1

Title: Personality Sculptures

Curriculum Theme: Community

Lesson Plan Number: 8

Teaching Assistant: Kelly Enskat

Student Teachers: Meredith Pyle

Grade Level: 1st and 2

nd

Date Taught: October 31, 2009

Aim/Goal of the 5-wk Curriculum:

• Students will learn about and discuss the idea of a community and its connection

to art, the students’ daily lives, and their surroundings. They will examine the way

in which people, places, and things interact with one another in the community.

The students will experiment with a variety of media including both two-

dimensional and three-dimensional forms of art making. Students will be

introduced to new techniques and will continue to build upon already learned

skills. They will work together to problem solve and to share ideas while

learning/observing the ways in which the classroom itself works as a type of

community. They will explore their different environments whether natural or

man-made, the interactions between humans and environments, and lastly the

parts that make up their being and how they integrate within their community.

State Fine Art Goals met by the Lesson Objectives:

• 25.A.1d Identify the elements of line, shape, space, color, and texture; the

principles of repetition and pattern; and the expressive qualities of mood,

emotion, and pictorial representation.

• 26.A.1e Identify media and tools and how to use them in a safe and responsible

manner when painting, drawing, and constructing.

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

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

• 27.A.1b Identify how the arts contribute to communication, celebrations,

occupations, and recreations.

Objectives - Students will be able to:

• Continue their exploration of community by doing a self-reflection.

• Understand the ways in which they fit into and benefit their community (family,

friends, teachers, clerks, etc.).

• Symbolically represent their unique character/cultural traits, likes, dislikes,

hobbies, etc. through four small sculptures using Sculpey clay.

• Practice construction and building skills by process of creating a sculpture with

Sculpey clay.

• Examine themselves, their classmates, and their community by connecting what

and who fits where and why.

2

Vocabulary:

• Community: in biological terms refers to a group of interacting organisms sharing

an environment.

• Characteristic: a distinguishing feature or quality.

• Mixed media: a technique involving the use of two or more artistic media such as

drawing, pasting in paper or objects, painting, etc.

• Symbol: a thing that represents or stands for something else

• Hieroglyphics: stylized and symbolic images used by Egyptians as language

• Hobby: an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation, not a main

occupation.

• Culture: the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular

nation, people, or other social group.

• Personality: the sum total of the physical, mental, emotional, and social

characteristics of a person.

• Self-reflection: meditation or serious thought about one’s character, actions, and

motives.

• Expression: a process of making known one’s thoughts or feelings.

• Mobile: a piece of sculpture having delicately balanced units constructed of rods

and sheets of metal or other material suspended in midair by wire or twine so that

the individual parts can move independently, as when stirred by a breeze.

• Texture: the feel, appearance, or consistency of a surface or substance.

• Sculpture: the art of making 2- or 3- dimensional representative or abstract forms;

carving, building, constructing, casting.

Materials:

Teacher Materials:

• Laptop

• LCD Projector

• Extension Cord

• Digital Camera with charger

• Paper Towels

• First Aid Kit

• Ziploc Bags

• Garbage Bags

• Blank 8”x11.5” computer paper

• Drying Rack

• Sponges

• Poster of Rules/Expectations

• Front Door Poster

• Classroom Rugs

• Various colors of Sculpey clay

• Trays

• Paper covering tables

• Teacher made exemplar

• Multicultural/Historical

exemplars

Demo Materials:

• A tray of various colors of Sculpey clay rolled into small balls- purple, green,

blue, orange, red, yellow

• Various tools- plastic fork, tooth pick, serrated plastic knife, “ceramics tools”

• Paper to construct sculpture on because the clay is greasy

• Exemplar- character collages (4)

3

Learner Materials (Number of Students: Session #1: 20, Session #2: 20)

• Sketchbooks

• Nametags

• Pencil/Eraser

• Colored Pencils, Crayons, and Markers

• Many different colors of Sculpey rolled into small balls placed onto 5 trays- 1 for

each table

• Various kinds of tools

• Permanent marker to write name on plate

• Paper plate to place sculptures on when finished

Motivation/Activities and Prompts:

• PowerPoint Presentation: introduce week’s topics and artists/inspiration for

students’ projects, describe the project.

o What is personality?

o What is a hobby?

o What is a symbol?

o The final project will be a personality mobile.

! What is a mobile?

o We are making sculptures out of Sculpey clay first, to then hang from string

to create our mobile.

! Examples of sculptures.

• Teacher made exemplar- 4 personality sculptures

• Historical/Multicultural exemplars

o Untitled (1944) and Boomerangs (1941), Alexander Calder: 20th century

sculptor

o Image of Egyptian Hieroglyphics from the internet- example of symbols

o 2 Cheeseburgers, Claes Oldenburg: 1962, example- favorite food sculpture

o Posters from resource center about sculpting clay and examples of

sculptures

Classroom Layout/Physical Set-up:

• Wall Postings:

o 1st/2

nd 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 Majority of posters from resource center will be on back wall.

! 3 are on the materials/demo table

4

• Materials Distribution Area:

o Learner materials stated above

! Trays of Sculpey rolled into small balls, tools, and paper will be

covering each table.

• Demonstration Area:

o The students will gather around materials/demo table.

o Demo materials and exemplars will be on the table.

• Clean-Up/Sink Area:

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

the room.

o The sinks will be directly to your right as you walk in the door.

5

• Table Formation

o Tables will be grouped together around the room in a “U” shaped pattern. The

materials table is in the center of the “U”.

o A rug is placed at the front of the room where the students will sit during

sketchbook and discussion.

o A visual resource center/library will be at the front of the room in between the rug

and windows.

o The sketchbooks are on the benches by the sinks as your walk in.

o Posters will be displayed around the room.

Procedures:

• Sketchbook Time – 15 minutes

o Students should find their sketchbook and put on their nametags as they

walk in.

o Parents sign in on the sign-in sheet.

o Students will sit on the front rug and draw in their sketchbook with the

provided materials (crayons, markers, colored pencils).

! Prompt: Draw at least 4 things that represent you- likes, dislikes,

hobbies, cultural beliefs, characteristics, etc. Draw these things as

symbols that can “sum” you up as a person. A symbol is something

that sands for something else. Examples: I like the Fall season the

best, so I could draw an orange leaf. I like to paint, so I could draw

a paintbrush and palette. I love my family, so I could draw people

a group of people hugging. I like to bake and eat dessert so I could

draw a chocolate cake or mixing bowel/ spatula. [Books, food,

weather, religious symbols, etc.]

Chalkboard

Distribution Materials and

demo table

Projector

6

• Discussion/Power Point – 10 minutes

o Power Point Presentation: introduce week’s topics and artists/inspiration for

students’ projects, describe the project.

o Personality Sculptures- your characteristics, likes, and dislikes are part of

your community.

o What is personality?

! Personality is the sum total of the physical, mental, emotional, and

social characteristics of a person. Look at the Garfield picture.

7

What are some of Garfield’s personalities? [angry, goofy, shy,

excited, calm, etc.] He is showing 6 sides of his personality, but

everyone has many, many sides to their personality. Your

personality can be influenced by what you do in your everyday

life, like hobbies for example.

o What is a hobby? [An activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation,

not a main occupation.] Depending on some of the hobbies you like to do,

you may act differently or have a certain emotion. This image has many

examples of hobbies.

! Can anyone see one that they like to do? You are probably more

serious while hunting, because you have to concentrate and be

quiet. A different hobby could be drawing. You probably feel

relaxed and comfortable to express yourself, maybe you are

excited.

! What are some other hobbies you like to do?

o How do you think you would be able to express these different emotions or

hobbies in your artwork? We can use symbols. What is a symbol? [a thing

that represents or stands for something else]. Egyptian Hieroglyphics are

perfect examples of symbols. They expressed their thoughts and feelings

through pictures. Can you describe any one the symbols/thoughts/actions?

! We as humans aren’t just described by the hobbies we like. Things

that may express who you are

could include interests like

sports, seasons of the year, or

colors. You can also describe

yourself by things you believe in,

values you have, or cultural

customs you share with your

family and friends.

! Can anyone share some

things that describe you?

o Here are some examples of

symbols. [sports, seasons,

love]

o More examples of symbols.

[girl, boy, peace, happy,

cultural symbols]

o We will make sculptures out

of Sculpey clay today.

o What is a sculpture? [the art

of making 2- or 3-

dimensional representative or

abstract forms- casting,

building, sculpting, carving.]

8

! Here are some examples of sculptures that combine interests.

[baseball, loving family, springtime, 2 Cheeseburgers by

Oldenburg in 1962]

o For next week we will be hanging our sculptures from wire to create a

mobile. What is a mobile? [A piece of sculpture having delicately balanced

units constructed of rods and sheets of metal or other material suspended in

midair by wire or twine so that the individual parts can move independently,

as when stirred by a breeze.] A common example is a mobile above a baby’s

crib, like the image on the power point.

! Alexander Calder is an artist who made a lot of mobiles in his

lifetime. The majority of his work was in the early to mid 1900s.

• The mobile on the left is untitled but the one on the right is

called Boomerangs, made in 1941.

o The sculptures for today are going to be symbols that describe YOU.

! Hobbies, likes, dislikes, culture, beliefs, emotions, and more.

• Demonstration – 12 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 4 representative sculptures expressing

themselves.

9

o Explain that if someone else looked at your sculptures, they should be able

to tell it is you. Like I mentioned in the discussion, hobbies, beliefs, culture,

likes, characteristics, etc. all describes you. Each and every one of you are

different/unique.

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. Roll a ball in your hand,

then you can make any shape or form from it. Also tearing small pieces off

of the ball will help make it soft faster.

! Ask student what I should make or demonstrate for them using the

following techniques.

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

unique sculpture. Have multiple pre-made examples of different strategies in

which the Sculpey clay may be used.

! Using palms to flatten, roll a ball, or roll a long string/snake of

Sculpey.

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

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

! Using a toothpick, “ceramic” tools, a fork, or a “pizza roller” tool,

you can create different textures and shapes.

• Poke holes, create lines, twist in the Sculpey, etc.

o Go over ways to express something with color. Different colors mean

different things.

! For example, a brighter color like orange or yellow would express

a happy or excited person. A more quiet or relax person may use

blue and purple.

o Lastly we are going to hang your sculptures next week to make a mobile,

therefore you need to put a hole in your piece somewhere.

! Carefully stick you toothpick through your sculpture and wiggle in

circles to make a big enough hole for string.

o Show teacher example.

! I have made a leaf, chocolate cake, a loving family, and a

paintbrush and palette. Can anyone tell me how these symbols

represent me.

o Describe the balance in my exemplar. You can’t have 1 really heavy

sculpture and 3 light sculptures; otherwise your mobile will be

lopsided/unbalanced. You can make 2 heavier sculptures and 2 lighter

sculptures if you want.

o After we have completed our project, the Sculpey will be baked in the oven

so that it can harden.

! STUDENTS MUST FINISH their 4 sculptures.

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.

10

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

using that mixture in your piece.

! Keep your work surface clean; don’t make a mess.

o REMEMBER- these sculptures must represent YOU. I don’t want to see any

sculptures that look alike. We all have many qualities that represent us;

therefore, do not make a sculpture that looks like someone else’s sculptures.

o Alright, does anyone have questions? Can everything go quietly back to

your seats and you can get started.

• Work Session – 45 minutes

o Students will spend time creating 4 personality sculptures.

o The Sculpey clay and tools are already provided on the students’ tables.

o Student MUST complete their sculptures today.

! The students’ sculptures should be the size of a tennis ball or

smaller. If smaller, however, all sculptures need to be that small.

! Sculptures MUST be the same weight and general size. This is

important for next step in project- created a mobile, which needs

balance.

! The students can create different texture with their tools.

! Once they are finished with each sculpture students must make a

hole through the top of their piece in order to tie string to it next

class. The hole can be any size by no smaller than 1/8”.

! Students should complete 1 sculpture every 10 minutes. The last 5

minutes can be used to make holes and finishing touches.

11

• 20, 10, 5, 1 minute left.

! OK, everyone put all materials down and put your hands in the air.

It is time to clean up.

• Clean-Up– 3 minutes

o Once students are finished with their sculptures the teacher will call each

table 1-by-1 to bring them to the benches in the back of the room.

o 1st session

! Put all tools back in the center of the table.

! Ask all students to pick up clay if on the ground, laying around,

etc. and put on the tray in center of table. [combine all similar

colors- all red pieces need to be rolled together, don’t combine

orange and blue Sculpey together for example]

o 2nd session

! Same as 1st session plus…

• Ask several students to collect all tools and put in bin on

materials table.

• Ask 1 student from each table to bring tray of Sculpey to

materials table.

o Ask students to wash hands with soap and water.

o Once finished, students can sit on front rug for closure.

• Closure – 5 minutes

o Students will come to the font of the room and sit on the rug.

o Make students clip their nametags onto their sketchbooks.

12

o Today we created personality sculptures. You selected 4 things to describe

your personality. You could’ve used hobbies, likes, cultural beliefs,

characteristics, etc.

! To create these characteristics we used symbols. What is a

symbol? [a thing that stands for something else]

! What are some of the symbols you used to describe yourself?

! Did you use color to help describe your characteristic? [colors can

have meaning]

o Next week we are going to use the sculptures to create a mobile.

! What is a mobile?

o Thanks everyone, your sculptures turned out great. See you next week.

13

Timetables:

Time allotted for lesson (90 minutes total):

Activity Minutes

Discussion 10 mins.

Demonstrations 12 mins.

Design/Work Session/Sketchbooks 60 mins.

Clean-up 3 mins.

Closure 5 mins.

TOTAL 90 mins.

Preparation Time:

Activity Time

Writing lesson 5 hours

Revising lesson 4 hours

Gathering materials/resources 3 hours

Set-up (before classes) 2 hours

Making an example/board 2 hour

TOTAL 16 hours