Shadow Boxes and a Response to Literature

For the past two years, I have read the book The Fantastic Frame to my students.  It is a fun little novel series where two kids get sucked into a famous painting (the first painting is Tiger in a Storm)  After we finished reading, I took that idea and had the kids create their own shadow box with THEM getting sucked into the famous painting.  They then wrote a narrative to accompany their painting.  

Once the students wrote their narrative, they created the background of the painting they said they were sucked into.  The first year we did this, the students could choose one of three different famous paintings.  The second year, I just had them do the painting from the book.   It was easier that way ;)  They then inserted the background into the shadow boxes.

The boxes themselves are just standard 9 x 12 x 2 shipping boxes I bought off of Amazon.  I then cut a hole into the front of the box to make the "window".

Once the backgrounds were in, the students made foreground pieces and glued them into the shadow box to create a 3D effect.  I also took their picture and they inserted that into the box as well.  As a final step, the students painted the box gold, to match the frame in the book.  

When the students were focused on the Tiger in the Tropical Storm painting, I actually had them write not only a narrative, but an informational and opinion piece as well.  We used these organizers here.   Then then published by typing on this paper.

This was a really cool project that looks SO good hanging up. We all love looking at it!