The Japanese Wish Doll

                 Michael Shoulders a fabulous author and friend of mine introduced me to the Daruma doll in one of his presentations when he came to Arkansas.  The doll is a Japanese tradition where one gives the doll to someone to wish them good fortune.  The recipient is to make a wish and color ONLY one of the Daruma's eyes.  When the wish comes true then they may color the second eye and reflect on their good fortune.

Just found the book WISHES which would be another great read aloud to go with this project.

My students created their own paper-mache versions of the dolls, wrote a short story about their wish, painted one eye and are anxiously awaiting their wishes to come true.



ALPHABET SCULPTURES



"A told B and B told C I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree.  Chicka Chicka Boom Boom."  Well this project that I found at Dick Blick has turned into an extremely L-O-N-G project!!  If we ever finish them it will be quite the accomplishment.  They cut their letters out of cereal boxes and used dixie cups and toilet paper rolls to create their letters form.  Then it was paper mache mania!  I have been doing this with 5th and 6th grade and we have gone through a ridiculous amount of paper mache glue.  :)

They started painting this week...so hopefully I will have some cool pieces to share soon.  These are just some clips to get you started.  My plan is to make a giant coconut tree that covers the ceiling in the hall and hang the letters with finish line from the ceiling. We shall see if it works.  Send me any other ideas you might have on displaying them.