My Favorite “End of Class and We Need Something Fun” Project

The end of the school year usually comes with a couple of school days that didn’t quite fit into the calendar. Final projects and presentations have been completed, but there are still one or two class periods left to fill. Add to that, everyone is tired and just wants to have some fun. When those days come along, try this project that combines creative problem solving with costume design. It’s hands on, encourages student collaboration, and is FUN!

Recycled Fairytale Fashion

Materials

• A supply of tape — something cheap and plentiful such as masking, painters, or duct.
• A large collection of clean, recycled materials: paper, styrofoam, plastic sheeting, foam peanuts, etc.

Instruction

• Assemble students into groups of four. In each group three people will be the Designers and one person will be the Model.
• Tell the groups they will be designing and building the costume for a character from a fairytale. They may choose a character from one of the following tales, or suggest an alternative character (to be approved by you):
  • Cinderella
  • Red Riding Hood
  • Prince Charming
  • Puss in Boots
• Give groups 10 minutes to plan the design of their costume. A Brainstorm Sheet is provided in the download to give students a place to think about the character’s personality, how that can be translated into clothing, and the look the group is going for with their costume. Body silhouettes are also provided so groups can sketch out their ideas.
• Groups will present their finished costume and explain their fashion and design choices. A Costume Breakdown Sheet is provided in the download for students to gather their thoughts.
• Give each group a roll of tape.
• Groups will build a costume on their model using the tape and available recycled materials. The costume can include such items as:
  • Hat
  • Dress
  • Shirt
  • Pants
  • Shoes/boots
  • Cape
• When all groups have completed their costumes, they have five minutes to figure out how they’re going to describe their costume, and how everyone in the group will participate in the presentation.
• It’s fashion show time! Each group will present their costume and describe their fashion and design choices while the Model displays their work.

Help your students start the design process with a set of body silhouettes, a brainstorm sheet, and a costume breakdown sheet. Click below!