Altered Books in the Middle School Fall 2003

To create altered books with my middle school students I decided I wanted all the books to be alike so that each student would have the same challenges. I chose almost new reading text books that were going to be discarded. On the inside cover the assignment was to trace their hands, then color them any way they wanted using markers. Acrylic paint was used on the background, and their name was then applied using the tape transfer method.

Carley                                                                     Kent

The second assignment students were to create 2 techniques - melted crayons on a hotplate or marled paper with shaving cream. They then chose their favorite paper and glued it in their book. I took their picture with the digital camera and they colored them in unreal colors to complement their background. The blank page I called their "graffiti page". Using markers and colored pencils they "finished" the page, doodling, writing their name, autographing each other's book, or whatever else they chose to do.

Mollie  - Melted Crayons                                               Carley - Marbled Shaving Cream

<- Renee did this spread, which is still in process. We made pockets and flaps using a limited pallette. They were then to personalize the spread by adding interesting pictures, momentos, and whatever else they wanted.

The assignment for this spread was to choose one picture from their book and complete the spread, using that picture as inspiration. Trina's picture had baking items, so she glued down plastic silverware, a recipe card, napkin, and real flour! Micah glued wiggle eyes on his manatee's, then glued down real sand and some "treasures" on his ocean floor.

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