| |
Images
back to top
• Print the images listed above onto overhead transparencies.
• Arrange the tables in groups of three. Place butcher paper
or cardboard on the tables to protect them from the clay.
• Cut clay into one pound pieces for each group.
back to top
1. Begin a discussion with the students about
contemporary art: What does the word 'contemporary' mean? What
do you think contemporary art looks like? What materials do you
think artists use in contemporary art? How do you think contemporary
art differs from art made a long time ago? Have the students
look up the word 'contemporary' in the dictionary, if necessary.
2. Place the Untitled (superama) transparency
on the overhead. Use the following questions to guide the discussion
about the image:
• What's going on in this picture?
• What more can we find?
• What materials are used?
• How does this artwork make you feel?
• How do you think the artist felt (happy, sad, confused,
etc.) when he/she made this?
• What does this artwork remind you of?
• What shapes do you see?
• Is this artwork representational or abstract? Provide evidence.
3. Explain to the students that there was a particular movement
within contemporary art called minimalism. Show the students two
transparencies demonstrating pieces of minimalist artwork. Use the
following discussion questions to guide the discussion about these
images:
• How is this piece of artwork different than the first
one you saw?
• What shapes do you see?
• What materials are used?
• What colors do you see?
• How does this artwork make you feel?
• What does this artwork remind you of?
• What do you think 'minimalist' means?
4. As a class, have the students describe characteristics of minimalist
art. How can you tell when a piece of art is in the minimalist
style and why?
5. Place the students into groups of three and number each student
in the group "one" to "three". Tell the students
that they will be working with their group members to create a
minimalist sculpture.
6. During the first round, all "ones" will be the craftsmen
(the builders), "twos" will be the illustrators (in charge
of drawing the sculpture), and "threes" will be the planners
(in charge of writing down careful instructions for making the artwork).
Explain that the students will rotate jobs every ten minutes.
7. Before the students begin creating their minimalist sculptures,
they should be instructed to plan out their sculptures carefully.
Emphasize the important role each member plays within his/her group.
8. Pass out all of the materials to each group (e.g., drawing paper,
lined paper, pencils, clay, materials for texture, sponges, water,
and rulers).
9. Have students begin to create and document their minimalist sculptures.
Using the modeling tools, instruct the students to add unique texture
to their sculpture.
10. When each part of the sculpture is completed, have the students
work together to measure the form with the ruler. The measurements
should be listed as the planner writes down the instructions for
creating the piece.
11. Remind the students to keep the forms simple and geometric to
mimic the works of the minimalists.
12. Repeat the process every 10 minutes so that each group member
has a chance to try each job at least once.
13. Have the students present their completed sculptures to their
classmates, including the details describing how it was created.
14. Discuss the following questions in a group discussion:
• What was your favorite job?
• What was the hardest job?
• Do you think someone could make your sculpture using only
the directions?
• Is an artwork original if it can be reproduced anywhere
by anyone?
• How do you feel about making an artwork that will be destroyed
each time?
• List the characteristics that make your sculpture minimalist.
15. Have the students write a multi-paragraph narrative explaining
the purpose and process of creating this piece of minimalist sculpture.
Extensions
English-Language Arts: Have the students write a final draft of
the instructions and corresponding drawings for their group’s
minimalist sculpture. Trade these instructions with another group
or with another class to see how successfully this new group can
create the same piece of artwork based on the instructions and measurements
provided.
Mathematics: Based on each sculptures’ measurements, have
each student calculate the perimeter, area, and volume of each sculpture.
Students can also classify each geometric shape.
back to top
Clay can be purchased at Freeform Clay Supply
in National City, CA (1912 Cleveland Avenue; 619.477.1004). In addition
to discounted rates for educators, they are extremely helpful in
answering all your questions. You can get a 50-pound box of red
clay for approximately seven dollars.
Affordable clay modeling tools can be found at Dickblick.com.
Seven tools with 14 unique edges can be purchased for less than
two dollars.
back to top
CA Content Standards
Fourth Grade Visual Arts:
1.5 Describe and analyze the elements of art (color, shape/form,
line, texture, space and value), emphasizing form, as they are used
in works of art and found in the environment.
2.3 Use additive and subtractive processes in making simple sculptural
forms.
Fifth Grade Visual Arts:
1.2 Identify and describe characteristics of representational, abstract,
and nonrepresentational works of art.
1.3 Use their knowledge of all the elements of art to describe similarities
and differences in works of art and in the environment.
2.2 Create gesture and contour observational drawings.
4.1 Identify how selected principles of design are used in a work
of art and how they affect personal responses to and evaluation
of the work of art.
4.3 Develop and use specific criteria as individuals and in groups
to assess works of art.
Sixth Grade Visual Arts:
1.1 Identify and describe all the elements of art found in selected
works of art (color, shape/form, line, texture, space, and value).
1.2 Discuss works of art as to theme, genre, style, idea, and differences
in media.
2.1 Use various observational drawing skills to depict a variety
of subject matter.
2.5 Select specific media and processes to express moods, feelings,
themes, or ideas.
4.1 Construct and describe plausible interpretations of what they
perceive in works of art.
4.3 Develop specific criteria as individuals or in groups to assess
and critique works of art.
Fourth Grade English-Language Arts:
2.7 Follow multiple-step instructions in a basic technical manual
(e.g., how to use computer commands or video games).
2.1 Write narratives.
1.1 Ask thoughtful questions and respond to relevant questions with
appropriate elaboration in oral settings.
1.2 Summarize major ideas and supporting evidence presented in spoken
messages and formal presentations.
2.1 Make narrative presentations.
Fifth Grade English-Language Arts:
2.2 Analyze text that is organized in sequential or chronological
order.
2.1 Write narratives.
1.5 Clarify and support spoken ideas with evidence and examples.
2.2 Deliver informative presentations about an important idea, issue,
or event.
Sixth Grade English-Language Arts:
2.2 Write expository compositions.
1.3 Restate and execute multiple-step oral instructions and directions.
2.2 Deliver informative presentations.
Fourth Grade Mathematics:
1.1 Measure the area of rectangular shapes by using appropriate
units, such as square centimeter (cm2), square meter (m2), square
kilometer (km2), square inch (in2), square yard (yd2), or square
mile (mi2).
1.4 Understand and use formulas to solve problems involving perimeters
and areas of rectangles and squares. Use those formulas to find
the areas of more complex figures by dividing the figures into basic
shapes.
3.5 Know the definitions of a right angle, an acute angle, and an
obtuse angle. Understand that 90°, 180°, 270°, and 360°
are associated, respectively, with 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and full turns.
3.7 Know the definitions of different triangles (e.g., equilateral,
isosceles, scalene) and identify their attributes.
3.8 Know the definition of different quadrilaterals (e.g., rhombus,
square, rectangle, parallelogram, trapezoid).
Fifth Grade Mathematics:
1.1 Derive and use the formula for the area of a triangle and of
a parallelogram by comparing it with the formula for the area of
a rectangle (i.e., two of the same triangles make a parallelogram
with twice the area; a parallelogram is compared with a rectangle
of the same area by cutting and pasting a right triangle on the
parallelogram).
1.3 Understand the concept of volume and use the appropriate units
in common measuring systems (i.e., cubic centimeter [cm3], cubic
meter [m3], cubic inch [in3], cubic yard [yd3]) to compute the volume
of rectangular solids.
1.4 Differentiate between, and use appropriate units of measures
for, two-and three-dimensional objects (i.e., find the perimeter,
area, volume).
2.1 Measure, identify, and draw angles, perpendicular and parallel
lines, rectangles, and triangles by using appropriate tools (e.g.,
straightedge, ruler, compass, protractor, drawing software).
2.3 Visualize and draw two-dimensional views of three-dimensional
objects made from rectangular solids.
Sixth Grade Mathematics:
1.3 Know and use the formulas for the volume of triangular prisms
and cylinders [(area of base) x (height)]; compare these formulas
and explain the similarity between them and the formula for the
volume of a rectangular solid.
2.1 Identify angles as vertical, adjacent, complementary, or supplementary
and provide descriptions of these terms.
2.2 Use the properties of complementary and supplementary angles
and the sum of the angles of a triangle to solve problems involving
an unknown angle.
2.3 Draw quadrilaterals and triangles from information given about
them (e.g., a quadrilateral having equal sides but no right angles,
a right isosceles triangle).
back to top
Teachers
Technique:
Frohardt, Darcie C. Teaching Art with Books Kids Love: Teaching
Art Appreciation, Elements of Art and Principles of Design with
Award-Winning Children’s Books. Golden, Co: Fulcrum,
1999.
Topal, Cathy Weisman. Children, Clay, and Sculpture. Worcester,
Mass.: Davis Publications, 1983.
History:
Garrels, Gary. Sol LeWitt: a retrospective. San Francisco:
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; New Haven: Yale University Press,
2000.
Govan, Michael. Dan Flavin: a retrospective. New York:
Dia Art Foundation; Washington, D.C.: National Gallery of Art, 2004.
Meyer, James (Ed.) Minimalism. London: Phaidon, c2000.
Tate
Gallery Online
Description of minimalism, its qualities, and
influences. Includes a few images.
Singular
Forms (Sometimes Repeated) Exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum
Highlights from the Singular Forms (Sometimes
Repeated) Exhibit show excellent examples of minimalist art and
include brief descriptions.
Singular
Forms (Sometimes Repeated) Teacher Resource
This Teacher Resource supports the Singular
Forms (Sometimes Repeated) exhibit, and includes discussion questions,
extension activities and additional resources to use with five
of the pieces from the exhibition.
Students
History:
Gaff, Jackie. 20th Century Art. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens
Pub., 2001.
Mason, Antonym. In the Time of Warhol-Art Around the World.
Brookfield, Conn.: Copper Beech Books, 2002.
Woolf, Felicity. Picture this century: an introduction to twentieth-century
art. New York: Doubleday Book for Young Readers, c1992.
ArtKids
Brief description of minimalism in kid-friendly
terms.
Destination
Modern Art
An interactive Web site for elementary school-aged
children to learn about modern art.
back to top |
|
read/post
blog feedback
More
student examples 