Here's a great one for those of you involved in Open Houses - it will raise the enthusiasum for your 'academic' program 100%!

Purchase a box of 500 sheets of tin foil - from a restaurant supply house. (The kind you use to wrap hot dogs.) Students are going to create aluminum sculptures of their favorite balance activities. You may stipulate the number of points that must be touching the ground, or leave it up to them. You may allow two to create together or make it an individual thing. Here are the directions:

1. Each person receives only one sheet of foil - they must pay attention.
2. Fold the foil in half lengthwise
3. Slowly tear out a square on the upper outside corner
4. Tear a narrow, thin rectangle out of the bottom left - folded side.
5. Now you have the division of the head and upper arms and the separation between the legs.
6. Now you must tear a section that forms the lower part of the arms and the upper part of the legs. Remember that you have a folded person, like the old paper dolls you would cut.
7. Make the apendages very wide because you will want to roll and krinkle them to develop depth as you carefully open you creation.
8. You are allowed to use any of the pieces you tore off to develop definition or thickness.
9. The figure must balance on a flat surface when completed.

After they have formed their creations, I cut squares of poster board - 5" X 5" and had them write their name, teacher and grade on one side. I flip them over and put a clump of Elmers' glue for them to place their figure into. When they are dried, I displayed them on tables in the main hallway, where everyone passes. I have beautiful signs that reflected photos of the students creating and the rationale for these interdisciplinary art forms. (I used this with 3-5 students) You will not believe how creative they are. It is also neat to see other students trying the various balances!

Enjoy - it brings further credibility to our discipline!

Submitted by:

Jeanne Fifer (fiferj@OCPS.K12.FL.US )

Middle School Physical Education Specialist

Glenridge Middle School

Winter Park, Fla

Orange County Public Schools

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