Submitted by: Christa-Maria
Unit: Jewelry
Lesson Plan: Wire Wrapped Jewelry
Grade Level: High School
Objectives: Students will
- Create a piece of jewelry using various wrapping techniques
- Create a work of jewelry incorporating the shape and design of the
stone
- Exhibit craftsmanship
Materials:
Round nose pliers
flat nose pliers
needle nose pliers
flush wire cutters
soft wire- silver, copper, or brass - 20 to 22 gauge
Assorted polished stones (irregular shapes)
Metal files ( cheap paper emery boards will do a good job, too)
Instruction/Motivation:
- Show a variety of jewelry pieces using wrapped techniques -
demonstrate techniques and have a prepared chart
Procedures/Resources
Note: If you use anything lower than 20 gauge wire you would
need more heavy duty pliers. 22 ga and up, craft pliers from Wal-Mart etc.
are OK. Radio Shack has nice flush cutters for about $ 4.00. One problem
on working with wire in a school setting is to have decent tools. The most
expensive thing was to have tools for the students and they had to be
decent ones or would only last for a few times.
The simplest form of wrapping is what is called a
Hippy twist
http://geocities.com/mick62001/hippy.html
Especially good for wrapping crystals -
Then there is a simple wrap
http://www.geocities.com/mick62001/simplecabwrap.html
For wrapping rings
http://www.geocities.com/my4jewels/wirewrappedringtutorial.html
For wrapping, a good basic tutorial
http://www.conniefox.com/Education/WireSkills/Basic%20Wire%20Skills.htm
Spirals are easy to make, however, pliers will leave marks and need to
be padded with a good wrapping of masking tape.
It is best to just start out by doing a simple 'spiral' (see
Connie Fox tutorial). This is used to finish so many things. It's good
training to work with pliers. Once the students have the ' hang' of it,
wrapping a project does not take too long and can be easily achieved
within a class period.
Encourage students to bring junk jewelry from home, that could be taken
apart for new assembly into earrings and necklaces.
More
online tutorials Wire
Jewelry links
Christa-Maria's course would give a basic run-down on metals, how to
use them, what basic tools to have and how to use a simple torch to do a
simple soldering project, making a silver ring. With basic knowledge like
that, students could go on to do some wirework, make their own jewelry
like earrings and necklaces.
If you are not that familiar with jewelry making, Christa-Maria
suggests that you try to get a jeweler into your classroom to give
students some basics. She taught a 3 month metalsmithing program for the
advanced students at the high school, where they would start with simple
wire jewelry, so the students got the hang of how to use tools. Then they
graduated to making wax forms that someone else burned out and cast
for them. She showed a video on how that was done. After that, it was to
sheet metal, sawing out things, and simple things like soldering a ring.
All of this was possible in Christa Maria's school because she provided
the tools.
