Footballs galore. Footballs galore. Activity overview. Materials. Key Learning Area The Arts. Year levels Years 3 4. Time required

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1 Key Learning Area The Arts Year levels Years 3 4 Activity overview Students create a three-dimensional life-size Australian football using papier-mâché or Modroc (plaster fabric strips). They will need to pay attention to the size, shape and texture of a real Australian football and observe details such as seams, laces and written text. Students also research the designs for their Australian football. They may look at team colours, logos, and mascots. Once the design is complete, students will transfer their artwork onto their Australian footballs using a variety of techniques and processes. Time required Using papier-mâché method: Approximately five hours One session for discussion of activity and creation of the Australian football support structure or base Three sessions for construction using papier-mâché while papier-mâché is drying, students can research their Australian football surface designs One session to transfer or apply designs and finish Australian footballs. Using Modroc method: Approximately four hours One session for discussion of activity and creation of the Australian football support structure or base Two sessions for construction using Modroc while Modroc is drying, students can research their Australian football surface designs One session to transfer or apply designs and finish Australian footballs. Note: time can be saved by using balloons or inexpensive plastic Australian footballs as a support structure. Materials Plenty of recycled newspapers Masking tape and sticky tape Balloons or inexpensive plastic Australian footballs Chicken wire, wire cutters, and wire thread (if needed) Class set of pencils, coloured felt-tip markers, black fine point markers, paint sets and brushes Scissors

2 Rope or string A variety of papers, including tracing paper, crepe paper and tissue paper for decoration An enlarged A3 copy of the AFL Mascots (black and white) provided in the Resources section of the AFL CD-ROM Papier-mâché paste (if using this method) Modroc 10kg box (if whole class is using this method) Scissors to cut Modroc fabric strips(only use a couple of pairs as the plaster makes them blunt) Water in tubs for Modroc Art smocks Skewers to make holes in papier-mâché or Modroc Plastic drop sheets for the tables Varnish or acrylic sealing spray (teacher use only) Preparation Australian footballs can be made out of papier-mâché or Modroc. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Papier-mâché is relatively cheap but it takes longer to build up layers, as each layer needs to dry completely before the next is added. If you choose to make footballs this way, the research of design elements can be done while the layers are drying. Papier-mâché also involves lots of cleaning and packing up of construction materials. Modroc dries hard quickly, making the football bases easy to complete in one double lesson. The room needs to be well-ventilated and students need to be reminded not to shake Modroc, as the plaster dust can become airborne. Modroc is also a little costly. Construction stage: Tables need to be covered with protective drop sheets as both papier-mâché and Modroc can get messy. Ensure students have easy access to the construction materials. Papier-mâché method: To make the paste, mix one part flour with about two parts water until you attain a consistency similar to thick glue. Mix well to remove all lumps. Mix in a few tablespoons of salt to help prevent mould. Use immediately or store in an airtight container for a short period. Tear recycled newspapers into strips. Papier-mâché works better if the paper is torn, not cut, as it is easier to manipulate and sticks better. Modroc method: Pre-cut the fabric strips into smaller strips and put in tubs on each table alongside tubs of water.

3 Design and decorating stage: Ensure students have access to computers, pencils, coloured felt-tip markers, paints, brushes, water tubs for washing brushes, fine liners, tracing paper, coloured paper, crepe paper, tissue paper, scissors and glue. Enlarge the AFL team mascot sheet to A3 and display in the room. Students may use this as a starting point for their designs. Activity steps 1. As a class, look at an Australian football and discuss its features: its shape, size, colour, texture, seams, laces, pump tube and text. Ask: Why does a football have this particular shape and attributes? Ask students how they could make a copy of this football. Brainstorm ways of creating the oval shape without using leather. Discuss what covering might be used on the structure to give it strength and durability. Discuss what things could make a football look unique to a particular Australian Australian football team. Ideas might include team colours; patterns that reflect the team; a team s mascot or logo; and written text about the team. Collate all the ideas from the class discussion and display them on a poster around the room for students to reflect on during the activity. 2. Taking into account the correct size and shape of the football, students construct the base by either: scrunching up newspaper and then taping it together using a balloon to create a base, then using some scrunched up newspaper and tape to create the oval using chicken wire cut to size and shaped into an oval. Wire may also be used to hold a scrunched up newspaper form together. Chicken wire tends to work better for larger, more intricate structures/forms but takes more time to construct. Students would need to explore the properties of manipulating chicken wire, how to join ends ensuring no sharp sections of wire are sticking out and how the structure keeps its shape without collapsing. Additional adult supervision may be required if using the chicken wire option as a base structure. 3. Once the base is formed to the correct size and shape, students need to cover the footballs to give them strength, durability and a smooth surface on which to display their artwork. Use either papier-mâché or Modroc to cover the base shape. Papier-mâché method Dip one piece of newspaper at a time into the paste. Hold newspaper over the tub and squeeze off excess paste. Stick newspaper over the base form to form the first layer. Make sure it is smoothed down. Repeat this step by overlapping the newspaper in a crisscross method to form a second layer.

4 If holes need to be put in for the laces, do this while the papier-mâché is wet. Once one layer is completed, allow 24 hours to dry before repeating these steps. Repeat until there are at least three layers or the student is happy with the desired thickness of the layers. If students are having difficulty working out if they have completed a full layer of papier-mâché around the ball, students can use different colours of paper for each layer or shade the surface with a colour pencil after each layer to show the gaps that need to be covered. Allow to dry before adding the artwork. Modroc method: Dip one plaster fabric strip into the water. Hold plaster fabric strip over water tub and squeeze off excess water. Apply to form and smooth down. Continue placing the strips onto the form, overlapping each strip in the crisscross method. Once form is completely covered, add extra layers to strengthen the structure. Usually three layers are plenty. If holes need to be put in for the laces, do this while the Modroc is wet. Students may also be able to create the look of laces using the Modroc fabric pieces twisted and crisscrossed. Allow to dry before adding the artwork. 4. While their footballs are drying, students should plan the decoration of their footballs. They may log onto the official AFL team websites to find ideas. They may reflect back to class discussion ideas, such as the football being decorated in team colours, a pattern that reflects their team, or even written text about their team. 5. Once the design is complete, students need to transfer designs onto the footballs using either tracing paper or freehand. Students need to work out what medium they are going to use to complete the artwork on their footballs. Paint works well as both papier-mâché and Modroc may have a textured surface. 6. Once dry, seal the footballs with varnish, let dry and display the footballs in the classrooms or hallways around the school during the football season.

5 Assessment ideas Take note of how students observe and describe their Australian footballs. Observe how students are able to plan and create the artwork. Have the students been able to select, arrange and make choices about how they put their artwork together? Have the students developed skills and techniques for creating three-dimensional forms, cutting straight, tracing, drawing designs and pasting? Are students able to combine a range of skills and techniques? Are they able to discuss characteristics of their artwork with others? Can students select the most appropriate techniques for an effective piece of art? Optional extension Teachers can link the football shapes with a period or style of art. Students complete the football structure as per the steps detailed. Then teachers can introduce a theme or period of art and/or a particular culture. Students then paint and decorate their footballs in that style. For example, they may look at Aboriginal art and be inspired to create similar designs and symbols. Chicken wire can be used to make a display stand for the football or footballs.

6 AFL Mascots