Kirby Soderberg teaches students how to design emotional masks.

Step 1 (one classroom hour) Design emotional clay face

What is an emotion? What is an expression? What are some of the basic types of emotions with which we are familiar? Students explore the different types of emotions that we make using our own faces. They will see the emotional faces on other students. Each student will choose one of the four basic emotions (happy, sad, angry or scared) and then design that emotional face using modeling clay on a plastic plate foundation. 

Step 2 (two classroom hours) Papier-mache clay face

The papier-mache process is demonstrated. Then, students papier-mache their own emotional clay faces covering the entire plate (except for the eyes) with three layers of paper (one layer butcher paper, one layer newspaper, one layer multi-cultural paper).

Step 3 (one classroom hour) Wear emotional masks

Dry papier-mache masks are removed from clay and plate. two holes are punched into the mask on either side of the eyes. Elastic is tied to the holes, so it can be worn. Small groups of students perform simple exercises wearing the masks so the class can learn mask techniques and, often, be entertained.