• Engage your students in jewelry creation.jewelry image by Dozet from Fotolia.com
  
  Jewelry projects provide an engaging way to practice artistic skill and learn academic concepts. By engaging your high school students in a jewelry project, you can give them the opportunity to create a wearable piece of art. Because this is an activity in which most teens will show interest, they'll dedicate time and attention to the project and will work hard to produce a final project of which they can be proud.
  
  

Trash-to-Treasure Jewelry

• Encourage your students to think outside the box and be inventive with this project. Give each student a paper lunch sack several weeks before the project is due. Ask students to fill their lunch sacks with trash materials that they could use to produce aesthetically pleasing jewelry. Instruct them to bring their filled bags to class on a set date.
  
  When students arrive with their bags, allow them time to assemble their jewelry pieces. Depending on how elaborate their jewelry creations are, this may take several days. Allow each student to present his creation to the class. Add extra excitement to this activity by allowing students to vote for their favorite piece of jewelry. Reward the winning designer with a trash-to-treasure crown.
  
  

Wrapped-Wire Jewelry

• Students can create attractive jewelry using simple wire and stones. Gather malleable wire, polished stones, and needle-nose pliers. Give each student a length of wire and a set of pliers, and allow her to select several polished stones. Instruct students to wrap the wire to increase its strength and to attach the stones. Allow students as much artistic freedom as possible while they're completing this assignment.
  
  

Historical Jewelry

• Jewelry that is popular today differs greatly from favored styles throughout history. Mix art and history by leading students on an exploration of jewelry throughout history and by letting them create their own replica jewelry. Allow each student to select a historical period and then research his selected historical period to find information on what kinds of jewelry were popular during that time and what materials were used to create the jewelry.
  
  Ask each student to write a paragraph describing jewelry in his selected time period and to gather several pictures of examples of the jewelry. Next, ask students to try their hand at making a replica of the jewelry they investigated, using whatever materials they see fit. Allow each student to present his research findings and jewelry replica to the class.