Project Title: Mandalas
Description: Students learn what a mandala is, what they symbolize, and how to make one
Author: Ginny Froonjian
Grade level or Target Age Range: Middle School
Historical Art Examples or References: Tibetan monks making mandalas to symbolize prayer, meditation, rebirth, etc.
Vocabulary: Radius, symmetry, meditation, mindfulness
Materials: Graph paper, colored pencils
Anticipatory Set: Discussion about the significance of mandalas (historic, Tibetan monks using them for religious reasons but how we can make one to learn math & to practice mindfulness
Demo/Directions: (Roughly plan amount of time it takes to do each procedure)
1. Pass out graph paper as I ask students if anyone knows what a mandala is (3 minutes)
2. Continue discussion; briefly talk about monks. Make it relevant to the students by talking about how we can use mandalas to understand simple mathematical concepts like symmetry and to practice “mindfulness. Does anyone know what that means?” (6 minutes)
3. Verbally walk kids through starting their mandala. Start with a center circle and walk them through branching petals to get them started. This will help them grasp the concept of what we’re doing. Allow them to continue on their own to create something unique. (until the end of class)
Discussion: Math OR mindfulness-have both prepared and choose based on what the kids are more interested in.
MATH:
- What shapes do you see?
- How does using a graph help us with making a mandala?
MINDFULNESS:
- How did you feel before we started? What impact did making a mandala have?
- Was this activity peaceful? Do you feel calm working on it?
Instructional Reflection: Which instructional tools or strategies interested or helped these students learn? What additional techniques, tools or materials could be used to better support student learning? What adaptations could be made to this lesson for students with different needs levels or skill sets?
On a scale of 1-5, how stressed do you feel (start & end)