How to Make an Arts & Crafts Project on Louis Armstrong

Though Louis Armstrong is best known for his unique voice and trumpet style, he was also a collage artist.

Louis Armstrong is an American music icon who changed the world while inspiring others to find their own voices. Honor this genius through art, generating ideas from his status as a jazz pioneer and an outspoken figure for civil rights. Armstrong also created collage. An arts and crafts project like collage can be a powerful way for students of all ages to connect Armstrong with the world they live in.

Things You'll Need

• Biographical material on Louis Armstrong
• Lyrics and music to "What a Wonderful World"
• Dry erase board and markers
• Examples of collage work by Louis Armstrong
• Poster board
• Scissors
• Magazines
• Glue sticks
• Markers
• Embellishments (photographs, glitter, stickers)

Instructions

1. Read about Louis Armstrong's life in class. Have students brainstorm lifetime achievements and historical facts -- like people, places and events -- associated with Louis Armstrong. For example, Armstrong was a pioneer for jazz and artist. List students' ideas on a dry erase board with markers.

2. Distribute lyrics to Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" and play it for the students. Brainstorm what makes life wonderful and what changes can be made to make it better. Remind students how Armstrong stood up for civil rights. Write ideas in another column on the dry erase board with markers.

3. Display collage work by Louis Armstrong and discuss the elements of collage making to the students.

4. Give a shoe box to each student. This will be the collage base. Distribute magazines stacks, glue sticks, scissors, markers and embellishments and spread them out on a large workspace.

5. Direct students to sort through magazines for images that relate to Armstrong's life using what was written on the board for inspiration. Cut out images, words and phrases with scissors and set them aside.

6. Arrange and then glue images, words and phrases on the outside of the shoebox. Add drawings using markers and other embellishments like stickers, photographs and glitter.

7. Direct students to find images, phrases and words from magazines that represent what makes life wonderful and ways to make the world a better place. Refer to the dry erase board of ideas for inspiration. Cut out images, words and phrases with scissors and set them aside.

8. Arrange and then glue the magazine clippings on the inside of the shoebox. Add drawings using markers and other embellishments like stickers, photographs and glitter.

9. Share and talk about collages with students. Display projects in the classroom with pride.

Tips & Warnings

• Play Armstrong's music softly in the background as students work. Give younger children extra help finding appropriate images as well as grouping and gluing them together on paper. If projects take more than one class period, provide an envelope or craft box to store images for next time.

References

• Red Hot Jazz; Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong (1901-1971)
• PaperStreet Supplies; Satchmo! The Collages of Louis Armstrong
• Clement Greenberg; Collage

Resources

• KinderArt