Shannon Cramer Art

At the elementary school where I teach the 2nd and 3rd grade level my recent projects have focused on mazes and level design. “Amazing Mazes” started with some maze and math theory where we planned out our mazes:

Cup-Cake Creepers maze

Cup-cake Creepers Power Items and description Key

The Boys Maze. What started as one teams maze has become an ongoing multi-team project. This maze is STILL being worked on months later. Once finished, it will be in the end of the year gallery.

Each team of four designed Power Items to collect and baddies to conquer throughout their maze. Most teams chose to build their maze around doors or portals that, with the right item, would give access to other parts of the maze. They all play video games and there is a definite relationship between how they designed their mazes and the games that we all grew up with. Zelda has never been so relevant.

After this each team had to sculpt at least 2 of their Power Items  from cardboard, paper, and tape.

Power Items being tested. That helm on the right covers his whole head in a dome. Impressive round form sculpting from an 8 year old.

finished helmets: Minecraft and Rocket-Bunny themed.

After this the kids got to run through a life-size maze we built based on their mazes. There was a collapsing tunnel, symbols and riddles on the walls, keys to doors, and of course, a final boss at the end.

Checking out the collapsing tunnel challenge on his team’s second run through.

Kids had to stay crawling or they had to start over, which lead to tons of peeking, giggles, disorientation, and hilarity.

The final battle took place with limb-only stick tag on the mats. (swords Belegarth legal sport swords. aka, foam.)

All in all, lots of fun at Maplewood Art 4 Life this year. 🙂