These are often the words that my students greet (let’s be honest–bombard) me with me each and every time I enter their classroom for Art.
But hey, it sure beats hearing: “Ugh, not Art with Ms. Hope!” Ouch, right?
Unfortunately, I’ve heard it on far too many occasions as an art specialist (perhaps you have too!). Mind you, those exact words have also toughened me up as a teacher. And now, 12 years later, they don’t haunt my dreams anymore. Well… not regularly, anyway.
All that to say, despite being in the final sprint (14 days left, yahoo!), I haven’t run out of steam–yet. What’s more, the art activities I have been teaching have still been quite engaging and fun.
I haven’t yet put away my printing materials or paints just yet. Quite the opposite, actually. I consciously took them all out knowing that I only see each group 3-5 more times before summer break.
One exciting new project I’m currently wrapping up with my Grade 2 to 4 classes is the Retro Boombox! I knew they’d likely enjoy it but I didn’t realize how much they would LOVE IT.
And I have to say: it’s been rather nostalgic teaching about 80s pop culture to my 8-year-old students who are roughly the same I was during that decade!
Check out their boomboxes for yourself!
Wanna teach this project to your students, too? Just read my simple instructions below, and then sit back and enjoy the ride. You’re welcome.
Retro Boomboxes
- Before even starting the project with your students, spray large white papers with India Ink (in a spray bottle) outdoors.
- Slice these papers into long strips (Mind are 24 inches long, 6 inches wide) to make the floors of the project.
- Have students draw an 80s-styled boom box along with you, as you go through the procedure step-by-step.
Steps & Procedure:
- On a large white paper, draw a narrow rectangle using a ruler and pencil that takes up almost the entire paper.
- Add a carrying handle at the top, round speakers on each end, and a smaller rectangle in the center for the cassette tape.
- Add as many boom box features as possible: AM/FM radio, antenna, buttons, knobs, etc.
- Once all the features have been drawn, trace all pencil lines with a permanent marker and color the boombox using pencil crayons.
- Afterward, contour shapes and features with markers and neon highlighters.
- Once complete, glue a “floor” to the bottom of a large construction paper.
- Then cut out the boombox and glue it on top of both the floor and background.
- Finally, add musical notes around the boombox or coming out from the speakers for that extra touch!
Check out my newest selection of project brochures. They are easy to print, distribute and explain. Most importantly, they allow your students to demonstrate their learning and understanding of the units you’ve just finished teaching them!
➡ One Way Ticket – World Travel Brochure/Pamphlet for Gr. 3-6
➡ Poetry Brochure/Pamphlet – Figurative Language Project for Gr. 3-5
➡ Space Exploration Brochure/Pamphlet for Gr. 3-6
