We are the world: Painting flags of the world

I love art. You all know that after reading my last post. I am a big advocate of art and creativity in the classroom and I'm currently working on an article for a journal about art and equity -- (I'll keep you posted!).

Anyway, last week, some of the vocabulary words were cultural: Spanish, Italian, Brazilian. We read a story about some toys from these backgrounds and talked a bit about different countries.
I decided to expand the lesson and create an Art assignment out of it.
Here's what I did:

I made a powerpoint slideshow of different flags and a map of the world. Then I took some photos from my travels and had the kids guess where the pictures were from based on what they knew about countries and places all over the world (haha, most places were Canada... but whatever).

I stopped the slideshow on a big screen filled with 25 flags. I have 21 kids in my class so I told the kids that each one could pick a different country and make a flag of that country. A lot of the kids wanted to paint a flag of Brazil because they love "football" (soccer for those of you who know the real term...) and they knew Brazilian footballers (soccer players). Sidebar: I teach British curriculum. 

Anyway, I had made note of behaviour and grading that week and picked the top seven students to pick their favourite flag first. (I KNEW they'd all want certain countries: Canada, UAE, Brazil, and any easily painted flag.. haha).

So yes. Also, the students who really, really wanted to do the same flag, I asked them a skill testing question from the week's lesson and the student with the answer got to do that flag.
It had also been a rough week in terms of behaviour. The students who did NOT behave did not get to paint. Also, the students who bombed any test that week did not get to paint. They could choose from pencil crayons and construction paper, but ALL my kids love to paint, so everyone wanted to paint, obviously. Hey! Smarten up and don't make me develop an ulcer and y'all can paint, assholes!

It was a really successful lesson.
 Some of the flags

As they painted and created, they asked me questions about their countries and discussed things amongst themselves. I love when my kids just talk for the hell of it and correct each other's grammar. It makes me smile!

At the end of it, I took some pictures, and now our Art board is colourful! I love it.

ALL the flags on the wall. 

Hey girl, heyyyyy!

The lovelies and their flags. "Moh Omar, America is upside down."

First attempt. HAH! "Look at the camera!! Moh Omar! Turn America around!"

"Flags of the worrrrrrld" screamed 2Y directly into Ms. Sarah's eardrums.

"Omar! Alright... that's fine... America is upside down."

"Miss, why she do that to Spain?" (at the weird decals W added to the Spanish flag). HAH!

Once again I had a happy art class. This was a good one. Very little yelling and not very many "Miiiiiss, he look at me! MIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSS, he break my flaggggg!!!" so that was positive.

Until next time, when I attempt to make a 3D craft with my kids. God help me...
- The artsy Wun