What can you create from a cardboard box or two? This is what we asked our students for the last two weeks in February. Our school stops academics for two weeks and offers mini courses. One mini course is always for the theater department to prepare for the METG drama festival. For the non-theater kids, we change the course offerings each year, and they pick two classes--one for each week. This year I was offering Cardboard Creations with the physics/chemistry/math teacher. The first week is four days because of Presidents' Day and the second week was supposed to be five days, but we had a blizzard so it turned out to be only three days.
I started each week by showing the kids videos from this handout--Cardboard 101. I also shared the handout digitally with them. I also gave them a bunch of links to ideas for cardboard creations. The first video showed the strength of cardboard and talked about how corrugated cardboard was strong in one direction but not the other. We had to remind students of this fact a couple of times. I also showed them the video on rounding and folding cardboard. The school had purchased Makedo Tool Kit for a previous time this class was offered, but most of the kids were not very interested in it. One student did try out the screws that came with it and the most useful tool in the tool kit for my kids was the scoring wheel and the point on all the tools that could be used to poke a hole in the cardboard.
Supplies:
We gathered cardboard and many parents were happy to bring in their boxes for us. We had scissors and box cutters. The art teacher also provided some mats to use the box cutters on without damaging my desks. We also used hot glue guns and bought a box of glue sticks. We also bought quick dry clear craft glue, paint and paint brushes. Then it was up to the kids to decide what to make.
Projects:
Week 1:
I decided to make a project each week with the kids. I find if I am doing it the kids can get more into it too. Most of the kids came in with an idea of what they wanted to make. The first week we had many big projects including a set of shelves that I forgot to get a picture of and a tower and a human size key character from a video game.
I decided to make a three-dimensional giraffe picture. My inspiration came from My Art Lesson's post called Cardboard Project Inspiration. The three-dimensional part was using layers to have it coming off the page. I used two pizza boxes and a few other things like a tissue box to create this.
One student decided to make a suit of armor with sword and shield. He later painted it green, so we call it his goblin outfit. But he kept the shield with the pizza box logo.
I also have a student who really wants to live in the woods in Northern Maine. He came in wanting to create a map of Maine on the flag of Maine. It came out pretty good.
Another student made this house/village. The house has furniture inside, but they didn't tell me they needed lights until Friday, or I would have brought them in for the display. The details are amazing!!
Some of the other projects include this lion dance mask which has fabric attached to cover the body and a piece of modern art that never got painted. The village above eventually sat inbetween them.
Here is a model of a student's house as well as the green goblin armor and the tower.
Week 2:
Our second week had students who wanted Cardboard Creations as their first choice. They were given the second week because it was supposed to be five days. Unfortunately, Mother Nature did not agree and sent the Blizzard of 2026 which gave us two snow days. However, the kids came in ready to create. We started in the same way. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but one of the artistic kids who is close to me suggested I do a cardinal. They even drew me a sketch to start planning my project.
I worked with it and did my own thing. It included some papier mache. Several of the kids wanted me to teach them to papier mache this week.
I struggled with trying to get the coloring right, but I think I did all right. After I finished her, I wanted to give her something to stand on because she was not very stable. I found a small box that was perfect.
I got some round black beads for her eyes from the art teacher. Her wings actually flap too! Here is her face.
Now, the student who made the sketch for me is very into oceanography. They made two different sharks and a sea star. Plus, an apple shelf!! There was a shark made the first week, but the student got sick and painted it at home.
The student told me the specific species of the sharks made but I don't remember. The sharks required papier mache.
The apple shelf was a quick project while waiting for the papier mache to dry. All four of these projects were made in three days!
Another student made this deer head. This student is very into taxonomy. I love how the deer head came out.
It looks even better from the side!!
This student also made a nice front of a castle. I somehow didn't get a photo of it though. Another student worked on this sword that is from a video game. A student wanted to be knighted with it so that happened.
Another student did several projects but I loved the creativity of this TV head. The black and white screen is a mesh that got painted.
Another student made this spaceship. He also had made one of the Star Wars like creatures using the Makedo tools!
There were also masks made as well as some fun creatures like a cow and Snoopy. This boat that is from Percy Jackson was one of my favorites from the week. It wasn't completed with painting yet.
So, what can you create with a box or two? This was a fun project, and it was really interesting to see the kids create such different things! Plus, it was a great use of all those Amazon boxes that came in and the pizza boxes from Friday Pizza.
