Country pennants

What do you need? 

1. white drawing paper 
2. felt tip pens
3. black fineliner
4. black paper

Instruction
Each country has its own specific things: national anthem, flag, language, traditional dish, monument, special events. When you think of the Netherlands, certain symbols immediately come to mind. While some are stereotypes, such as clogs (wooden shoes), we no longer wear in daily life—they remain uniquely characteristic of our heritage. Other iconic Dutch symbols are windmills and canal houses. Also discuss some other countries and the typical things that go with them.

Discuss the term: pennant. Students will recognize them from the sports club. What is the purpose of a pennant? What do you notice about the shape? (symmetry) Show a number of shapes and discuss 
the difference between a pennant and a flag.

In this lesson children will make a pennant with characteristics about a self chosen country. The pennant should have four distinctive things to recognize a country, so other children will instantly know to which country the vane belongs. In one of the sections they should draw the flag of the country they have chosen.

What should you do?

1. Think of a country you want to make a pennant for and which typical things belong to it.
   
2. Draw a pennant with a pencil and cut it out.
3. Divide your pennant into four sections.
4. Draw characteristic things of the country in the sections. The country's flag must go in one of the sections.
5. Color it in with felt-tip pens.
6. Outline everything with a black fineliner.
7. Glue your pennant onto black paper.

Drawings made by students of grade 6. 

Henna hands

 You need:

• white drawing sheet
• colored sheet
• Indian ink or fine black marker 
• glue
• scissors 
  

Henna art is making temporary decorations on the skin using dye from dried henna leaves. Henna decorations are applied during festive occasions in North-African and Asian countries. Used symbols are those of strength, luck, fertility and protection. Patterns and symbols vary per country.  

Trace your hand on a white sheet. Decorate with patterns. Cut oud and stick on a colored sheet. Cut the hand again with an edge of approximately 1/2 cm. 

Japanese notans

Made by a student of grade 6

You need:

1. white paper 20 by 20 cm
2. black paper 10 by 10 cm
3. scissors
4. glue
5. cutter and cutting mat

Show pictures of notans  -  there are symmetrical notans, and also non symmetrical. Some notans are abstract, others are figurative.

Discuss the pictures with the students.
What stands out? Is there symmetry in the picture or not? Is the artwork abstract or figurative? Is there harmony in this notan?

Students make their own notan: figurative or abstract. There shouldn't remain any paper!

Bogolan - African mudcloths

What do you need?

• black construction paper
• tempera paint in brown, white and gold
• brushes

Instruction

A bogolan is a handmade Malian cotton fabric traditionally dyed with mud. It has an important place in traditional Malian culture. The cloths are nowadays being exported wordwide for use in fashion, fine art and decoration. 
Show this movie about bogolans and show pictures of bogolans. Discuss colors, patterns and symbols. 

What should you do? 

Two students get their own black sheet, but have to make one bogolan together - the sheets will be stuck together when finished. So they have to come to agreements about colors, patterns and symbols. 

Artworks made by students of grade 4.