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Title: Abstract Dream/Memory Sculpture

Curriculum Theme: Mind, Body, and He-Art!

Lesson Plan Number: 4

Teaching Assistant: Susie Lee

Student Teachers: Meredith Pyle

Grade Level: 3rd

and 4th

Date Taught: October 3, 2009

Aim/Goal of the 5-wk Curriculum:

• Third and Fourth grade students will participate in a curriculum that revolves

around the mind, body, soul, and health. They will focus on different emotions

that are evoked from music and how those moods are connected to their day-to-

day routines. They will be able to express what they feel through art processes

and discussion. We will also explore the idea of health, both mental and physical.

Students will gain knowledge of the importance of sleep and ways in which to

express our dreams or memories. We will begin to explore the surface of these

issues and dig deeper. What kinds of activities are good for us? What foods are

healthy? What kinds of moods are good to us? What are some unhealthy things

we encounter? What do our dreams tell us and how can we recreate them?

State Fine Art Goals met by the Lesson Objectives:

• 25.A.2d Identify and describe the elements of 2- and 3-dimensional space,

figure ground, value and form; the principles of rhythm, size, proportion and

composition; and the expressive qualities of symbol and story.

• 25.B.2 Understand how elements and principles combine within art form to

express ideas.

• 26.B.1d Demonstrate knowledge and skills to create visual works of art using

manipulation, eye-hand coordination, building, and imagination.

• 26.B.2d Demonstrate knowledge and skills to create works of visual art using

problem solving, observing, designing, sketching, and constructing.

• LAS #1 All teachers must know a broad range of literacy techniques and

strategies for every aspect of communication and must be able to develop each

student’s ability to read, write, speak, and listen to his or her potential within the

demands of the discipline.

• LAS #2 All teachers should model effective reading, writing, speaking, and

listening skills during their direct and indirect instructional activities. The most

important communicator in the classroom is the teacher, who should model

English language arts skills.

Objectives - Students will be able to:

• Brainstorm ideas of dreaming using a sketchbook.

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• Attend a visit to the Krannert Art Museum.

• Discuss and critique the work of Tammie Rubin at the Krannert Art Museum.

• Draw images of recent dreams and/or memories, which will lead them into the

narrative activity.

• Write a narrative pertaining to the work of Tammie Rubin and their dreams.

• Utilize abstract concepts and forms to construct a “dream” sculpture using

sculpey clay.

• Work 3-dimensionally and gain tactile experience.

• Make connections between color, shape, size, texture, and form

• Incorporate their own “dream” sculpture into a memory box, which will then be

designed utilizing relevant ideas, themes, symbols, scenes, images, etc. pertaining

to the sculpture.

Vocabulary:

• Abstract: of or pertaining to the formal aspect of art, emphasizing lines, colors,

generalized or geometrical forms, etc., esp. with reference to their relationship to

one another.

• Composition: the organization or grouping of the different parts of a work of art

so as to achieve a unified whole.

• Health: the general condition of the body or mind with reference to soundness and

vior: good health; poor health.

• Sculpture: the art of carving, modeling, welding, or otherwise producing

figurative or abstract works of art in three dimensions, as in relief, intaglio, or in

the round.

• Dream: a succession of images, thoughts, or emotions passing through the mind

during sleep.

• Narrative: a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or

fictitious.

• Critique: an article or essay criticizing a literary or other work; detialed

evaluation; review.

• Memory: the mental capacity of retaining and reviving facts, events, impressions,

etc., or of recalling or recognizing previous experiences.

• Texture: the visual and esp. tactile quality of a surface: rough texture.

• Emotion:an affective state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or

the like, is experienced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional states of

consciousness.

• Form: the shape of a thing or person.

• Balance: a state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight, amount,

etc.

• Shape: the quality of a distinct object or body in having an external surface or

outline of specific form or figure.

• Expression: the act of expressing or setting forth in words.

• Symmetrical: characterized by or exhibiting symmetry; well proportioned, as a

body or whole; regular in form or arrangement of corresponding parts.

• Asymmetrical: not identical on both sides of a central line.

• Surrealism: a style of art and literature developec principally in the 20th century,

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stressing the subconscious or nonrational significance, of imagery arrived at by

automatism or the exploitation of chance effects, unexpected juxtapositions, etc.

Materials:

Teacher Materials:

• Laptop

• LCD Projector

• Extension cord

• Digital Camera with charger

• Paper Towels

• First Aid Kit

• Garbage Bags

• Drying Rack

• Sponges

• Poster of Rules/Expectations

• Front Door Poster

• Classroom Rug

• Black permanent markers

• Bins for sculpey tools

• Newsprint

• Large paper to cover tables

• Teacher made exemplars

• Multicultural/Historical exemplars

Demo Materials:

• Various colors of sculpey clay: light and dark purple, lime green

• Tools for cutting/creating texture: popsicle sticks, toothpicks, forks, ceramic tools

• Newsprint

• Pencil

• Memory container: rectangle, oval, “head” shape, circle, and square

• Exemplars: abstract memory sculpture from each teacher (4 total)

Learner Materials (Number of Students: 16 & 7)

• Sketchbooks

• Nametags

• Pencil/Eraser

• Colored Pencils, Crayons, Markers

• Museum/Narrative activity handout

• Newsprint

• Various colors of sculpey clay: light and dark shades of red, orange, yellow,

green, blue, and purple as well as pink, brown, and black

• Tools for cutting/creating texture (placed in bins): popsicle sticks, toothpicks,

forks, ceramic tools

• Permanent Marker

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• Memory containers placed at their seats: rectangle, oval, “head/egg” shape, circle,

and square

• Prismacolor colored Pencils

• LP#3 project- action silhouette environments

Motivation/Activities and Prompts:

• Krannert Art Museum visit

o Students will be visiting the Krannert Art Museum and discuss/critique the

work of Tammie Rubin including her work titled “Anatis Amatrix” and

“Anatis Diripio”.

! A brief handout will be provided for students to fill out regarding

Rubin’s work.

! Students will be asked to participate in a critique/discussion

incorporating Rubin’s work and the idea of dreaming.

• Narrative writing

o Students will be asked to write a narrative (approximately 6-7 sentences)

pertaining to their dreams and/or memories.

! Prompt: How can Tammie Rubin’s work relate to dreams? What

are dreams? Why do we dream? Can you recall and explain a

recent dream?

• Teacher exemplars

o Dream/Memory sculpture and memory container

• Historical/Multicultural exemplars

o Depicting abstract dreamlike scenes

! “The Persistence of Memory”, Salvador Dali

! “Cignes Reflectant des Elephants”, Salvador Dali

! “Night”, Veronica Kasatkina

! “Promenade”, Marc Chagall

! “Untitled III”, William de Kooning

o Depicting abstract dreamlike sculptures

! “Dream”, Charlotte Behrens

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! “Sunset Boat”, Dale Chihuly

! “Kiosque l’evide”, Jean Dubufett

! “Fiston la Filoche”, Jean Dubufett

! “Esquisse for Ode to Kinshasa”, Lois Mailou Jones

Classroom Layout/Physical Set-up:

• Wall Postings:

o 3rd

/4th

Grade Entrance Door Poster

o Rules poster posted on chalk board in front of class

o Time schedule posted on chalk board in front of class underneath clock

o Posters and objects from resource center placed around the room

! Texture poster: defining and providing examples of the use of

texture in art work

! Abstract Expressionism poster: defining abstract expressionism

and providing examples of abstract work

! Surrealism poster: defining the era of surrealism and providing

examples

! Dali: “The Persistence of Memory” & “Cignes Reflectant des

Elephants”

! Kooning: “Untitled III”

! Chihuly: “Sunset Boat”

! Dubufett: “Kiosque l’evide” & Fiston la Filoche”

! Jones: “Esquisse for Ode to Kinshasa

• Materials Distribution Area:

o Learner materials

! Sketchbooks

! Nametags

! Pencil/Eraser

! Colored Pencils, Crayons, Markers

! Newsprint

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! Various colors of sculpey clay: light and dark shades of red,

orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple as well as pink, brown, and

black

! Tools for cutting/creating texture (placed in bins): popsicle sticks,

toothpicks, forks, ceramic tools

! Permanent markers

! Memory containers placed at their seats: rectangle, oval,

“head/egg” shape, circle, and square

! Prismacolor colored Pencils

! LP#3 project- action silhouette environments

• Demonstration Area:

o Various colors of sculpey clay: light and dark purple, lime green

o Tools for cutting/creating texture: popsicle sticks, toothpicks, forks, ceramic

tools

o Newsprint

o Pencil

o Memory box: rectangle, oval, “head/egg” shape, circle, and square

o Exemplars: abstract memory sculpture from each teacher (4 total)

• Clean-Up/Sink Area:

o Make sure garbage can is handy, several trash cans will be located around

the room.

o Sinks are located close to the door, to the right as students walk in.

• Table Formation

o Tables will be grouped together around the room.

o A rug and the demo table will be placed at the front of the classroom.

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o A visual resource center will be in the front corner of the classroom.

o The sign in sheet, sketchbook, and materials will be to set alongside the wall to

the left as one enters the room.

o Drying racks will be available alongside the sink.

o Posters/paintings will be displayed around the room.

Procedures:

• Sketchbook Time – 5 minutes

o Students will find their sketchbook, nametags, Prismacolor colored pencils,

and lesson #3 project already placed at their tables.

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o Parents sign in on the sign-in sheet.

o Prompt: Students will have time to work on their project from lesson #3,

action silhouette environment.

! Those students who were absent for lesson 3 are given a piece of

watercolor paper that already has their silhouette pasted onto it.

They will draw an environment on their paper with the colored

pencils.

o [Continue working on your action silhouette environments. Use your

Prismacolor color pencils. Color your entire background, there should be

little to no white showing. Complete as much as possible, however, you

will have some time next week to complete them.]

o NOTE: Because there is very little sketchbook time, a note should be placed

on the door for those students arriving late, stating that we have travelled to

the Krannert Art Museum and to contact the number indicated on the paper

such that the student can meet up the class.

• Discussion/Museum Visit – 20 minutes

o Students will be making a visit to the Krannert Art Museum and discussing

the work of Tammie Rubin. Students will be asked to participate in a

discussion/critique and required to fill out a brief handout once we have

arrived back in the classroom after the visit.

o Prior to travelling to the museum students must be reminded of museum

etiquette and rules. Ask students what they believe is appropriate.

! No running, yelling, or touching.

! Respect the artwork.

! Stay in a single file line.

! Keep hands to one self.

o Leave all materials in the classroom.

o Once we arrive at the museum, introduce the work of Tammie Rubin, a

sculpture artist who actually teaches at the University of Illinois. Her work

involved invented narratives. Ask students if they know what this means?

(A uniquely created story). She describes her current pieces as creatures in

mythical worlds. She includes ideas/texture from food decoration and uses

disposable containers, packaging, toy icons, and replicas of nature.

! We will be exploring two of her pieces titled “Anatis Amatrix” and

“Anatis Diripio”.

o After introducing the work and giving a brief background, we will begin a

discussion: Students will be asked a number of questions in order to

stimulate a conversation about Tammie Rubin’s work.

! What do you see? How do we read these pieces?

• Unique forms, texture, balance. Maybe an attempt to create

a new object or being: animal like.

! Do any of the forms look familiar or like anything else you have

ever seen?

• Animal like forms seen in her work: maybe dog ears, duck

beaks, etc.

! What does abstract mean? Could we consider these to be abstract?

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• Something out of the norm or that we don’t usually see

using different lines, shapes, and colors.

• We could consider these abstract because we can’t really

tell exactly what they are.

! How does the artist’s use of color and texture affect how we read

the piece?

• “Anatis Amatrix”: The use of pink gives a happy and

childish feel. The texture adds a playful meaning.

• “Anatis Diripio”: The use of reds and blacks gives a darker

feel. The jagged shapes and heavy use of texture make it

appear to be a more serious work of art.

! How can we relate these forms to our dreams?

• Sometimes our dreams are very abstract and we don’t

always know what they mean. Tammie Rubin’s forms may

be ways in which one could express a dream because they

are so unique and unidentifiable.

• “Keep these ideas in mind that a dream can be expressed

through abstract sculptural ideas. We will be creating our

own abstract dream/memory sculptures later.

o After closing discussion ask students if they have any questions, otherwise

instruct them to quietly line back up, bringing they handouts with them and

as a class we will head back to the room.

• Drawing/ Narrative Writing-15 minutes (Museum Questions/Drawing-8

minutes, Narrative portion-7 minutes)

o Students will sit at the table in which they originally found their sketchbook.

o They will first be asked to quickly complete the museum handout.

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! The handout will consist of 3 simple questions in which students

will be asked to answer.

• How are Tammie Rubin’s two pieces, “Anatis Amatrix”

and “Anatis Diripio” alike?

• How are they different?

• What makes Tammie Rubin’s sculptures abstract?

• Give students about 1-2 minutes to complete these

questions.

o Circulate the room offering any assistance at this time.

! They will be asked to spend time drawing a recent dream they had

or one of their favorite memories. They may use the Prisma

colored pencils already placed in their tables to create this scene.

• Examples of memories may be winning or even losing an

important game, receiving a good grade, moving to a new

town, breaking your arm, winning a game, your mom

giving birth to your sibling, etc. This can be a good or bad

memory. Maybe you had an embarrassing moment,

describe this.

! After completing their drawing they should take time to write a 6-7

sentence narrative by responding to the following questions.

• How can Tammie Rubin’s work relate to dreaming?

o Her work relates to dreaming in that it is very

abstract, hard to decipher, and colorful similar to

our dreams.

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• What are dreams?

o Dreams are images or emotions we experience in a

sequence while we sleep.

• Why do we dream?

o We dream because our brain continues to process

and think while we sleep.

• Explain a recent dream you had or a specific memory you

recall.

o Ex: dreaming of winning a race or perhaps even a

memory of winning a race, dreaming that you went

to school in your PJs, dreaming you are being

chased by a scary monster, memory of your first

plane ride, memory of your first day of school, etc.

o Once students have completed this section a teacher/assistant will come

around to collect the papers.

• Demonstration– 10 minutes

o Students will gather around the demonstration table.

o Make sure all students can see.

o Remind students that they must keep hands off the table and to themselves.

They may speak when they have been called on. Reinforce this!

o Explain that students will be making an abstract sculpture expressing a

dream or memory. This is very similar to Tammie Rubin’s work because

we will be creating something that will be difficult to interpret.

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o Explain that students should be creating abstract shapes, utilizing texture,

and choosing a variety of colors in order to create a unique sculpture. The

goal is to create an abstract sculpture that will represent a dream or memory

through the use of shapes, texture, and color.

o Remind students that sculpey may be tough at first but after taking time to

work through it with your hands it will soften up.

o Demonstrate that students must create some sort of base shape for their

sculpture to sit on. This can be made up of a variety of shapes (ex: flattened

circles placed together) or can be made up of a single shape. It must be

something that lays flat on the table providing a steady base for the sculpture

to sit on.

o VERY IMPORTANT: students must use their memory container as

reference for the size of their sculpture. It will fit inside of the container with

the lid closed. The memory box will then later be designed to correspond

with the sculpture we create today.

o Demonstrate different strategies and techniques that can be used to create a

unique sculpture. Have multiple premade examples of different strategies in

which the sculpey clay may be used.

! Using palms to flatten, roll a ball, or roll a long string of sculpey.

• Show that these flat pieces, balls, or strings can be

combined in a number of ways: squished, twisted, etc.

! Using a toothpick, popsicle stick, or fork to create texture.

• Poke holes, create lines, twist the popsicle sticks in the

sculpey, etc.

! If you use a lot of different colors you want to be minimal with

your texture and vice versa.

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o Explain what composition means in terms of this project. Ask students to

define the importance of utilizing the following terms.

! Size: the sculpture must fit inside the memory box. Small, detailed

sculptures.

! Use of color: keep in mind the idea of contrast and the types of

emotions particular colors evoke. Refer back to the musical

watercolor project and the color wheel.

! Shape: note that different shapes can evoke different emotions as

well. Ex: a sharp/edgy piece may give an angry or excited feeling

where as a round/smooth piece will give a more calm or peaceful

feeling.

! Texture: pay close attention to texture because it can cause a piece

to be read differently, similarly to the way shape can affect the

meaning of the sculpture.

! Abstraction: others should have a difficult time reading what the

piece means.

o Go over ways to express a good vs. bad dream/memory. What ways would

you change your use of size, color, shape, texture, etc.?

! For example, a good dream may use brighter colors and use larger

shapes and fun textures. A bad dream may incorporate

deeper/darker colors, may perhaps be smaller in size, and have a

more jagged texture.

o Show teacher example. After we have completed our project, the sculpey

will be baked in the oven so that it can harden.

! STUDENTS HAVE TO FINISH their sculpture.

o Go over rules of using sculpey. Ask students what they think is important to

remember.

! Do not throw the sculpey.

! Do not eat the sculpey.

! Be careful when using any of the tools so as not to injure yourself.

! Be very gentle and careful, these pieces will be fragile.

! Do not mix different colors of sculpey together unless you will be

using that mixture in your piece.

! Keep your work on top of the newsprint to maintain a clean

surface.

! Sculpey is expensive and we are limited on materials, take extra

care of what you have to work with.

• Work Session – 30 minutes

o A variety of sculpey colors, tools, newsprint, and a memory container for

each student will be placed at each table.

o Before students begin work, they will be asked to write their names and

class session (either 1st or 2

nd) on the top of their newsprint.

o Students should also write their names and class session in pencil on the

bottom of their box.

o Prompt students to begin work.

o Students will be limited to using a total of 5 different colors of sculpey clay.

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o Circulate room offering assistance if needed.

o After creating a base structure, students must also inscribe their initials and

class session into the bottom of their clay before they continue to create their

final sculpture.

o Students will spend time creating an abstract sculpture that represents a

dream or memory. Students should follow the guidelines of composition

taking into consideration size, shape, color, texture, and abstraction.

o During the work session make sure to acknowledge the various artists work

displayed around the room or on the PowerPoint. All works display various

ways to depict abstract dreamlike scenes.

! Powerpoint:

• “Night”, Kasatkina

• “Promenade”, Chagall

• “Dream”, Behrens

! Posters:

• “The Persistence of Memory” & “Cignes Reflectant des

Elephants”, Dali

• “Untitled III”, Kooning

• “Sunset Boat”, Chihuly

• “Kiosque l’evide” & “Fiston la Filoche”, Dubufett

• “Esquisse for Ode to Kinshasa”, Jones

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• Clean-Up – 5 minutes

o Announce clean up time

o Ask that students place/squish all like colors of sculpey together and place

on tray at table as well as collect all tools and place in bin.

o Ask that all materials get placed neatly in the center of the table, including

sculpey, tools, etc.

o Ask students to place their sculpture inside their container and to carefully

walk it over to the materials table.

o ST’s and TA can place sculptures in the corner of the room during the break

so they are out of the way for session #2.

o Ask students to wash hands with soap. Sclupey leaves a nasty residue.

• Closure – 5 minutes

o Note: Students will gather around front on the rug. Make sure to collect all

nametags.

o Today in class we took a visit to the Krannert Art Museum, what did we see

there? Who’s art did we discuss?

! We saw and discussed the work of Tammie Rubin. We looked

specifically at her pieces titled “Anatis Amatrix” and “Anatis

Diripio”.

o We also drew and wrote our own narratives. How did Tammie Rubin’s

work relate to our dreams?

! Her work relates to our dreams because it is very abstract and

difficult to read as our dreams can sometimes be.

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o What did we learn about creating sculptures using sculpey today? What

kind of techniques did we discuss?

! We learned how to roll balls, make long strands, create flat

surfaces, twist, and squish the sculpey clay as well as create texture

using tools.

! We learned the importance of composition: texture, shape, size,

color, and abstraction.

o Over the next week, think about different ways you can continue “creating

your sculpture” 2-dimensionally. We will be designing our memory box in

which our sculpture will be placed.

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Timetables:

Time allotted for lesson (90 minutes total):

Activity Minutes

Discussion 20 mins.

Demonstrations 10 mins.

Design/Work Session 50 mins.

Clean-up 5 mins.

Closure 5 mins.

TOTAL 90 mins.

Preparation Time:

Activity Time

Writing lesson 6 hours

Revising lesson 4.5 hours

Gathering materials/resources 2 hours

Set-up (before classes) 2 hours

Making an example/board 4.5 hours

TOTAL 19 hours