Native American Buckskin Writing/Craft

Today was awesome.  Have you ever had one of those days where the kids loved an activity so much they keep asking to do more?  (If I wasn't there I may not believe it myself =o) )  I extended the activity to be almost twice as long as originally intended because they were so into it!  Gotta hold on to those activities for next year!  Sadly I forgot to take pictures of the process, but I'll do it on Monday with my 6 (yes, SIX) kids who were absent, and post them for you. 

Until then, here's the process:

1) Build some background knowledge with Native American culture (including ways of passing down culture through storytelling and symbolic writing).

2) Show the kiddos some Native American symbols.  For example: 

3) Have the children write a short story using words (we did this in a spiral notebook).  

4) Take the story through the writing/editing process to the extent that you have prepared the students to be able to do so in class.  

5) Get manila colored construction/art paper.  Tear off all four straight edges to give it a rough-edged look. 

6) On the torn paper have the students write their story IN WHITE CRAYON using the pictures.  (You can choose to have them write English words and periodically exchange a word for a Native American symbol, or just write the story in symbols.  I think they both look awesome!)  Tell the children to write boldly with their crayon.  (Have them write their name on the back in pencil.)

4) Have them crumple up their paper and flatten it out, repeating a few times.  (I found that 3-4 times works best.  Less means it doesn't turn out looking as realistic-looking, and more means the paper gets too soft and the crayon doesn't show up as well when finished.)

5) Paint over the entire paper with brown watercolor paint. 

6) Lay flat to dry.  If the edges curl too much while drying, just stack the papers laying them flat and put a book on them for an hour or so.  They turn out fine. 

7) Cancel any other lessons you have that day...the kids could work through the bell on this one!

8) Hang them in your hallway and be amazed how awesome they look every time you walk by. =o)

Here's a picture to tide you over...

I searched the internet and this is the closest I could find to what our creations looked like when we finished (it'll help you get the idea at least, for now!)

This is the type of thing this art project is supposed to remind us of: