Mandalas

On Monday, I had a substitute teacher, and I left her instructions to do mandalas with the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students. I gave her images of Indian mandalas, instructions on how to explain radial symmetry, and a few step-by-step example posters I had made. When I got to school later, I was really impressed with the beautiful work my students had done for the sub!

Below are some of their pictures. The first 4 are by 6th graders, and the last 4 are by 4th graders. The middle ones are all by 5th graders. They are marker on white paper (copy paper cut into a square (8 1/2 by 8 1/2).

I had initially planned to have the sub show a YouTube movie on mandalas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiYmZNIPpeo&feature=related), but unfortunately the subs at my school do not have computer access. I student taught in a school corporation where the subs each had a guest log-in so they could show movies, slide shows, etc., but my school doesn't do that. So, I'll have to use that video myself sometime. The students' mandalas turned out so nicely that I'm planning on doing mandala printmaking with my 4th graders in a few weeks!

These are the example posters I left with my sub. After I drew each step (with a black sharpie), I copied it on the copy maker  Mandalas are very easy if you just follow the simple rule of radial symmetry. Something simple like a swirl, loop, or teardrop becomes very ornate when repeated multiple times!