ART Grade 1 Teaching Guide

Unit 4: FOURTH QUARTER

SCULPTURE AND MIXED MEDIA

Lesson 23: Papier Mache

Lesson Summary

Art History/ Art Production Art Criticism/ Art Appreciation

Connecting Creating Looking and Seeing Appreciating
All sorts of things can be Create spheres and Explaining the Newspaper can be
made out of paper. a pendant using material they used for used as art material,
Cards, plates and cups, papier mâché. building a certain and it is good for the
even toys! space in the house. environment because
it minimizes waste!
Before there was plastic, Seeing form and
children made toys out of texture in
paper. Architecture.

Papier Mâché is one such

technique. This is a
French word for “chewed
paper” or paper pulp.

TIME ALLOTMENT: 3 sessions (120 minutes)

OBJECTIVES
The learner will:
1. Def ine the given art vocabulary.
2. Sculpt using papier mâché (shredded newspaper soaked in paste or glue)
3. Explore papier mâché as an alternative to clay.

ART VOCABULARY
Sphe re: A round three dimensional figure that is basically a ball. Somet hing that is
shapes like a sphere is referred to as spherica l.
Oval: Like the shape of an egg.
Papier Mâc hé: Material that is basically paper, water, and flour; sometimes it is paper,
water, and glue.
Penda nt: The thing or shape that hangs from a necklac e.

Elements and Principles

1. Form and Shape - Animals have different shapes.
2. Texture – the texture of animals depends on their covering: fur, feathers, scales, hair.

Materials

1. Old newspaper, for the work surface. Old rags may also be used.
2. Old newspaper, torn into 1” x 1” pieces.
3. Papier Mâché paste (make beforehand)
o To make:
Mix 3 parts warm water to 1 part flour. One cup of flour, for example,
should be mixed w ith three cups of water. The mixture should result in
something that resembles a milky and lumpy paste.
Cornstarch or gawgaw can also be used, but this must be cooked first.
ART Grade 1 Teaching Guide

Another mixture would be 2 parts glue to 1 part water. If using 2 bottles of

glue, for example, use the same bottle to measure 1 part of water. Paste
made of glue and water stores for an indefinite period of time.
4. Big plastic or glass bowls, for the paste. Small basins, or timba, may be used.
5. Plastic spoons, or scoops for scooping paste. A small plastic cup may also be used.
6. Containers like bowls or tabo for the torn strips of newspaper, one for a group of four
children.
7. Plastic straws. One per child. Straws can be cut in half or thirds in case there isn’t
enough.
8. Wash bucket
9. Rags for cleaning the work surface
10. Rags for drying hands.
11. References:
o Taka – Papier Mache horses or chickens from Paete, Laguna.
o Human figures from Paete, Laguna

Set Up

Clear the area so students can work on the floor.

Students will work in groups so materials and the paste mixture can be shared.

Motivation

Form a big circle. Show actual Taka or papier mâché figures from Paete, Laguna; or pictures of
these items. Pass the item, or picture, around and ask each student to give a one word
description as to what it looks like, feels like, its weight, and its use.

Explain the term papier mâché, and exp lain that it is one of the things people can do to minimize
waste – recycle newspapers into toys, decorations, or even Christ mas ornaments! In Paete, the
common animal is the colorful red toy horse, but they make other animals, like dogs, cats, even
giraffes.

Procedure

1. Do the MOTIVATION (above)

2. Divide the students into small groups. Lay a thick layer of newspaper or newspaper w ith a
piece of cloth on top. This will absorb excess liquid from the pulp.
3. Put one bowl of paste, in the center of each group. The paste is for sharing. Add one
plastic spoon or plastic cup to the paste bowl.
4. Distribute the basins of newspaper squares to each student (if there is time, let them
shred the newspaper). Distribute rags also, one per group, in case anyone will need to
wipe their hands during the activity.
5. Distribute the straws.
6. Have each student take a turn in scooping a small amount of paste and putting it on top of
their newspaper squares.
7. Instruct the students to squeeze paste into the newspapers by taking handfuls of
newspaper and paste and squeezing them together until the mixture becomes like clay
with texture. Add paste as needed (3 or 4 students can work on an animal).
8. When the pulp is done, have the students shape the pulp into a sphere about the size of
their hand. Unlike clay, pulp cannot be rolled around on the palm. The students will have
to push or lightly squeeze the sphere into its form.
9. Have them lay the sphere on the newspaper and then shape it to the animal shape they
want. They can make leags of the animals by rolling the newspaper andtaping it to the
ball.
ART Grade 1 Teaching Guide

NOTE: The animal shape w ith legs should be finished before they cover it with
papier mâché.
10. Cover the ball shape of the animal with several layers of pieces of paper with glue.
11. If there is pulp left over, have the students make as many spheres as they can, or flat
circles if they prefer.
If the students are flattening their spheres to make pendants, remind them to put
holes in the circular pulp.
12. After they have covered the animal shape, they can lay them on the newspaper to dry, or
they can place them on a shelf or under the sun so it dries quickly.
13. Have the students write their name on the newspaper.
14. Clean the work area, and return the materials to the teacher. If there is paste left over,
these may be stored. Wash and dry hands.

Processing, Evaluation

Have the students describe what the newspaper felt like before it became pulp.
Then have them describe what it felt like while they were making the pulp; and what the
newspaper felt like after the pulp was finished.

Talk about the shapes and forms of the animals they made.
Explain to the students that it will take a while for the pulp to dry completely, and only when the
papier mâché animal is dry can they paint it.