African Masks

 As part of a curriculum unit on Africa, I created these African masks with my second grade class.  I wanted to give my students a look at why some people in Africa wear masks and show them how the masks are similar and different from masks worn in the United States.  They were based off of the masks made and worn by the Dogon people. The Dogon live in Mali, West Africa.  Every 13 years the Dogon have a celebration, called a dama, to celebrate their ancestors.  They wear many different masks that look like the animals and people who are important in Dogon life.  These masks are usually made out of wood, and are worn while dancing to drums.  A great website to check out to learn more about Dogon masks is http://pbskids.org/africa/mask/about.html.

The masks I made with my students are obviously not made of wood.  They are made out of laundry detergent bottles that were first cut in half, and then each half was covered with brown bulletin board paper. A helpful tip is to use a box cutter to cut the bottles. It was helpful to cut and cover the masks for the students beforehand.  My students sketched their own face (eyes, nose, and mouth) first in pencil, and then used white, black, and red tempura paint.  It was a success, and they learned that people wear masks for many reasons!