All the Skills Sketchbook

It always starts with the same questions: “Why do I have to do this? Can’t we just buy a sketchbook?” The answer? “Sure, but wouldn’t you rather learn skills that are useful in life and get a project grade in the process?”

Years ago, I used to be a purist with my art teaching. All the lessons had to be some amazing masterpiece that I expected the children to make. But ever since the pandemic, we have lost a lot of skills. I’m finding that more and more sixth-graders don’t even know how to hold scissors correctly or how to tie a knot. This lesson about how to make a sketchbook includes many life skills that students will need. Itʼs also a great way for teachers to assess them as they enter a new marking period.

Back to Basics
In this lesson, students practice their scissor-cutting skills, measuring skills, fine motor skills including folding paper, and learning how a binder clip is used (great to teach pinching for students with OT goals). Students will also learn sewing skills and how to tie a knot, as well as patience, mindfulness, perseverance, and how using recycled materials saves in terms of materials and cost. The best part, of course, is that they can use their finished sketchbooks to draw.

Materials

cereal boxes, one per student
12 x 18" (30 x 46 cm) paper, twenty sheets per student (Once we cut them down, we get eighty pages per book, which is about the amount of days we have per semester.)
scissors
glue sticks
waxed thread (one yard per student)
one plastic needle per student (Large-eye needles work best.)
awls or hole punchers
two pieces of decorative paper for the cover, at least 8½ x 11" (22 x 28 cm)

All the Skills!
The thing I love most about this project is that I can assess, correct, and teach necessary skills in one useful project centered on form and function. Students often say, “But Ms. Schuck, I don’t know how to sew. I can’t do this.” My response is usually, “That’s why you are here, silly, so I can teach you.” I remind them that they don’t have to be perfect at everything—the idea is to try and learn and practice to get better at our skills. A bonus is when I tell their parents at back-to-school night that their children will learn how to sew; many are grateful, and they revel in the memories of when their home economics teacher taught these things to them.

Procedures
I adjust the following steps based on group size and other factors. If students can fold and cut independently, I can work one-on-one with students who require extra assistance or with students who have special needs.

One class created their covers while the other class folded the insides because not everybody had brought in a cereal box. I ask staff for donations, so many times throughout the year I have cereal boxes in my mailbox. If you hit the jackpot and get the larger two-bag cereal boxes, you can cut them in half and get two per student. It’s about using what you have to save money and promote skills.

Open the cereal box flat and cut off any excess flaps to create a nice rectangle. Trim down to 6" (15 cm) wide with a paper cutter.
Fold twenty sheets of paper in half the long way and cut in half on the fold.
Choose two pieces of decorative paper for the cover and lay flat with decorative sides down, 8½" sides end to end. Place the cereal box on top and glue each side down to the paper.
Cut corners, fold sides, and glue so the paper wraps around the box.
Place pages down on top and clip with binder clips to hold the pages in place for hole punching.
With an awl or hole puncher, punch five holes (or however many you want for binding). I have students make dots with a marker before they create the holes so they know where to put them.
Measure two arm lengths of waxed thread and cut for the binding string. You can use yarn or any other string or thread, but waxed is strong and works well.
Thread the needle and use sewing skills to bind with a saddle stitch. I like to go through each hole two times to make the binding stronger.