Global Art: Activities, Projects, and Inventions from Around the World [Paperback]

MaryAnn F. Kohl (Author), Jean Potter (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Did you know Korea is a mountainous peninsula about the size of Utah? This country’s project is a jeweled crown. The Gryphon House book . . . let my daughter and me learn about crafts from parts of the world where we have relatives and friends. We can make a fiesta dancing hat like those worn to celebrate the planting season of Ecuador (where my friend Lora served in the Peace Corps.) and paint our faces like the Kathakali performers in India (where my brother-in-law is from). It’s global fun.—Port Arthur News, Texas

". . . a wonderful compendium of plans for everything from an Ecuadorian dancing hat to Greek bread dough coins. Authors MaryAnn F. Kohl and Jean Potter give one-page instructions for more than 135 projects that are thought provoking and amusing. The illustrations offer a map showing the geographic location of each project’s source, as well as what the finished item can look like. The authors toss in a valuable historical or anecdotal tidbit just to make Mom or Dad or the Babysitter look that much smarter. Betcha didn’t know that evidence of ice skating was found among Roman ruins in London or that an Austrian wedding calls for a specially painted chair. Now you do, and here’s a project to prove it!’—West Coast Weekend

"Everyday art for children is presented in a project title which gathers a range of multicultural art pursuits, from Peruvian Silver Wind Chimes to creating Chinese Printing Presses. Illustrations are in black and white but this project-packed guide needs little color to prove valuable to young audiences."—Wisconsin Bookwatch

Other art books by MaryAnn Kohl:
The Big Messy Art Book (Gryphon House), 0-87659-206-X
Cooking Art (Gryphon House), 0-87659-184-5
Preschool Art (Gryphon House), 0-87659-168-3

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-Arranged in chapters by continent, these crafts will be useful for geography and cultural reports. The authors use a system of symbols to denote which continent is associated with the activity, the level of difficulty, the basic art technique involved, and how easy or difficult the required materials are to procure. Black-and-white line drawings illustrate the process and/or the finished product for each project. Most of the activities are interesting and directly linked to the cultures they represent. Others, like several for Antarctica, seem more contrived. Building a structure of icing and sugar cubes is sure to be a hit with children, but how illustrative is it of the Antarctic environment? Necessarily, not all countries and cultures are included but many are represented by more than one project. While children can use this book, the descriptions (e.g., "Young children create a miniature woodland scene..."), the pervasive use of symbols or icons, and the terse but accurate directions indicate that this book was designed for adults.
Torrie Hodgson, Burlington Public Library, WA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Gryphon House (May 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087659190X
• ISBN-13: 978-0876591901
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 10.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,975 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #78 in Books > Arts & Photography > Study & Teaching

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kids Love to be Fascinated, June 8, 2000

By 

Martha - See all my reviews

This review is from: Global Art: Activities, Projects, and Inventions from Around the World (Paperback)

Thanks for the help! My kids love to be fascinated, as do all kids, and this book makes it easy. I love how the chapters are organized by continents, and how the projects are not so much copying crafts from different countries, but actually incorporate history and inventions and all kinds of things from different countries into simple, easy to do art projects. The chapter on Antarctica is a kick! It's all projects about snow and ice and white paint. My kids love it! Works for all ages, too, from preschool through about age twelve I would think.

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love those Kohl books., June 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Global Art: Activities, Projects, and Inventions from Around the World (Paperback)

I enjoy all of MaryAnn F. Kohl's books, and this one is a little different than her others as it has a bit more in the way of finished products, though they are all arrived at by discovering and creating. Still, this book works well for those older kids who want a little more "fact" in their art. My favorite chapter revolves around Asian projects, in particular those from Japan.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great geography supplemental book, July 7, 2008

By 

Kimberly Hart "Southern Belle" (carmel, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Global Art: Activities, Projects, and Inventions from Around the World (Paperback)

As a homeschooling mom, I took one look at the copy I got from the library and decided I had to have this book in my collection. Its a great resource. Very creative and unique. Saves me from having to hunt up fun hands on activities for the countries we are studying. I am not an artsy craftsy kind of person and usually find that stuff a waste of time. So something must be really good for me to take notice of. I think theres alot of value to this book. Its a resource to supplement what you are teaching.