Classroom Supplies for Teachers

Pysanky expert and best-selling author Joan Brander says:

I often get inquiries from teachers asking what they should order when they want to conduct their own pysanky workshop in the classroom.  With over 20 years experience teaching in schools, I am happy to share my knowledge and expertise. The three basic items you will need are beeswax, kistka and dyes. Other items can be easily collected from home or school or purchased from Baba's Beeswax.

Single Class

I recommend working in groups and have suggested the supplies you will need. I have calculated the quantity of dyes for 4 different scenarios, based on 2 possible class sizes (31 students and 24 students) using the most popular colors, and offering the best results.

The 4 scenarios are:

  • Scenario #1 - requires the least amount of time to complete the pysanka
  • Scenario #2 - groups are larger
  • Scenario #3 - offers more color variety
  • Scenario #4 - reduces cost and time to complete

Entire School

Making pysanky in the classroom is easy, fun and affordable. Supplies can be easily shared and doing so reduces the bottom line — cost per person. The trick is to figure out how. Let me show you.

On this Page

Basic Supplies

Beeswax - Pysanky are made with pure beeswax. I recommend using colored beeswax which is easy to see on the egg. One block makes at least a dozen pysanky of a basic design. These can easily be shared.
 

Kistka - I recommend using the traditional wood-handled kistka. Plastic (also known as delrin) handles can melt, rendering the kistka unusable. For beginners, use size MEDIUM for everyone. This avoids competition amongst students. Have one kistka per person. For variety and/or those with fine motor skills or who are very detail-oriented, get 1 or 2 different sizes for people to try out:

  • size MEDIUM
  • size FINE
  • size HEAVY
  • size EXTRA-FINE
Pysanky Dyes - Dyes last a long time and will make many, many pysanky. See Color Chart

Did you know that:

  • if stored properly, they will last from year to year?
  • using jars with tight fitting lids will avoid evaporation?
  • freezing your dyes when not using them will avoid bacteria growth?
  • if dyes show evidence of bacteria growth by turning cloudy you can simply strain them through cheesecloth, bring to a boil, and add 1 tablespoon of vinegar?
  • every couple of weeks adding 1 tablespoon white vinegar to dyes will rejuvenate their dyeing power?

You can use as few as 2 or 3 colors to get beautiful results! You will never use all 17 of the available colors on one pysanka! I recommend using no more than 5 colors on one pysanka. There are 5 color ranges (listed here in order of use).

  • Colour range 1:    yellow or gold
  • Colour range 2:    light green, light blue, or turquoise (*these can be used as an accent colour and applied with a q-tip as indicated in instruction pamphlet--therefore fewer of these colours need to be ordered.  Follow this with orange, as the orange has a unique property in that it can wash out these accent colours.)
  • Colour range 3:    orange
  • Colour range 4:    red, pink, scarlet, pumpkin, or brick
  • Colour range 5:    black, purple, royal blue, brown, dark green, or dark red

I have suggested color combinations below for 31 students or 24 students.

 
Candles - I recommend using one candle per person. For safety, convenience, and ease of technique, these are not easily shared.  Tea candles aren't the best choice.  Nor are dollar store candles which burn very quickly. Candles from Baba's Beeswax have a strong flame and provide 6 hours of burning time.
 

Teaching Aids

Ukrainian Easter Egg Pysanka Beginners' Designs – contains colored diagrams, helpful hints, important information and more than 40 sample designs

Pysanky on Paper : An Activity Book for Children – contains symbolism, coloring, drawing, reading, writing, math and science through Pysanky; activities include stories, puzzles and games. Includes bibliographical references

Laminated Pysanky Color Sequence Chart – useful guide provides a hand refrence chart for the 17 colors palette, including how to use "orange wash"
Pysanka Certificates – commemorate the unique skills learned by your students with colour certificates with place for student name, teacher signature and date, describes the technique, tools used, how to protect and display, a legend of pysanky and more

Pysanka Power Pamphlets – more information, hints and money-saving tips from the following Pysanka Power Pamphlets. These will be especially useful:

  • Pysanka Power #8 - Colors and Their Meanings
  • Pysanka Power #10 - How to Empty Your Pysanky
  • Pysanka Power #12 - More than 80 Pysanky Tips

 

Schools can be invoiced with purchase order.

31 Students

Scenario #1 - requires the least amount of time to complete the pysanka

  • have 7 groups with 4 students in each group (7 x 4 + 3  = 31 students)
  • each group uses 5 colours (1 from each colour range)
  • total dyes to order for scenario #1: 
    • 7 yellow
    • 1 green (*see above)
    • 7 orange
    • 7 red
    • 7 black
  • total 29 dyes

Scenario #2 - groups are larger

  • have 6 groups with 5 students in each group (6 x 5 + 1 = 31 students)
  • each group uses 5 colours, 1 from each colour range
  • total dyes to order for scenario #2:
    • 6 yellow
    • 1 green (*see above)
    • 6 orange
    • 6 red
    • 6 black
  • total 25 dyes

Scenario #3 - offers more colour variety

  • Group 1 (yellow, *1/2 light green, orange, red, black)
  • Group 2 (yellow, *1/2 light green, orange, red, royal blue)
  • Group 3 (yellow, *1/2 turquoise, orange, pink, black)
  • Group 4 (yellow, *1/2 turquoise, orange, pink, purple)
  • Group 5 (yellow, *1/2 light blue, orange, red, purple)
  • Group 6 (yellow, *1/2 light blue, orange, pink, black)
  • total dyes to order for scenario #3:
    • 6 yellow
    • 1 light green, 1 light blue, 1 turquoise
    • 6 orange
    • 3 red, 3 pink
    • 3  black, 2 purple, 1 royal blue
  • total 27 dyes

Scenario #4 - reduces cost and time to complete

  • have fewer colour choices (i.e 4 colours instead of 5)
  • and have 6 groups with 5 students in each group (6 x 5 + 1 = 31 students)
  • everyone starts with yellow for best results
  • total dyes to order for scenario #4:
    • 6 yellow
    • 1 light green
    • 6 orange
    • 1 red, 1 black, 1 purple, 1 pink, 1 dark red, 1 royal blue
  • total 19 dyes

24 Students

Scenario #1 - requires the least amount of time to complete the pysanka

  • have 6 groups with 4 students in each group (6 x 4 = 24 students)
  • each group uses 5 colours (1 from each colour range)
  • total dyes to order for scenario #1: 
    • 6 yellow
    • 1 green (*see above)
    • 6 orange
    • 6 red
    • 6 black
  • total 25 dyes

Scenario #2 - groups are larger

  • have 5 groups with 5 students in each group (5 x 5 - 1 = 24 students)
  • each group uses 5 colours, 1 from each colour range
  • total dyes to order for scenario #2:
    • 5 yellow
    • 1 green (*see above)
    • 5 orange
    • 5 red
    • 5 black
  • total 21 dyes

Scenario #3 - offers more colour variety

  • Group 1 (yellow, *1/2 light green, orange, red, black)
  • Group 2 (yellow, *1/2 light green, orange, red, royal blue)
  • Group 3 (yellow, *1/2 turquoise, orange, pink, black)
  • Group 4 (yellow, *1/2 turquoise, orange, pink, purple)
  • Group 5 (yellow, *1/2 light blue, orange, red, purple)
  • Group 6 (yellow, *1/2 light blue, orange, pink, black)
  • total dyes to order for scenario #3:
    • 5 yellow
    • 1 light green, 1 light blue, 1 turquoise
    • 5 orange
    • 3 red, 1 pink
    • 1  black, 2 purple, 1 royal blue
  • total 23 dyes

Scenario #4 - reduces cost and time to complete

  • have fewer colour choices (i.e 4 colours instead of 5)
  • and have 5 groups with 5 students in each group (5 x 5 - 1 = 31 students)
  • everyone starts with yellow for best results
  • total dyes to order for scenario #4:
    • 5 yellow
    • 1 light green
    • 5 orange
    • 2 red, pink
    • 2 black, 1 purple, 1 royal blue
  • total 18 dyes

Entire School

Make pysanky for a dollar! To find out how, ask yourself these questions and use the following chart as a guideline (or select this link for a printer-friendly version). You can fill it in with your own numbers to plan your activity.

Q1. How many students are there in my school?
A1. Look at Column 1. This is an arbitrary number (i.e. a small school of 60), but the same calculations work for any number of students.

Q2. What is my comfort zone for the number of people in the classroom writing pysanky all at the same time?
A2. Look at Column 2 for a few comparisons. Is it 5? 10? 20? I say 5 is definitely manageable, 10 sounds reasonable for a novice teacher, and 20 is feasible with gained experience or with help from others.

Q3. Is time of the essence?
A3. Look at Column 3. The more sessions/classrooms you require for the Entire School, the longer it will take.
Calculate the Number of Sessions: Column 1 divided by Column 2 = Column 3

Q4. What is the best way to conduct the sessions?
A4. I recommend dividing up your classroom into Groups of between 4 and 6 students. Look at Column 4 which is based on 5 students working together in a Group.
Calculate how many Groups you'll have in each Session: Column 2 divided by 5 = Column 4.

Q5. What Basic Supplies do I need?
A5. Look at Column 5. These are the Basic Supplies for each Group of 5 students to share. Over time, the beeswax will have to be replenished (i.e. one block is enough to make about a dozen pysanky). Although dyes can be re-used every year, some teachers replace them yearly for a nominal cost. These costs are based on 2012 prices.

Q6. Under a dollar?
A6. Look at Column 6. Yes—and this is for your initial investment! Over time, the cost per person goes down even more as you re-use the supplies over and over.

Q7. What are some other money-saving tips?
A7. See Money-Saving Tips below the chart, or select this link.

 

Column 1
Column 2
Column 3
Column 4
Column 5
Column 6
Total Number of Students
Comfort Zone
Number of Sessions
Number of Groups in each Session
Cost of Basic Supplies (app)
Cost Per Person (app)
60 5 people per session 12 1

5 Kistka

$25.00

5 Beeswax

$5.00

3 to 5 dyes (i.e. 3 to 5 different colours)

$6.00 to $10.00

5 Candleholders

$17.50

Instruction Pamphlet

$4.00
Total Cost: $57.50 to $61.50
$.96 to $1.03
60 10 people per session 6 2

10 Kistka

$50.00

10 Beeswax

$10.00

6 to 10 dyes (multiples of 3 to 5 different colours)

$12.00 to $20.00

10 Candleholders

$35.00

2 Instruction Pamphlets

$8.00
Total Cost: $115.00 to $123.00
$1.92 to $2.05
60 20 people per session 3 4

20 Kistka

$100.00

20 Beeswax

$20.00

12 to 20 dyes (multiple of 3 to 5 different colours)

$24.00 to $40.00

20 Candleholders

$70.00

4 Instruction Pamphlets

$16.00
Total Cost: $230.00 to $246.00
$3.84 to $4.10

Money and Time $aving Tips

As you can see, the possibilities are endless. With over 20 years of experience teaching in the classroom, I'm happy to share my knowledge with you, and make recommendations and suggestions to help you implement a smooth-running activity. Here are some tips:

  1. Reduce costs further by doing half a class at a time (if time permits)
  2. The basic supplies can be re-used from year to year and will last indefinitely if used and stored properly
  3. After your initial investment, the cost for the activity decreases over time
  4. Start with the minimum of Supplies, and increase incrementally as your budget allows
  5. For best results start with yellow, use orange after green/blue/turquoise.  Substitute colours in their own colour range.  Each dye requires its own jar.  Consider your time limit.  The fewer dyes, the longer it takes for everyone to get through them
  6. Once you've decided to proceed contact me to:
  • make recommendations for what supplies you should purchase based on your budget
  • make recommendations based on length of time available or on number of pysanky per person being made
  • suggest time-saving preparation tips
  • recommend common items to be collected from home or school
  • give you guidelines for smooth implementation of this activity

I hope this information helps. Let me know.  [email protected]

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