Pictures from Last Class 11/13/09

Last class was a great success, so many wonderful books were made. We wanted to have some pictures of the books for the blog so we asked for permission to take pictures of the students work. So here are some examples:
Johnny preferred to just draw so he used one of the National Geographics for reference and drew this wonderful fox.

Antoinette made a journal last week to write in so this week she made a book to draw in.
This book was made in in three phases the front cover which represent how he was when he came in, the middle page showed a picture of the ten commandments that were aiding him in recovery and the back cover showed a man with his feet on the ground which is where he would like to be once he has completed recovery.
April spent last class and a good portion of this class carefully cutting out these images. She told us that the two children she found in a magazine looked so much like her own children that when she saw them she cried. She made this book to write in and one day show to her own children. She also said that she would like to repeat this book making activity with her children.
Patricia was very proud of her first hand made book, she added a couple of pages to draw on but mostly lined pages to write on. She later added a quote on the front cover saying "There are no simple solutions, only intelligent choices."

Hopefully after next week's class we will have more pictures to add.

Book Topic Activities

Here's a list of some book topic ideas that we're going to give to the ICF patients to help them brainstorm what to put in their new handmade books/journals:

A self-portrait of how you would like to see yourself.

A portrait of how you think others see you.

How you are feeling on a particular today.

A portrait of a loved one from memory.

A drawing of your favorite place.

A time-line of your recovery and where you are on that time-line.

Try to draw a point on your time-line everyday.

What makes you happy?

A drawing of a positive happy moment from memory.

If you could give someone advice based on your experience, what would you tell them? 

Be specific.

If you could go back in time, knowing what you know now, what would you tell yourself?

If you would like to try different book making methods, visit www.makingbooks.com.



All of these ideas should help them positively express themselves and their feelings!

Lesson Plan #3

The Book to Begin it All: Importance of the TOC (Table of Contents)

Supplies:
- Yarn
- Paper for book interior
- Cardboard, foam core or stiff paper for cover
- Hole punch
- How to Make Book PDF
- Magazines, Construction paper, collage materials etc.
- Tape, matte medium and glue
- Brushes and cups
-Scissors
- Markers, pens, colored pencils etc.
-Mirrors
-Book Activity List

Activity:
This week we will stress the value of their book as a metaphor for their recovery. We would like to suggest using the book on a daily basis to record their feelings and aid in the recovery process. We would like them to use the book as a window into the past as well as the future by documenting their progress and their goals. The table of contents can be very helpful in reflecting on prior phases of recovery. This week we will give different examples of TOC methods. For new students we will teach them how to make a book, implementing the same technique used in the previous lessons. We will also provide a list of suggested topics for chapters or pages within the book.
Goal:
- Prompt creativity within the pages of their newly handmade books
- Create a positive outlook of themselves through art
-Provide a useful and tangible object to take away from the class (for new students)
- Learn about each other through the common bond of art
- Take a good look at the positive aspects of their situations
- Get out emotions that may be pent up or misunderstood
- Accommodate for our short time with patients
- Introduce a new and handy art making technique
- Create a personal get-away space for thoughts and ideas
For us:
- Stress the importance of organization withi the book to allow for future reflection
- Provide examples of how this book can be a great outlet for emotions and expression outside of class and that it can be easily added to.
- Get to know the clients personally
- Build positive relationships
- Stress the importance of documenting ideas and thoughts
- Gain trust and respect between us and the clients
- Provide a useful object of documentation for the clients to have forever

Lesson Plan #2

The Book to Begin it All: Chapter 1- You
Supplies:
- Yarn
- Paper for book interior
- Cardboard, foam core or stiff paper for cover
- Hole punch
- How to Make Book PDF
- Magazines, Construction paper, collage materials etc.
- Tape, matte medium and glue
- Brushes and cups
-Scissors
- Markers, pens, colored pencils etc.
-Mirrors

Activity:
For this week we anticipate only a few returning students, therefore we will incorporate our previous lesson plan with a new one to add to the books made last week. This week we would like to encourage our returning students to work in the books made last week. We will provide mirrors, drawing supplies and collage supplies and prompt the students to create a self portrait within their book. We do not want to intimidate our students with the daunting task of a hand drawn portrait from a mirror so we will leave the self portrait aspect open ended. The students can collage draw or mix media a portrait of not just what they look like but how they see themselves and want to see themselves etc. For new students we will teach them how to make a book, implementing the same technique used last week.
Goal:
- Prompt creativity within the pages of their newly handmade books
- Create a positive outlook of themselves through art
-Provide a useful and tangible object to take away from the class (for new students)
- Learn about each other through the common bond of art
- Take a good look at the positive aspects of their situations
- Get out emotions that may be pent up or misunderstood
- Accommodate for our short time with patients
- Introduce a new and handy art making technique
- Incorporate 2-D and 3-D materials
- Create a personal get-away space for thoughts and ideas
For us:
- Provide examples of how this book can be a great outlet for emotions and expression outside of class and that it can be easily added to.
- Get to know the clients personally
- Build positive relationships
- Stress the importance of documenting ideas and thoughts
- Gain trust and respect between us and the clients
- Provide a useful object of documentation for the clients to have forever

Lesson Plan #1

The Book to Begin it All

Supplies:

- Yarn

- Paper for book interior

- Cardboard, foam core or stiff paper for cover

- Hole punch

- How to Make Book PDF

- Magazines, Construction paper, collage materials etc.

- Tape, matte medium and glue

- Brushes and cups

-Scissors

- Markers, pens, colored pencils etc.

Activity:

This semester, we have come up with a comprehensive plan to accommodate for the comings and goings of the ICF patients. Because the program is only 30 days long, we have very little time to meet, get to know, and impact the ICF patients. We would like them to take away something that they can keep, cherish and continue to use and expand upon after their stay. So we have devised a plan to make books, simple books that can be added to at any time and personalized to the max. We have researched different book making techniques and have found a simple, cost effective and fun method.

Goal:

-Provide a useful and tangible object to take away from the class

- Learn about each other through the common bond of art

- Take a good look at the positive aspects of their situations

- Get out emotions that may be pent up or misunderstood

- Accommodate for our short time with patients

- Introduce a new and handy art making technique

- Incorporate 2-D and 3-D materials

- Create a personal get-away space for thoughts and ideas

For us:

- Get to know the clients personally

- Build positive relationships

- Stress the importance of documenting ideas and thoughts

- Gain trust and respect between us and the clients

- To prove that we are not pushing an agenda or forcing an idea but rather trying to help and encourage the clients to make art to whatever extent that they are comfortable with

- Provide a useful object of documentation for the clients to have forever

- Explain that this book can be a great outlet for emotions and expression outside of class and that it can be easily added to.