Recently, New Paltz Middle School Grade 6 students in Kim Abrahamsen and Mary Jane Nussbaum’s art classes got to cuddle with their inner monsters. The project began in October when students were first tasked with conveying personality through different art forms and mediums to explore how their identities can be expressed. Through the lesson, they drew what they thought they would look like if they were a monster. Then, Grade 7 students in Isabella DeFalco’s Home and Careers class actualized each design with needle, thread, and some scrap fabric—creating palm-sized, plush toys to present to the original creators! 

The drawings were anonymous, so the Grade 7 students were able to choose the monster design that most “spoke” to them. The object of this exciting interdisciplinary project was to “stitch together” student connections with the binding thread of shared experiences in order to foster new relationships. Home and Career students planned, cut, stuffed, and sewed the little monsters together, and were quite eager to find out who they were matched with. Finally, students in both grade levels then gathered at a special party–filled with icebreaker activities, friendship bracelets, and refreshments–where the new little buddies were exchanged. By the end of the event, all the students were naming each other’s monsters and sharing their class schedules and favorite movies with each other. What fun! #sewingproject #studentcollaboration #interdisciplinary #innermonster #MaroonPride