Lesson Overview:

This lesson will give students the opportunity to create a buckram mask for use in a reenactment of the Boston Tea Party.

Length of Lesson:

Three 50-minute periods

Notes:

This lesson is particularly suitable for grade 4.

Instructional Objectives:

Students will:

• recall the events leading to the Boston Tea Party.
• understand the origins of the Boston Tea Party mask.
• understand the significance of Mohawk face painting and mask designing.
• construct a model of a buckram (a coarse, cotton, hemp, or linen cloth stiffened with glue for use in bookbinding) mask.

Supplies:

• 1/2 yard buckram (can be obtained from a dry goods store)
• wrapping paper
• scissors
• sponge
• tempera poster paints (white, light red, yellow, and blue)
• small paint brushes
• Scotch tape
• small mixing pan
• pencils

Instructional Plan:

Teacher Note

Prior to teaching this lesson, you may wish to review background information on the design and construction of buckram masks from Yale University's Web site.

Introductory Activity

Have students brainstorm reasons for wearing masks. Discuss the students' reasons and introduce types of masks for special occasions Halloween, masquerade parties, Mardi Gras, theater, etc.). List the purposes of these masks.

Developmental Activity

Read the Background Information on the Boston Tea Party, and review what led to this historical event. Review the Vocabulary handout. Discuss the need for the colonists to wear masks. Discuss the selection of colors used in face and mask painting. Discuss the Mohawk tribe's uses for the buckram masks.

Guided Practice

Distribute the Directions for Making a Mask (also listed below) and Mask Template handouts. Review the directions, step by step, for making the mask. Discuss the use of colors and their meanings. Have students decide what colors they will use in creating each mask. Distribute mask materials.

Independent Practice

Students will create their own buckram mask. Let each student select his own colors.

Directions for making a mask:

1. To make a mask that fits an average sized face, trace the template pattern on a sheet of plain typing paper. Do not press too hard with your pencil or you will tear the paper. Lift the paper from the pattern. Cut along the solid lines, including the eye. Since this is only a half pattern, fold a piece of wrapping paper lengthwise. Lay the straight edge of the drawing on the fold of the wrapping paper and trace around the pattern. Remove the pattern and cut around the contour and eye opening of the doubled paper. Open it. Now you have a full size pattern for the buckram mask. Check it against your face and make any necessary adjustments or corrections so that it fits.
2. To make a pattern for a mask to fit your own face, measure the length of your face from the hairline to the bottom of your nose and from temple to temple. Cut a piece of wrapping paper using these measurements.
3. Place the paper against your face or have someone do it for you. With a pencil, outline the contour for only half the face, from temple to cheek line, then across the front of the face to under the nose (follow shapes of pattern illustrated).
4. Remove the paper from your face. Fold it in half lengthwise and redefine the outline as shown in the illustrated pattern.
5. Cut around this pattern line. Open the paper. Now you have a symmetrically shaped mask. Check it against your face and make any necessary adjustments.
6. Fold a piece of buckram in half lengthwise. Fold the paper pattern and place the fold on the fold of the buckram. Trace around the buckram with a pencil. Remove the pattern and cut around the contour of the buckram.
7. Open the buckram and check it against your face for size.
8. With a wet sponge, dampen both sides of the buckram.
9. Lay the buckram against your face, or have someone do it for you. Press it carefully and firmly with your fingers so it molds over your features. Since buckram is highly starched, it will take the imprint and form of your face—the cheekbones, nose, temples, and eye sockets.
10. Keep the buckram against your face for a few minutes until it becomes dry.
11. Before removing the mask, outline the eye openings with black crayon. Be sure they are on the same level and large enough to see through.
12. Remove the buckram from your face. Crumble a piece of paper toweling and lay the buckram mask over it. This will help the mask to retain its shape until thoroughly dry. If the mask loses its shape in the drying process, moisten your fingers with water and press the shape back to its original form.
13. Poke a hole through one corner of the eye and cut around the outline of the eye opening. Do the same for the other eye opening. Note how this type of mask allows your mouth and jaw to move freely.

Painting the mask:

1. Mix a little light red and yellow and a good deal of white tempera paint in a mixing pan. This will become the basic skin color for the mask.
2. Apply this mixture moderately to the mask with a paintbrush. Do not allow the buckram to become too wet or it will lose its shape.
3. To achieve halftones for the forehead, cheeks, and nose, ad more of one color or another to the basic skin color in the mixing pan and apply to the mask. Mix a tiny bit of blue to the basic skin color for dark shadows on either side of the nose. Use more white on the forehead since this area will catch highlights. Use a little more red for the temples. Experiment with your paints as much as you like.
4. Bind the edge of the mask with a narrow piece of Scotch tape so that half of the tape covers the front edge and half covers the back edge. This will protect your face from scratching by the rough edge of the buckram and will add to the durability of the mask. Trim curves and corners where necessary.
5. Attach rubber bands and string.
6. (This mask can also be made with aluminum foil and tinted inks or colored felt marking pens.)

Assessment:

Allow volunteers to share their mask and explain their selection of color choices. TYou may wish to use the Assessment Rubric provided.

Extensions:

Go on to Boston Tea Party Reenactment, the second and final lesson in this series.

Sources:

Print:

• Ross, Laura. Mask-Making with Pantomime and Stories From American History. New York: Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Company, 1975.

Authors:

• Mary Ann Fox, Teacher
  Thomas Pullen Arts Magnet School
  Landover, MD