What You Need:

• 9x12 white drawing paper
• crayons
• scissors
• large sheet of craft paper
• oil crayons

What You Do:

1. Begin with a short discussion on texture. (what is texture?)

2. Students will make a texture rubbing of the bottom of their shoe.

3. Next, add details to the rubbing to create a monster. (add eyes, arms, legs, teeth, horns, etc...)

4. Cut out the monsters, being careful not to cut off details that were added.

5. Divide class into at least two groups. Student's will now create an environment for their monsters.

6. Glue monsters to large piece of craft paper.

7. Use oil crayons to complete the monsters' world. (regular crayons can be substituted)

I displayed these murals in the hallways. My students and I really enjoyed this project.

One Step Further:

1. Paint the soles of the shoes and print on white paper.

2. Cut the shoe prints out and glue on to white paper in an action scene.

3. The children could paint or color a background scene depending upon how much time is available.

4. Perhaps the children could be rollerblading, walking to school, etc...

Links:

• African-American Inventors & Inventions: Jan Ernst Matzeliger
  http://www.inventions.org/culture/african/matzeliger.html

• Jan Matzeliger
  http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blmatzeliger.htm

• Jan Ernst Matzeliger
  http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/inventors/matzeliger.htm

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