Second Grade Self-Portraits with Mexican "Turquoise" Necklaces

My Alden Elementary Art Curriculum is set up so that all the students, grades K-5, learn about the same artists or cultures throughout the year, but create different art projects that are age/skill specific.  It is great as a teacher who teaches 6 grade levels to create one huge display/learning center instead of 6 different displays, but more importantly, my curriculum was designed this way so that siblings would be able to carry on the art discussion and learning at home.  So many times I'll hear a student say, "My brother is learning about this artist, too!" Or, a parent will let me know that they heard all about an artist at the dinner table and each child had something new to contribute to the conversation.

So, that's why you'll see every grade level doing a project based on the same artist!

Second Grade artists drew beautiful self-portraits, but I have to say that my, and many of the other teachers, favorite part of this project was the Mexican "Turquoise" Necklaces the students added to their self-portraits.

After learning about Frida Kahlo and how she would dress up in lots of fabulous Mexican clothing and jewelry, the students discovered the history and tradition of Mexican turquoise jewelry.  Next, the students mixed turquoise paint with Crayola's Model Magic to create a beautiful "clay" relief pendant that was strung with beads and used to accessorized their self-portraits.

Second Grade Artists coloring their self-portraits...

Picking background papers...

Putting it all together with their homemade "turquoise" necklaces...