The Red, White, and Blue

Kathy Barbro, art teacher and blogger, has shared a wonderful project that encourages a closer look at what makes this country great—life and liberty. Coupled with a lesson on the Declaration of Independence, the Civil War, and the heroes that stood up for us then and continue to give their lives for us now, this dynamic project can leave a lasting impression on your students. Inspired by the work of Faith Ringgold, specifically her work entitled “Flag Quilt Story”, Barbro has sought to emulate Ringgold’s craft using simple cardstock and magazine cutouts. To begin, provide each student with a flag template printed on an 8.5” x 11” piece of white card stock. You may choose to draw one of your own or simply print out the template provided on Barbro’s blog Art Projects For Kids. Supplying students with a pre-made template ensures that they will be able to start searching through magazines and cutting appropriate scrap pieces right away, saving time, while also creating a more uniform look among projects.

Instruct your students to find blue and red swatches of color, as well as, pieces of magazine type. Encourage them to cut as many as they find. Extras scraps can be collected for a future project or given to other students who were unable to find enough pieces. Have your students paste overlapping scraps to the template to create their own flag quilt story.

ART PROJECTS FOR KIDS: Faith Ringgold Flag Story Quilt

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