- Kids
- 90 min
What you need:
For a full list of required materials, refer to the 'Materials Needed' heading down below.
Lesson Overview
Celebrate Easter the Aussie way by bringing brilliant rainbow Easter Bilbies into your classroom! In this activity, students will discover the process of crafting an Easter Bilby mask by colouring cut-outs, making paper fringing and creating 3D designs using glue sticks. Each mask is individually coloured and decorated to capture the magic of Easter Bilbies and to reflect student personalities.
Teaching Focus Year Level
Years 3-4 (Middle Year Primary).This activity can be easily adapted to suit a F-2 class or to go further with Years 5 & 6.
Australian Curriculum Connections
Visual Arts: F-2Use and experiment with different materials, techniques, technologies and processes to make artworks (ACAVAM107).
Visual Arts: Years 3 & 4
Use materials, techniques and processes to explore visual conventions when making artworks (ACAVAM111).
Visual Arts: Years 5 & 6
Develop and apply techniques and processes when making artworks (ACAVAM115).
Science – Biological: Year 3
Living things can be grouped on the basis of observable features and can be distinguished from non-living things (ACSSU044).
Science – Biological: Year 4
Living things depend on each other and the environment to survive (ACSSU073).
Cultural Considerations
Easter may not be celebrated by all students. It does provide an opportunity to learn about different cultural celebrations and promote understanding of others during this time.
Learning Continuum of Intercultural Understanding
- Investigate culture and cultural identity: Identify and describe variability within and across cultural groups.
- Explore and compare cultural knowledge beliefs and practices: Describe and compare a range of cultural stories and events.
- Develop respect for cultural diversity: Identify and discuss the significance of a range of cultural events, artefacts or stories recognised in the school, community or nation.
Resources & Downloads
Prepare these helpful resources before the lesson begins.
Easter Bilby Mask Ears
Easter Bilby Mask Fringe
Easter Bilby Mask Face
1 copy per student.
Print on A4 white cardstock (150-250 GSM).
Click here to download!
Materials Needed
Gather these items before your session begins for an easy, stress-free lesson.
- Faber-Castell colour pencils
- Faber-Castell crayons
- Faber-Castell Connector Pens or other Faber-Castell markers
- UHU Glue Stics, 1 per student
- Scissors, 1 pair per student
- Holepunch
- Coloured paper for printing the Fringe template on, if desired
- Page 1: Easter Bilby Mask Ears, A4 cardstock, 1 per student
- Page 2: Easter Bilby Mask Fringe, A4 cardstock, 1 per student
- Page 3: Easter Bilby Mask Face, A4 cardstock, 1 per student
- Additional creative materials (coloured paper, crepe paper, tissue paper, cotton wool or cellophane)
Lesson Process
Step 1: Learn About Bilbies
So, what is a Bilby exactly? Where do they live? Why are they important? How are they connected to Easter? Use these questions to begin a classroom chat.
Basic Bilby Facts: Bilbies live in burrows that are about 2 metres deep. They live in hot, dry desert grasslands in Australia and, as they are nocturnal, only come out at night. During the day, their underground burrows are designed to keep them cool. When they come out at night, they forage for insects, worms, fungi and seeds. They are an endangered species.
Watch these great videos to learn more!
- ‘Fun Facts About Bilbies’ from the Australian Academy of Science
- ‘Why are Bilbies a part of Easter in Australia?’ from Behind the News
Step 2: Easter Mask Demo
Pre-prepare by colouring and cutting out your own Easter Bilby mask, ears and un-cut fringing. Use a variety of Faber-Castell colour pencils, crayons and Connector Pens to create colour gradients, interesting patterns and shapes as you colour. Demonstrate by gluing the ears to the inside of the mask, then create one hole either side of the mask using a hole punch.
Take the fringing strip and demonstrate how to cut the fringe by following the lines all along the strip. Show students how and where they can glue this on their mask. Finish by threading string or elastic through the holes, then tie it to fit your head. Finally, wear the mask to demonstrate.
Step 3: Colouring the Mask
Provide each student with their own copies of the printed templates. Encourage your students to slow down, be mindful and focus when colouring. Capture their imagination by inviting them to create fur gradients and patterns using lines or colour shading with a variety of Faber-Castell colour pencils, crayons and Connector Pens. Foster a relaxed & calm artistic experience to let their creativity shine.
Step 4: Cutting Out
Using scissors, instruct your students to carefully cut around the outside of the face, ears and fringing. To finish the fringing, guide your students to cut every few millimetres down the strip, using the printed lines as a guide. Lastly, help your students use a hole punch to create holes for the elastic or string to go through.
Step 5: Gluing the Mask
Instruct your students to glue the ears to the inside of the face. Then, if desired, encourage them to decorate the mask with fringing to look like fur. Tease out the paper a little to give the fringe extra texture. Leave until completely dry.
