Activity 4: Window/Mirror Panel - Lean on Me
Part of Windows and Mirrors, Grades 4-5
Activity time: 10 minutes
Materials for Activity
- All participants' Window/Mirror Panels
- Leader Resource 1, Window/Mirror Lean on Me Figures
- Paper or card stock, cut to a size that can be placed within Window/Mirror Panels
- Optional: Paint and paintbrushes, pastels or other art media
- 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
- Copy Leader Resource 1 for all participants, at a size to fit on their Window/Mirror Panels, on paper you would like them to decorate and attach to their panels. Or, you could copy it onto heavier paper to make a few templates for participants to share.
- Have materials easily accessible.
Description of Activity
Invite the children to bring their Window/Mirror Panels to work tables. Distribute Window/Mirror Panel basket(s) and the handouts or templates you have made from Leader Resource 1.
Explain that in this piece of the Window/Mirror Panel they may express their relationship with another person in terms of support they have given, have received or wish to give or receive in a mission or calling. You might say:
Think of a mission of yours that someone else believes in enough, and believes in you enough, to give you extraordinary support to accomplish. Or, think of someone whose mission or calling you have enough faith in to make some sacrifices of your own to help them accomplish. You might even think of a shared mission, in which you and another person support each other.
Tell children they may use writing or any materials available to transform the Lean on Me figures to represent the scenario of support. Point out that the two figures are mirror images-even though the mission may have begun with one of them, they are in fact mutually supporting each other.
Suggest children cut out the figures to get started. Some might like to fold their piece of paper in half and line up the folded edge to the line down the middle of the template where the two figures' backs meet. Then they can trace just one figure, cut out the outline except for the back, and unfold the paper to have a mirror image.
Alert the group when they have just a few minutes to finish their work and put away their Window/Mirror Panels.