Soap Sculptures Inspired by: The Dictionary!

Hello! For this entry I would like to share with you a lesson that I taught to my 3D Design II class, but it could easily be taught in 9^th – 12^th grade. The project is Soap Sculptures! This is a tiered lesson that is an excellent form of differentiated instruction because it provides students with multiple ways to meet the objectives based on the students’ interests and learning needs. Students can challenge themselves based on the word they choose, and or how they design and create the sculpture.

Objective: To explore subtractive sculpture techniques in the design and creation of a sculpture in the round using a word from the dictionary as the sculpture’s subject.

Essential Question: How can I interpret a word to create a sculpture in the round using subtractive sculpture techniques?
 

Time Frame:  7 - 10 forty-two minute classes. 

Assessment: This project is formally assessed with a rubric using the following criteria: Design and Composition, Creativity, Utilization of Techniques, and Craftsmanship. Presentation.  Each criteria is worth 25 points for a total of 100 points. I also informally assess students each day as I circulate around the room to provide feedback.

Materials: Bars of Soap, butter knives, index cards, T-Pins, clay carving tools, ribbon tools, water/bowls, needle tools, scissors, Dictionary pages.

Sequence of Action:

1).  As students enter the room, pass out pages of the dictionary to students at random. Direct students to highlight or circle 3 – 5 words that interest them.

 

2).   Have students pair and share with a partner to discuss the words they picked; have them explain to their partner why they chose these words and not others.  

3). Introduce project by passing out project outline sheet. Demonstrate how to sketch ideas for project, showing a concrete idea and an abstract idea. Direct students to create a minimum of 2 sketches in their sketchbook using the words from their randomly assigned dictionary page as inspiration for the sculptures subject. Students can create 2 sketches with 2 words, or 2 sketches with 1 word shown in 2 different ways. Students work hands on sketches while teacher circulates to coach students in small groups and one on one.
 

4). Demonstrate how to create a template to use to transfer their sketch to the soap. Demonstrate by placing bar of soap on index card and tracing around the soap. Revise the shape and add details to sculpture by drawing inside the soap tracing. Cut out template with scissors. Place template on top of soap and use a T-Pin to transfer the design using a “Connect the Dots” approach. Students work hands on to create templates and transfer template designs to soap. (1-2 days)

5). Demonstrate how to carve basic shape of soap by using a butter knife and larger clay tools. Stress that students should work gently and cautiously so they do not split or fracture their soap. Also stress that students should be looking at the sculpture from 360 degrees. Students work hands on to cut out basic shape of soap sculpture while teacher circulates around the room to coach students. (1-2 days)

6). Demonstrate how to add fine details using clay carving tools. Stress that students should continue to look at the sculpture from 360 degrees and that they should also continue to work cautiously as they carve. Students may also use water to smooth out rough edges or attach pieces using scoring techniques, similar to clay. Students work on adding fine details and textures to soap while teacher circulates around the room to coach students. (2-3days)

7). Have students write dictionary word and its definition on an index card. Place sculpture and index card together for Praise, Prompt, and Polish critique. After critique, students will work hands on to put finishing touches onto sculpture and turn in for assessment. (1-2 days)
 

8). Assess sculptures. Type up words and their definitions. Put sculptures on display with words/definitions.

Tips:

·         Ask your school librarian for an old dictionary. Pre-view and scan pages (front and back) and cut out pages with a good variety of words.  I find that this project was successful because I used an actual page from a dictionary and I did not just allow them to pick their own word at random, it makes the project more enchanting. Additionally, this provides for part of the tiering of this assignment. Students could choose nouns, verbs, adjectives, or adverbs based on the learning needs and interest. I find if you think a student isn’t challenging him or herself, encourage he or she to try something more difficult.

·         Use flat bars of soap. Curved bars of soap like Dove were much more difficult and slippery to work with because of the curve in the soap’s shape. I purchased bars of soap at the Dollar Store in packs of 3 for a $1.00.

·         Try to choose soaps with light scents, as the room will quickly begin to smell like soap.  You may work on these outside if you are able to.

·         Soap shavings are incredibly sticky! Have students work on top of newspaper when working; have a few good scrapers on hands to help remove stuck on soap from tables. Soap cleans up best when dry, not wet.

·         When you display these sculptures, include the student’s chosen word next to the sculpture to help viewer’s understand the soap’s subject.
 

·         Soap can be extremely tricky to carve; emphasize slow and steady with gentle pressure as students work.

·         To store soap sculptures in between classes, line a few copy box lids with scrunched up tissue paper to create a cushion.

 

 

Working on this project was a lot of fun! Students were mesmerized by the idea of using soap as a sculpture medium. Caution: this project is much more difficult than you may expect! Although it does have some obstacles to overcome in terms of figuring out what the medium can and can’t do, it is significantly cheaper than many of the sculpture blocks and clays found in art supply catalogs. Additionally, it is something that can also be done at home, as supplies needed are generally very basic, so students who enjoy this project could make more sculptures at home for fun.

Thanks for reading!

A Differentiated Instruction Book Review

Book Review: Differentiated Instruction in Art

Differentiated instruction seems to be the “buzz word” in education. But what is differentiated instruction and what does it look like in an art classroom?

To find the answer to this question I recommend the book Differentiated Instruction in Art, written by Dr. Heather Fountain, published as part of the Art Education in Practice Series by Davis Art Publications. I had the pleasure of taking a differentiated instruction class with Dr. Fountain and I must admit it was one of my favorite graduate classes and what I learned I have been able to integrate into my curriculum and into my instructional methods very quickly, easily, and efficiently. I have become a better teacher for it.

This book not only defines differentiated instruction, but it also gives the reader a history of DI and provides rationale for why this is a beneficial art practice. I learned that differentiated instruction was a term coined by Carol Ann Tomlinson in the early 1990s to describe instructional practices that are designed to reach and engage students of varying learning styles. The purpose of differentiated instruction is to allow students to learn the same objectives, but in different ways. Teachers can differentiate by process (how students engage in the art lesson), by product (what is created to teach the objectives), or content (what the students are learning, such as topics, themes, techniques, etc.).

This book stresses the importance of understanding your students and their learning styles. Each student is unique in what he or she is interested in and how he or she learns. In order to better understand your students, Fountain suggests pre-assessment. Pre-assessment is the practice of identifying what your students are interested in and are skilled in before the teacher begins the lesson. This will allow the teacher to better plan the lesson and make preparations for what to teach and how to teach it. For example, if you as a teacher are planning on introducing a pinch pot lesson to teach traditional hand-building ceramic techniques, wouldn’t it be helpful to know if your students have already had experience with this? If the teacher finds out ahead of time that the students did a pinch pot in middle school, then at the high school the teacher can instead teach how to stack pinch pots to make more complex vessels, or show how to combine pinch pot with another hand-building technique such as coiling. This will keep students more engaged and interested while building their ceramic hand-building repertoire. Pre-assessment can take the form of questionnaires, surveys, and a variety of graphic organizers. The book provides excellent examples of each of these forms of pre-assessment and each is unique to art education.  A teacher can also have students take a test to help identify what type of learner they are. Fountain also recommends the Multiple Intelligence Test from the Birmingham Grid for Learning at www.BGFL.org. This test has a series of questions focused on what a person enjoys based on the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. At the end of the test it provides a pie chart that describes a person’s learning style based on the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. For example, I learned that I am a strong spatial and kinesthetic learner, but not a strong musical learner. The test only takes a few minutes to do and would be beneficial for both teacher and students.

My favorite part of the book is chapter 6 which focuses on curriculum. The chapter provides practical methods of differentiating instruction in the art room. Examples include choice boards, learning menus, tiering, learning stations, among many others. Not only does the book define what a learning menu is, it also provides examples of how it was used in a contemporary art room. This chapter also provides strategy guides on how to differentiate by product, by process, or by content.

Overall, I would strongly recommend this book to any art teacher who is interested in learning how to better incorporate DI strategies into their teaching strategies and curriculum. The book is written in manageable chapters, is organized clearly, and has many visuals and graphic organizers that are teacher and student friendly. A digital download copy of this book can be found at http://www.davisart.com/Products/122-0/differentiated-instruction-in-art-digital.aspx and costs $19.95. 

*** Note: This blog was originally posted in April of 2015 and was removed due to technical difficulties. It is being re-posted now that the technical issues have been resolved. Thanks for your patience! ***