High School Grade  Lesson 50 minutes

"Crafty Critters: Sculpting in the Round"

Haylee W
VA:Cr2.3.IIIa
VA:Cr2.2
VA:Cr2.3
Productive Collaborator
Critical Thinker
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Purpose

The purpose of this learning experience is to engage students in a creative process where they explore and express emotion and character through sculpture. By constructing anthropomorphic animal sculptures, students will apply artistic techniques and collaborate with peers to deepen their understanding of visual storytelling. This project encourages critical thinking and personal reflection, culminating in a public exhibition that connects students with their community and showcases their artistic achievements.

Learning goals

Students will explore and apply the principles of sculpture in the round to create anthropomorphic animal sculptures that convey emotion and character. They will develop skills in various sculpture techniques such as carving, modeling, and assembling, while collaborating with peers to refine their ideas. Through reflection and critique, students will enhance their ability to articulate artistic intent and engage in constructive feedback. Additionally, they will document their creative process in a digital portfolio, demonstrating critical thinking and mastery of artistic concepts.
Standards
  • [National Core Arts Standards] VA:Cr2.3.IIIa - Demonstrate in works of art or design how visual and material culture defines, shapes, enhances, inhibits, and/or empowers people’s lives.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] VA:Cr2.2 - Artists and designers balance experimentation and safety, freedom and responsibility while developing and creating artworks.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] VA:Cr2.3 - People create and interact with objects, places, and design that define, shape, enhance, and empower their lives.
Competencies
  • Productive Collaborator - Engages with others to achieve a common goal through building positive relationships, actively listening, showing empathy, and making individual contributions to a larger group.
  • Critical Thinker - Thinks deeply and makes informed decisions to create solutions or new understanding supported by relevant and reliable evidence.
  • Empowered Learner - Demonstrates mastery and application of academic competencies. Develops the skills and dispositions to persist through difficulties and plan for a future of self-improvement.

Products

Students will create detailed anthropomorphic animal sculptures using paper mache and other materials, showcasing their understanding of sculpture in the round. Throughout the process, they will develop digital portfolios that document their creative journey, including sketches, progress photos, and reflective writings on their artistic choices. The final products will be showcased in a themed sculpture garden and at the 'Anthropomorphic Art Night,' where students will present their work to the school community, highlighting the emotions and characters they have crafted.

Launch

Kick off the learning experience with a 'Character Creation Challenge' where students brainstorm and sketch their anthropomorphic animal concepts, emphasizing how to convey emotion and character. Facilitate small group discussions where students share their ideas and provide collaborative feedback to each other. This activity sets the stage for the project by encouraging creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration from the outset.

Exhibition

Host an 'Anthropomorphic Art Night' where students display their sculptures in a transformed school space, inviting family and community members to view their work. Set up interactive stations where guests can engage in discussions about the emotional and character elements of each piece. Enhance the experience by providing students with the opportunity to give short presentations about their creative process and the techniques used. Encourage visitors to leave feedback and reflections, fostering a dialogue between the artists and the community.