3rd Grade Projects Spring 2017

International Festival Dolls

Students learned about the history of paper dolls and the art career of clothing and fashion design before designing an outfit for their doll that conveyed the colors and patterns of their country of heritage.

Then, students learned about the history and purpose of the postage stamp. Using their new knowledge, they designed an image to represent the landscape or a special monument of their country on the stamp.

National Visual Art Standards

               

• I can apply knowledge of available resources, tools and technologies to investigate personal ideas through the art-making process.

• I can elaborate visual information by adding details in an artwork to enhance emerging meaning.

• I can identify and explain how and where different cultures record and illustrate stories and history of life through art.

• I can develop a work of art based on observations of surroundings.

• I can demonstrate an understanding of the safe and proficient use of materials, tools and equipment for a variety of artistic processes.

Gyotaku
Ancient Japanese Fish Printing

Japanese fishermen used this printing technique to record their prideful catches before cameras were invented. “Gyo” translates to fish and “taku” translates to rubbing. An emperor of Japan later commissioned these prints of his catches to hang in his temple. Eventually the purpose of gyotaku changed from being a practical means of recording one’s catches to a cherished art form!

Ceramic Rattles
Inspired by Native American Storytelling

In Native American culture, the full moon of each month is named. The Snow Moon for February, Flower Moon for May and Strawberry Moon for June are some examples. Rattles are also instruments that are used in Native American music.

After reading a book of poems about each moon during the months of the year, students selected a personally significant month of the year and learned how to create a hollow sphere form in clay. They added textures and symbols for their chosen month, literally creating a “full moon rattle.”

After painting, reflecting on the process, and putting their rattle on display, students wrote poems, songs and stories about their moon and performed them for the class.

Cross Curricular Connections:

Social Studies: Learned about Native American culture and traditions.

Reading & Writing: Answered questions reflecting on the complex clay process, evaluated work, wrote a poem, song or story about their moon rattle.

Speaking: Performed to the class.

Science: Learned about the clay stages and kiln. Investigated how the size and amount of the beads inside the rattle impacted the sound and pitch.

Collograph Prints
Inspired by Jasper Johns and Stuart Davis

3rd Grade students began this lesson by brainstorming numbers and letters that have significance to their life. Letters and numbers connect to memories, experiences, objects, people and places.  They were then asked the question:

“Do you consider numbers and letters ART? Why or why not?”

We learned about the artist, Jasper Johns. The subject matter of his art was seeming “ordinary,” but he used portrayed ordinary letters in numbers in a new and expressive way. This helped us identify what art is, and is not.

We created a collograph plate by cutting out our favorite letter in foam and gluing it down backwards on the cardboard. This produces a forward producing print. Students added additional shapes to their plate.

Finally, we created a collage paper inspired by Stuart Davis and printed our collograph onto it!

We hope you enjoy our bright prints inspired by the styles and techniques of these two artists!

Frank Stella Sculpture

Students observed the elements within the aluminum sculptures of Frank Stella including color, texture and organic shapes. The art problem involved turning a single piece of paper into a three dimensional form that used organic shapes, colors and textures. Students then decided how their work would be displayed; by hanging from a string or sitting on a sculpture base.