials and start filming.

3. Tape Art Murals

Tape works wonders to create fun and dynamic images anywhere in your school. The best part? It’s cheap and removable, so you can leave the work up for a few weeks and use the space again!

4. Screen Printing

screen printing

The screen filler method of screen printing is quick, easy, and engaging. Students love being able to wear their own designs. Once your students try it, they’ll be hooked!

5. Meme Day!

meme

Memes are humorous images combined with text. Your students love them and will delight in knowing how to make their own. This lesson can be done very easily with a photo-editing app, but it’s also fun to go low-tech. I talked to my students about how memes use juxtaposition, then had them match images cut from newspapers with cut out text. If you try this, make sure to stock up on political images – Trump and Hillary were extremely popular!

You don’t have to sit by and let your students fall victim to spring fever. Instead, be proactive and plan for fun and engaging group activities and have a spring everyone can enjoy.

What projects work for you when the weather is nice?

How do you combat spring fever yourself? Tell us in the comments section!

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melissa Purtee

Melissa Purtee is a high school art educator and a former AOEU Writer. She is passionate about supporting diversity, student choice, and facilitating authentic expression.

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