Fabergé Eggs

My lesson with Fabergé eggs goes back to my first year of teaching art. It was part time position (would you believe one day a week?) in Copiague, N.Y.  I had seen an exhibit of the eggs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art sometime during the 1990's. And there was this book in the gift shop.........

  

Which I didn't buy at the time......... Silly me. However, I believe I called the gift shop weeks later and purchased a copy. And, I am SO glad I did, as I have done this lesson many times over the years in many different schools! Students love the pop up photos of the eggs in the book! AND the book is still available at Amazon click here.

I start off by showing my sample:

Sometimes I would connect it to a writing lesson. And start off with clues as to what was inside the egg.
 I am a surprise!       I am something that you sew with.       I have a needle.    What am I?

I would share that fabulous book with them and model my expectations.
I also shared photos I saved from The House of Fabergé that I received in the mail. 

First I traced an egg shape on construction paper. Then we had a discussion on different lines and shapes that I could use as I created a pattern. Students were then shown options as to how to cut apart their eggs.

They were instructed to design the outside of their egg, cut it apart, glue down one half on white drawing paper and then bring it to me to attach the other half of the egg with a paper fastener.

REALLY IMPORTANT! Students, with their egg closed, need to lightly trace around the half of the egg that opens. (Line should be erased later.)

Then and only then, they can open their egg and draw their surprise-keeping in mind NOT TO GO outside that line they drew or they won't be hiding their surprise. (See photo above.)

To add excitement to the project, in the past, I cut out and laminated little photos of things that the students could use as inspiration for their surprise. These photos were then placed inside plastic eggs for the students to open. Eventually, I realized students could come up with ideas on their own, which is what we want to happen. But it was fun!

I also inform my students that they need to draw a stand for their egg or it might roll off the paper. Yes, I have gotten weird looks with that one!

Check them out!

 

   

   

 I also remember doing  a display with this project many years ago and this sign accompanied the art work.

 It's my way of making my students happy, because they get to decorate eggs AND it makes me happy because I get to make connections to history and the beautiful art of Peter Carl Fabergé.

Thanks for reading! I hope I have inspired you today!