Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Pinwheels for Peace

This is the second year we have participated in Pinwheels for Peace.



Last Spring I came across some old overhead transparencies, I had trying to think of a way to make our pin wheels water proof. We have an accu-cut machine, with a pinwheel die cut. So I cut them out, before they decorate them. So I tried colors on them with Sharpies. So that is what I gave them to color we had time crunch because we don't start school until after Labor Day. To assemble the pinwheels we punched holes in drinking straws, wrapped twisty one end around the straw and the other through the hole, then put free end through the middle of the pinwheel and layered the corners on the wire on topped it off with a bead to hold it in place. The students slipped the straws over skewers that we had placed in ground in the shape of a peace sign,


They looked beautiful glittering in the sun light I left them out for about 5 days, the students said they brought family over to see theirs over the weekend, it was a nice project.



2 comments:

  1. Good for you for doing this! It's such an awesome project. We did them for three years in a row; I posted about it here: http://plbrown.blogspot.com/2010/08/celebrate-peace-with-pinwheel-art.html
    I didn't do it this year due to lack of help for assembly, and a lack of support within the school to continue it.

    Curious - are you going to NYSATA this year? I'm scheduled to teach 2 workshops. It would be fun to see blogger-buddies in person.

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  2. Phyl -I am found that assembling with the strawsand twisty wire to be very easy and one very helpful 4th grade class did about 6 classes worth (about 120 pinwheels), after doing their own in one 40 minute class. They were really a big help. The teacher at my school think it is a wonderful program, they took the students out during the morning to "plant" their pin wheels.

    I am not planning to go to NYSTA this year, I am still kinda thinking about it, but I don't usually go 2 years in a row. Last year was the first time in 5 years. I am thinking about the NAEA and I know I can't do both. I used your blog in my art teacher sharing today at a model schools art committee meeting. I shared this blog and then, I showed yours as 1 of my favorites, and as the blog and blogger that got me hooked on art education blogs.

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