Block Print Making

So, there is a short story before this lesson idea...

At the school I just started working at, I inherited the middle school "art program" as the humanities teacher. Apparently, there hasn't been much going on there in the area of upper grade art in a LONG time. I was very happy to carry the baton and dove right in. However, the limited art supplies and MESS of an "art" room, has been a struggle. While combing through the art closets a few weeks ago, I discovered TONS of these wooden blocks... weird. I moved them and thought, maybe we can do carving sometime...

As I was doing my weekly lesson planning, I see on Pinterest this ADORABLE idea for block printing. I remembered watching our AMAZING art teacher, back at my old school, working with the kids on carving Styrofoam and making prints. Cool. "That's what we're doing next week."

Then, as I continue my Pinterest research, I see a teacher having her students carve these linoleum blocks instead of styrofoam..."Wait, I've seen those before... I HAVE THOSE!" As I go digging back through the closet, I realize, not only do I have over 200 blocks, I also have all the carving tools, rollers, and printing plates! JACKPOT. 

Block printing is one of the oldest ways of producing mass illustrations and has been used across the world. 
First, students designed a sketch, then, using transparency paper (which was also in the closet!), they rubbed the design onto a linoleum block. 
Once transferred, we had a clear outline to carve. Carving took a while, but the end print products turned out pretty incredible!