Little Poetry Figures

I have a thing for little boxes.....I save them until I have a class set and then we make something! 

- like valentines
- robots
- puppet boxes
- and many dioramas!

So for this project it started with this little puppet and we then expanded using the concept of having something in the little box that we then reveal.  Earlier in the year we made robots out of Dove soap boxes that had a message inside written by the robot.



This puppet uses a small treat box (Smarties) like the ones you give out at Halloween or in lunches.

Unfold the arms of this puppet and you reveal his dream.

Here are some other ideas using the same size box.......

A bird dreaming of her nest of eggs.........

and a robot dreaming about a vacation.

Materials Required:

- piece of paper and pencil

- a class set of little boxes, containers

- white paint or gesso

- scissors

- tacky glue

- acrylic paint

- odds and ends for embellishments

- hand written or typed text

Procedure:

On the piece of paper sketch out a plan for your figure and one sentence poem.  You need some sort of cover or flap to hide the opening in your box.  I had arms, a wing, and a door.

Take your little treat box and open up flat.  Cut out a little window in one of the large sides.  Paint over the outside with white paint or gesso.

Paint in a little scene for the inside of the box.  If working with young kids just paint in a background.  Add details by drawing/coloring them on plain paper and then cut and paste into place.

Glue box back together.  I use elastics to hold it together when drying. Paint outside of the box with acrylic craft paint. 

Find other pieces for your figure and paint if necessary.  For the robot I painted 4 cubes for the legs, I wound 2 pipe cleaners around a pencil for the arms, and I painted half of a cork for a head.  Look around at what you have on hand.  The kids will amaze you with their ideas.

Glue all your pieces in place.

For the bird I had a pompom head, feather tail and wire feet.

Finally add the text of your poem.

That's it.  You can make a whole collection and you'll never look at a little box the same again!

See you later.