Samoan Siapo Bark Cloth

1. Invite your class to learn about Samoa, a part of Oceania. This area of about 25,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean off of Australia is inhabited by the Samoans, known for an artistic style called Siapo. Bark from a mulberry trees is pounded into very thin sheets and dried in the sun. Artists mix plant dyes and other natural materials to paint stylized designs, primarily geometric shapes, on the cloth.
2. To make a replica of Siapo bark cloth, provide each student with a brown paper bag. Demonstrate how to tear a large section of the bag so the edges are a bit ruffled. Ask students to crumple the paper tightly, unfold, and flatten it. This can be repeated several times so the paper is very pliable, much like fabric.
3. Students will cover their work space with recycled newspaper. Ask students to take note of how most Siapo fabrics have black lines that divide the area of the cloth into several small areas. Using Crayola Tempera Paint, ask students to mark their division lines.
4. Inside each of these areas, students will use other colors to paint geometric shapes. Participants can dab the brush inside the paper cracks. Mix Crayola Texture It! Mixing Medium with some of the paint colors, or brush it on top of painted areas. Several coats of color can be added for a variety of effects. Encourage experimentation.
5. Invite students to create smaller shapes on top of larger ones after the first layer of paint is slightly dry. Also suggest leaving some of the bag showing through. Add lines, dots, or any design to make the fabric style unique. Air-dry completely.
6. Once artwork is dry, ask students to compose a paragraph describing how they designed the original Samoan Siapo bark cloth. Display each piece with student writing in a prominent place in the classroom.

LA: Read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grade level text complexity band independently and proficiently.

LA: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade level topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

MATH: Understand that attributes belonging to a category of two-dimensional figures also belong to all subcategories of that category.

MATH: Compare two fractions with different numerators and different denominators, e.g., by creating common denominators or numerators, or by comparing to a benchmark fraction such as 1/2.

SS: Describe ways in which language, stories, folktales, music, and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture and influence behavior of people living in a particular culture.

SS: Use appropriate resources, data sources, and geographic tools to generate, manipulate, and interpret information.

VA: Select media, techniques, an processes; analyze what makes them effective or not effective in communicating ideas; and reflect upon the effectiveness of choices.

VA: Intentionally take advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques, and processes to enhance communication of experiences and ideas.

VA: Use subjects, themes, and symbols that demonstrate knowledge of contexts, values, and aesthetics that communicate intended meaning in artworks.

Encourage students to create several of these paintings. Lace the paintings together to create wearable clothing or accessories such as a vest or bag. When organizing a Samoan celebration, have students wear their creations and be prepared to explain the learning that went into creating the artwork.

Students organize artwork into a display that contains background information and visual examples of traditional Samoan art.