This is a unit where I am learning just as much as the kids! 3rd grade classes are working on one of two projects right now. They are either working on a life size multimedia self portrait or a portrait in the style of Picasso’s cubist period. Last year I did the Picasso lesson with 3rd graders. I think they liked it, but I wasn’t satisfied with the results of the craypa portraits. So this year I changed the portrait project to a life sized self portrait. We traced each other and are making torn paper faces/ features. Then students have a choice of media to complete their clothes, hair and backgrounds of the portraits. They can use watercolor paint, tempera paint, collage, fabric, marker, pencils, crayons. I wanted to give them a lot of choices to express themselves. We started the new project with 3 classes and it has been challenging for the kids. They are turning out well, but I think some are struggling with the torn paper part and its taking way longer than I thought it would. So, I changed course with the other 2 classes and went back to Picasso but with a larger scale portrait project using paint. I think the kids are having way more fun with the large scale Picasso portraits so that will be the keeper for next year! I love teaching when things don’t go as planned and I have the chance to fine tune projects until the kids let me know we are on track again! Either way, the students are getting a great portraiture experience. When we are done, I will flip flop projects on a smaller scale- so the classes that did large Picasso portraits will do a small self portrait and the classes that did a large scale self portrait will do a smaller scale Picasso. That way no one will miss any content or opportunities!