The lesson teaches students about milagros, votive objects in Latin American culture. Students will create their own milagros using either clay or foil as the material. They will learn about the cultural significance of milagros and use techniques like incising, adding texture and borders. The teacher will demonstrate procedures like flattening, shaping and punching holes in the materials. Students' understanding of milagros and their ability to correctly use production techniques will be assessed.

1. Title of Lesson Clay Milagros
Art, Grade Level K12345
Objective(s) Students will:
• demonstrate a recognition of the meaning of a milagro.
• create a clay milagro with personal meaning.
• correctly use clay production techniques.
Art Concepts
• Perception. The student develops and organizes ideas from
the environment.
• Creative Expression. The student expresses ideas through
original artworks, using a variety of media with
appropriate skills.
• Historical/Cultural heritage. The student demonstrates an
understanding of art history and culture as records of
human achievement.
• Response/Evaluation. The student makes informed
judgments about personal artworks and the artworks of
others.
Vocabulary tile: flat clay piece, usually of even thickness
milagro: votive object that symbolizes a request, prayer, or wish;
predominantly Latin America but found all over the world (the
word means “miracle” in Spanish)
symbol: an image or idea that stands for something else
texture: the way that something feels or looks like it feels
incise: draw into moist clay with a pointed tool to create designs
Resources and • clay, ¼ or ½ pound a person
Materials • clay tools, craft sticks, and the like for drawing lines and
creating textures in clay
• appropriate glazes or acrylic paints and metallic finishes
such as Rub ‘ Buff
• glazes or acrylic paints as desired
• sandwich-size plastic bags for storing individual clay
pieces
• masking tape
• pencils
• water in plastic bowls or other nonbreakable containers
• buckets of water for washing hands, if needed
• paper towels for spills and drying hands
• drinking straws
• Milagros: Symbols of Hope/Simbolos de Esperanza,
multimedia educational package from CRIZMAC Art &
Cultural Materials, http://www.crizmac.com/
Motivation Discuss milagros and share examples. Show all or part of the
video, Milagros: Symbols of Hope and discuss. Demonstrate
procedures and then ask students to each choose a subject for
their individual milagros. If desired, have students make initial

2. thumbnail sketches.
Procedures Give each student a piece of clay and a plastic bag and direct
them to work with the clay on top of the bag. Have each student
use his/her palms to flatten a ball of clay into a thin, even
rectangular slab about the size and shape of a piece of bread.
Have students smooth the edges with water and then inscribe
their names on the back of each milagro. Tell students to draw
their chosen image on the clay, making designs very simple. Point
out that they can carve deeper lines and create textures on the
clay, especially on the background and on the edges of the tile. As
students work, circulate around the room and drill a hole in each
tile for hanging with a straw.
If students cannot finish the work in one class period, have them
wrap their tiles in their plastic bags and label them with their
names (write on masking tape and stick to the bag). Store the
bagged work until the next class.
When the tiles are finished, let them dry completely before
firing, glazing, or painting. Bisque-fired work can be painted with
acrylics and rubbed with Rub ‘n Buff or glazed and refired. Self-
hardening clay can be painted or sprayed with acrylics.
Assessment/Evaluation To what extent did students:
• demonstrate recognition of the meaning of a milagro?
• create a clay milagro with personal meaning?
• correctly use clay production techniques?
Extensions • use papier mache or another modeling material instead of
clay
• add low sides or borders to the tile to create a nicho
(nicho) or retablo, other Latin American three-dimensional
forms
Nancy Walkup
Editor, SchoolArts Magazine
www.schoolartsonline.com
nwalkup@netzero.net

3. Title of Lesson Metal Milagros
Art, Grade Level 345
Objective(s) Students will:
• demonstrate a recognition of the meaning of a milagro.
• create a foil milagro with personal meaning.
• correctly production techniques.
Art Concepts
• Perception. The student develops and organizes ideas from
the environment.
• Creative Expression. The student expresses ideas through
original artworks, using a variety of media with
appropriate skills.
• Historical/Cultural heritage. The student demonstrates an
understanding of art history and culture as records of
human achievement.
• Response/Evaluation. The student makes informed
judgments about personal artworks and the artworks of
others.
Vocabulary milagro: votive object that symbolizes a request, prayer, or wish;
predominantly Latin America but found all over the world (the
word means “miracle” in Spanish)
symbol: an image or idea that stands for something else
texture: the way that something feels or looks like it feels
incise: draw into a surface with a pointed tool to create designs
Resources and • copper or aluminum foiling, lightest weight, sold in rolls,
Materials cut into small squares or rectangles by teacher
• pencils
• rulers
• hole punch
• examples of real milagros from Mexico made from
stamped tin
• Milagros: Symbols of Hope educational package from
CRIZMAC Art & Cultural Materials,
http://www.crizmac.com/
Motivation Discuss milagros and share examples. Show all or part of the
video, Milagros: Symbols of Hope and discuss. Demonstrate
procedures and then ask students to each choose a subject for
their individual milagros. If desired, have students make initial
thumbnail sketches.
Procedures Distribute foil squares or rectangles of foil to students. To
flatten the edge, have students rub a ruler over each side.
Students should then fold back a narrow border on each side and
then smooth those edges with the ruler. Using a pencil, students
can now draw their designs in the center of the foil piece.
Encourage them to add borders and textured backgrounds to
their pieces. Punch a small hole in the middle of one side to

4. faciliate display.
Assessment/Evaluation To what extent did students:
• demonstrate a recognition of the meaning of a milagro?
• create a foil milagro with personal meaning?
• correctly use production techniques?
Extensions • Make milagros from clay instead of foil.
Nancy Walkup
Editor, SchoolArts Magazine
www.schoolartsonline.com
nwalkup@netzero.net