Movement Unit

My second graders started this unit by inquiring into movement and body shapes within art. They began by comparing and contrasting different artists and how movement is portrayed in a variety of ways and styles. Our focus was on Keith Haring and we discussed the simple contour lines and shapes within his work. The students then set off in their sketchbooks drawing poses of their choice, practicing different lines and shapes to show their chosen movements. Before we started sketching, we viewed this short animated clip of Haring's work. It definitely inspired some new poses as well as dance moves!  

 

After the initial practice sketches, the students were split up into small groups of 3 or 4 students. As a group, they needed to design a body shape in a moving pose of their choice. They also needed to decide on colors and details that would influence the feeling of their final piece. Once students had practiced and designed in their sketchbooks, they recreated their plans on a larger scale and the real fun could begin! 

One person from each group was traced on large paper in the pose their group had chosen. They worked together to add their colors, lines, shapes, and designs.   

When all their work was finished each group presented their final piece to the class describing their final title and artistic choices within the piece. During critique we also discussed our accomplishments as well as any challenges we faced while working as a group. The students loved talking about each other's final work and had a lot of questions for one another. They were very proud of what they had accomplished together! 

Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism

 

My MYP 2/3 class just finished up a unit on Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism, and it was a huge hit! Here is what we have been up to...

Line of Inquiry: Global media has become prominent in new visual cultures. 

Inquiry Questions: What types of popular ideas have spread globally? How can pop culture mediums and materials be used in an artwork? Are Andy Warhol's paintings art?

We started off the unit with a class discussion investigating what "Pop Art" is, how it started, and how those ideas are still being used today. The students viewed a variety of pop artists and focused on Andy Warhol. 

They did some individual research about Warhol's background and famous works before discussing and debating if his ideas should be considered art. During discussion, the students also identified the elements of art and principles of design within Warhol's famous soup cans.   

After research and discussion, students made a list of ten items found in the grocery store. Four of those items were chosen and drawn in their process journals. 

After the four items had been sketched, we went backwards in time within the the art history world and began investigating Abstract Expressionism. Why was this art movement happening right before Pop Art started, how is it different? The students examined art works by Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko, but their favorite was Jackson Pollock.

The students started practicing a variety of mark-making techniques they discovered while looking into Abstract Expressionism in their process journals. We took the mark-making experimenting to the next level by throwing around some paint filled eggs, creating splatters just like Pollock! 

After making a brilliantly colorful mess, the students were ready to begin their final task. They chose one item from their four sketches to develop into a design that was influenced by both Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism. Once finished, the students presented their work during a group critique. They were thrilled with their final results!

Here are a few more examples of student work from their beginning ideas up to their final product:

I'm really proud of their enthusiasm, creativity, and effort! 

Pop Art Group Project

I absolutely love this project and I feel like it is perfect for fifth grade! I always find that the students surprise themselves at how well they can complete this assignment.

As a class we review the Pop Art Movement, which as mentioned before is one of my favorites to teach! After presenting and class discussion, I break the students into separate groups. As a group students are to choose any product that will be constructed on a large scale with paper mache. Once the project has been designed, built, and painted, the students come up with an advertisement or commercial to present to the rest of the class.

This project does take awhile, considering I only see my fifth grade class twice a week. However, the results are always fantastic and it is a great way for students to learn and work together as a team.

Here are some of the products my students designed this year.

Giant Lipstick. (It's almost as tall as me!)  

Skateboard

PlayStation



Calculator

Pop Art Pizzas

I love Pop Art. What I love even more about Pop Art is teaching it! I always do at least one lesson on this art movement with every grade level, so I am always looking for new ideas. This year I stumbled upon a fabulous blog with this wonderful lesson: Pizza Sculptures so I decided to give it a try!

Before we started the project my third graders and I discussed a few important artists involved with this movement, one being Claes Oldenburg. The students loved viewing and talking about his giant sculptures. When I revealed our next project to the class, they literally cheered.

First the students cut two large triangles of some recycled paper I had been saving. At the beginning of the school year, our overseas supply shipment was delivered. There was so much packing paper leftover that I have giant black garbage bags full of the stuff waiting to be used! (Yay!)

 

As you can see, we had quite the mess. Paper everywhere!

 After the two large triangles were cut, they stapled both of the sides together leaving the top open. Students crumpled leftover packing paper and stuffed it into the opening. Once the pizza was full, they stapled the opening to form a crust.

The next class period third graders began painting red for the sauce and brown for the crust. When the paint was completed, they began to cut toppings of their choice. The toppings were then glued onto the wet paint.

 Our wonderful pop art pizzas were completed in only two class periods. We had so much fun with this!