Need ideas for very low-budget school projects

[uaru99]

I must arrange several craft projects for 300 or so students, aged 10 to 16. Students will meet for 1 hour over 5 days. The students have never done any crafts, so even common ideas are okay (it needn't be fresh or original).

I have a total budget of $30 budget for all materials and need some activities that will capture the interest of both boys and girls.

Do you have any ideas?

[shadowdancer]

1. crayons, manila paper, thinned black tempera paint: have students create doodles/patterns over entire paper using multi colors of crayons, paint thinned tempera over entire sheet, produces batik like patterns

2. toothpicks and hot glue: students put together components to make a sculpture.

3. colored tissue paper/pipe cleaners/scissors: cut 4" squares out of tissue paper prior to event, demonstrate folding the square in half and half again, cut on fold similar to making paper snowflakes but instead cut petal shapes. take pipe cleaner and make a loop at one end, take one layer of cut petal tissue and push straight end of pipe cleaner through center. slide to end of pipe cleaner where loop is, hold pipestem loop down and crush tissue layer around the loop in your fist, continue putting additional layers of tissue onto pipestem, crushing each layer over previous layers (usually about 4 or 5). Turn pipestem upright, take fingers clawlike into center and gently separate layers spreading out to create a fairly beautiful flower. can cut pipestems in half to make supplies go farther.

4. acrylic paint/rocks: paint pet rocks add eyes/feathers/yarn/glitter or not

5. long tapestry needle/paper plates/yarn/beads/scissors/paint/crayons: Masks, cut templates of different styles prior to event, color/paint as desired, cut length of yarn/string tie around bead with needle in other end of yarn, push through one side, fit to head pushing through second side tie end with bead.

$30 isn't alot for 300 kids, can do more if you accumulated recycled items prior to event

[uaru99]

Originally Posted by shadowdancer

1. crayons, manila paper, thinned black tempera paint: have students create doodles/patterns over entire paper using multi colors of crayons, paint thinned tempera over entire sheet, produces batik like patterns

2. toothpicks and hot glue: students put together components to make a sculpture.

3. colored tissue paper/pipe cleaners/scissors: cut 4" squares out of tissue paper prior to event, demonstrate folding the square in half and half again, cut on fold similar to making paper snowflakes but instead cut petal shapes. take pipe cleaner and make a loop at one end, take one layer of cut petal tissue and push straight end of pipe cleaner through center. slide to end of pipe cleaner where loop is, hold pipestem loop down and crush tissue layer around the loop in your fist, continue putting additional layers of tissue onto pipestem, crushing each layer over previous layers (usually about 4 or 5). Turn pipestem upright, take fingers clawlike into center and gently separate layers spreading out to create a fairly beautiful flower. can cut pipestems in half to make supplies go farther.

4. acrylic paint/rocks: paint pet rocks add eyes/feathers/yarn/glitter or not

5. long tapestry needle/paper plates/yarn/beads/scissors/paint/crayons: Masks, cut templates of different styles prior to event, color/paint as desired, cut length of yarn/string tie around bead with needle in other end of yarn, push through one side, fit to head pushing through second side tie end with bead.

$30 isn't alot for 300 kids, can do more if you accumulated recycled items prior to event

Oh, so many great ideas and all don't seem too complicated! For the toothpick sculptures, I'll see if I can find some material that is longer (maybe straws?), so students can work in groups to make some very large sculptures.