Objectives:

1. Students will understand the function and meaning of specific hats and headdresses from Africa, South America and Japan (historical and cultural understanding).
2. Students will learn about what materials were employed and how they were used to create hats from Africa, Japan and South America (perceiving, analyzing and responding).
3. Students will find different solutions in the process of creating their own hat or headdress (creating and performing).

Strips of felt, other fabric or paper 2" x 26" or more (enough to go once around each student’s head), stapler, staples, fabric, felt, netting, raffia, needles, thread, buttons, ric-rac & other decorative notions, craft glue, scissors, cardboard pieces, feathers.

1. Look at images of hats (collect them from magazines, art books, etc.) Try to have a range of hat styles, everything from baseball hats to crowns. Initiate a discussion about the hats using the following questions:

What is this hat for? Is its function primarily for protection? How can you tell?

Who would wear it? When? Why?

Does this hat make a fashion statement?

Does this hat have any symbols or logos on it? What do they represent?

What are the hats made out of? What information does that give you about the culture and the people that made it?

2. Discuss different types of uses for hats, ranging from protection to ceremonial use. Talk about how jobs, ceremonies and special occasions dictate hat styles. Make connections between occasions when your students get dressed up and for special events in other cultures.
3. Discuss the way clothing can represent who we are. Ask kids to take turns volunteering how their clothing says something about them, by talking about the colors or styles that they wear (i.e. baseball hats, types of t-shirts, jeans, etc.)
4. Tell your students they will be making their own hats or headdresses. The first thing they need to decide is whether their hat is for a specific celebration (real or imaginary) or everyday use. Then they need to imagine how shapes and materials can represent their ideas.

1. Give each student a strip of felt, fabric or paper. It should fit comfortably around the head. Staple it so it is just big enough to fit around the crown of the head. Try to face the ends of the staple away from the head. (Illustration)
2. Using more fabric strips or cardboard, students build up from the crown, creating a star, dome or whatever shape they like.
3. Cover this shape by draping more fabric on the structure. Glue, staple or sew pieces in place.
4. Add feathers and other decorations.

Hold a hat fashion show. Have students write descriptions of their hats including their purpose, function and the important elements of their hats’ design. Students model their hats while the description is read aloud.

Have your students hold a hat making workshop. Students may wear their own hats and demonstrate the hat making techniques they have learned to other classes.

Have students study the relationship between hats and weather. What are the insulating or cooling qualities of different raw materials like wool, straw, felt, leather or plastic? Students may study the materials under real conditions and create charts to make presentations on their findings to the class.

Students may draw or photograph the hat they made or another hat made by a classmate that they really like. Use the drawing or photograph to create an advertisement for the artist, hat or store where it might be bought.

Students can create another article of clothing that complements, or goes with their hats.

Have a hat fashion show. Make tapes of songs and music that reflect the feelings of the hats. Have students choreograph their walks down the runway. Perform for the class and the school.

Look at pictures of uniforms and the different types of hats people wear in the U.S.A. (These could be cut out pictures from magazines.) How do the hats function as part of a uniform? What do the hats that are not part of a uniform say about the people who wear them?

Study hats from a particular culture. Make a poster indicating what the hats look like and report on the relationship between the culture and different styles of hats.

Students may create a catalog of famous people, real or imagined who were known for their outstanding hats. They may write reports on these personages and their millenary style.

Write a story/poem from the perspective of a hat. What does it see or do everyday? How do its activities connect to its feelings?

Have students look at the different styles of hats that people have worn in the United States throughout its history. Create a visual timeline using images of the hat styles. Students can write reports on how hat styles reflect the different times.

Have students write short stories or poems based on an illustrious character who wears a hat.

Arnoldi, Mary Jo & Christine Mullen Kreamer. Crowning Achievements the African Arts of Dressing the Head. Los Angeles: The Fowler Museum, 1995.

Dickerson, Tom. Hats, Helmets and Crowns. Museum of New Mexico & the International Folk Art Foundation, 1969.

Gomez, Aurelia. Crafts of Many Cultures. New York: Scholastic, 1992.

Kahlenberg, Mary, ed. The Extraordinary in the Ordinary. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1998.

Merrill, Yvonne Y. Hands-on Latin America, Art Activities for All Ages. Salt Lake City, Utah: K/its Publishing, 1997.

Press, Judy. The Little Hands Art Book, Exploring Arts & Crafts with 3 to 6 Year Olds. Charlotte, Vermont: Williamson Publishing, 1994.

Terzian, Alexandra. The Kids’ Multicultural Art Book. Charlotte, Vermont, Williamson Publishing, 1993.

Corbett, Sara. Hats Off to Hats! Chicago: Children’s Press, 1995.

Morris, Ann. Hats, Hats, Hats. New York: Scholastic, 1989.

Slobodkina, Esphyr. Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business. New Jersey: Turtleback Press, 1987.