global projects

Experimentation and Creativity with #awesomesquiggles

I came across the Awesome Squiggles project while taking part in the online conference Ditch Summit, hosted by Matt Miller.  I love this project for many reasons.  First, it gives students an authentic audience beyond the four walls of their school.  Second, it provides an opportunity to connect with and learn from other students around the world.  For my students, some of whom have never been outside their small town, this is an amazing opportunity.  Finally, the rules regarding their work of art are simple and awesome.  You can use any materials you want and create any image you want, as long as you can still see the four original squiggles.  Brilliant!

My students spent the afternoon trying out different materials.  We had some chalk pastels, pencil crayon, crayon, marker, paint, and water colours.  I was out of the room, released to work on IEPs (Individual Education Plans), but I had to come back in a few times.  Each time, students couldn’t wait to show me what they had created.  They created all kinds of interesting things!  Most of them created with one medium the first time and then tried something new the second.  It was awesome!

He used chalk pastel on the left and pencil crayon (possibly with some marker) on the right.

My personal favourite moment was when I came in the room and one of my students was asking for white glue.  I had no idea what she had in mind, but I got it out and handed it over.  I came back to discover that she had put glue down and then used chalk pastel shavings almost like glitter to create her art.  How original!

This was the result.  It looks kind of cool and the texture in person is awesome.

There were many original works of art.  I have shared some of them in a gallery format here.

I very much look forward to re-visiting Awesome Squiggles with my students in April.  I’m excited to see what new things they try, and we are all excited to meet another class from around the world.