Let's Just Write ON the Windows, OK?

Do you ever have these bright ideas when you are shopping?  You come across something in the aisles of the store that you didn't intend to buy or use, and find it in your shopping cart?  That is what happened when I walked down the school supply section and came across these babies....Window Markers from Crayola!!!

I couldn't believe they actually make markers that can write directly on the window!  Now, if you know anything about me by now, you know that I like anything that is slightly "different" when it comes to my classroom.  I like to do the old standby stuff, but throw just enough "twist" in to make it fun.  So, when I saw these, I couldn't pass them up.  I threw a few 10 packs in my cart and was off.

Since we are studying about the American Revolution, I decided we needed a big timeline of major events on the window glass.  Breaking my students up into pairs, they each were assigned one major occurrence from the Revolutionary War.  We took it from the Seven Years/French and Indian War to the Ratification of the Constitution.   Each pair then was give a piece of paper the same size as the window.  I asked them to create a box at the bottom corner (using a stencil) where they would eventually write information about the event.  The stencil just helped to make everyone's look uniform.  The students then, using big, bold drawings, depicted the event as clearly as they could....but still keeping it simple. (sorry, I have no pictures of those  :( )

After the rough drafts were done, the fun began.  We moved the tables out of the way, set it up, and were off to coloring the windows.  They basically followed their plan, used the markers, and had a BLAST!  My kids really loved doing their artwork on the windows.  They were a bit "off" with the writing, as there were no lines, but they managed. The greatest thing about these markers is that they come off so easily!  I gave each section of kids a pack of wipes and tissues, and mistakes were taken care of in no time. 




Here are a few pictures of the process.  This took us about 3 days to complete, from rough draft to final window product.






















I have to tell you, the finished product looks amazing.  The pictures don't do it justice.  When you first look at it, you can see there is something there, but not exactly what.  It isn't until you walk up close that the full force of the work is there. 

I actually did the title window pane myself, calling it "Walking the Freedom Trail" (which you can't see in this picture. I took the picture before I did it, which is why there is a blank piece of glass), so I put little footprints along the entire thing.  The footsteps follow the progression from pane to pane of the events in date order.  Seriously, I am in love!

Gosh, I wish you could see the full impact of it in the pictures.  Anyone want to take a tour of my classroom so you can see it?  ;)  hee hee