The students began the school year discussing learning communities and how we could tell the story of each individual class. The students studied the art of Faith Ringgold and read her book
Tar Beach. They began to work on a self-portrait in a caricature-style. After using a mirror to look at facial details and draw, the students used watercolor techniques to paint their likenesses. Following the self-portrait with a lesson on pattern and design, the children created a frame for their work with their own pattern. All portraits were then hole- punched and strung together with yarn to create a "class quilt." I did this project several years ago with other students and was happy to recycle the idea with improvements..
