Who knew a potato could be so much fun?

My recent adventures at the museum have been creating a number of lesson plans and activities that coorespond to a new traveling exhibit the Teacher Resource Center is launching this fall. The exhibit is on the Silk Road and focuses on a number of objects dealing with the subject. This week I have been working on an art project that teaches kids about a Chinese Chop, a stamp or seal for a personal signature used to mark important documents, contracts and art.

Here is the museum object:


and.. here is my art project version:



Whoever thought I could have so much fun with a potato, an X-Acto knife, and some paint?? I had no idea! This project was actally a bit complicated because I had to research Chinese Characters and their meaning (the character above means "rice plant")and then try to translate those characters into child friendly images that they could connect with and then easily draw and carve onto a potato!

So, if any of you are bored and have some potatoes lying around, you should try making stamps (chops) out of them! For me, it doubled nicely as a practice round for the upcoming pumpkin carving season!