My first project in Art Methods was to create a footprint nametag to describe myself. I was instructed to trace my foot on construction paper and use at least three different media to fill the footprint with things that symbolize my life, interests, or inspiration. I chose to decorate my footprint like a scrapbook page because I enjoy scrapbooking and other crafts. I included pictures of important people in my life, including my boyfriend, siblings, and roommates. The apple represents my future career as a teacher. The books indicate my love for reading, and the sunglasses are included because I enjoy being outside in the sun. I used scrapbook paper, photos, crayon, marker, and embellishments on this project.
I plan to use this introductory activity in my own classroom. The students could each make their own footprint which would be arranged on a bulletin board in the classroom. As an extension activity, the students could make a footprint about a famous historical figure. They could each research a different person to find out about his or her life and contributions and decorate the footprint accordingly. These footprints could be displayed on a wall or bulletin board with the title "To walk in their shoes..."
