Activity 4: Window/Mirror Panel - Perfectly Me
Part of Windows and Mirrors, Grades 4-5
Activity time: 10 minutes
Materials for Activity
- All participants' Window/Mirror Panels
- Handout 1, Cracked Pot Template
- A variety of color pencils
- Basket(s) of Window/Mirror Panel materials:
- Sheets of Mylar(R) in several colors, shiny gift wrap, aluminum foil and other reflective paper
- Sheets of plain or construction paper
- Scraps of fabric
- Color markers (permanent markers work best on Mylar)
- Glue sticks, tape (including double-sided tape) and scissors (including left-hand scissors)
- Optional: Stick-on sequins, a hole-puncher, yarn, ribbon and a variety of magazines to cut up
Preparation for Activity
- Provide a variety of color pencils in each Window/Mirror basket; make sure all are sharpened.
- Print Handout 1, Cracked Pot Template, for all participants, plus a few extra. Or, print several copies on heavy card stock to make templates participants can use to trace the cracked pot shape on Mylar, fabric, poster board or another material.
- Have materials easily accessible.
Description of Activity
Remind participants about the cracked pot and flaws that might be gifts. Ask them what they consider as the cracks in their lives. What are their features or traits that seem to be flaws, but help make them unique individuals with gifts that can be shared?
Distribute handouts. Invite participants to use colored pencils to add words, pictures, or other decorations that represent their flaws/gifts on their cracked pots. Suggest they put a flaw/gift in each section and then cut them apart to add to their Window/Mirror Panels.
As an alternative, distribute template(s) of the cracked pot. Indicate the fabric, Mylar, or other two-dimensional material onto which participants may trace a cracked pot and then represent some of their imperfections/gifts with appropriate writing/drawing implements. Ask participants to cut out their cracked pots and attach them to their Window/Mirror Panels, either in one piece or as a set of fragments. Let each participant choose where the pieces should go on their panel and offer help as needed.
Give a two-minute warning so everyone has time to affix their cracked pot to their Window/Mirror Panel, clean up materials, and store their panels.
Variation
In the limited time frame, some participants may feel too much pressure to articulate flaws and how they can be blessings. You may want to cut a template along its crack lines to form a puzzle. Give participants the option of tracing the individual fragments onto different colors of Mylar (or different materials altogether), to represent a variety of unique traits that comprise their individual "cracked pot."