Port Hope students use their 'heads' in colorful project
Published 7:00 pm, Sunday, October 30, 2005
PORT HOPE Juniors and seniors in Kathryn Hess's English Literature class let a recent colorful, artsy project go straight to their heads.
Well, it wasn't their own heads they actually were ceramic heads donated by another teacher that students used as a canvas to create dramatic court jesters from the Renaissance period.
Hess's literature class researched the Medieval period from 1000 to 1450 and the Renaissance period from 1450 to 1600. Hess wanted her students to do a fun project to coordinate with their research, and the ceramic heads popped into the picture when fellow teacher Judy Lubeski received 60 of them from someone in the community.
After a day of researching, discussing, and sharing ideas, Hess's 29 students went to work on painting their heads to look like court jesters. They used paint, which also was donated by Lubeski, along with glitter, construction paper, fabric, tissue paper, and ribbon. Students also created playful hats for their jesters.
When they were finished, each jester had its own unique, vivid character.
"It was a very successful project," Hess said. "The students put in their own personality, and no two jesters are alike."
Hess's English literature students weren't the only ones using their heads to create lively artwork. Lubeski's seventh- and eighth-graders used 18 ceramic heads to compose creepy, kooky Halloween characters.
The jesters and Halloween characters will be on display during the upcoming parent/teacher conferences, where parents can see how Port Hope students truly have a "head" for creative, distinctive projects with plenty of character.