Using Shapes to Study Artwork

For the next lesson after working with shapes we wanted to solidify their understanding of how these forms worked together to make a whole picture. I especially wanted them to see how to simplify other artwork that they can appropriate by seeing basic shapes within the painting. 

Using some artwork posters as a reference I first put one up and had the students point out the shapes they noticed in the artwork. What was impressive in their responses was not only did they notice the basic circle, triangle and square, but also polygons, trapezoids, and seeing shapes within shapes. 

After noticing the shapes, I then drew a large rectangle on the board to represent their piece of paper and did a demo explaining what they were to do next. I used basic shapes to "copy" via observation the artwork I had pinned up onto the whiteboard.

Next I put up a new work and had them pull out their pieces of paper. As I called on them to tell me the shapes they saw this time, we all drew that shape onto out paper in the appropriate place. I pointed out to them where that shape should be drawn in relation to the borders of their paper as well as the object/shapes around it. This process went along until we had the basic sketch of the painting we were copying. I then allowed them time to draw in the details they saw after we got the main bigger shapes drawn. 

One question I found interesting was "we're allowed to copy artwork?" Which I thought was a great thing for them to learn, that we learn by observation and seeing what others have done before us. My hope for their art is that they will continue to look at artwork they like to expand their visual library to then create ideas and works of their own. 

I think this lesson really solidified their understanding of shapes and how they work together to provide a larger image and that shapes are in everything we see in the world around us.

I think it was a successful lesson. The only part I might do differently would have been to give them each a copy of the painting so they could see it better. 

~Photos to come~

Photos from 3D Shapes

Here are the photos from the kids 3D Shape Creations

SHAPES: Understanding Form

Well, now that I've gotten to know the kids and taught a couple times, it's time to update the blog. The kids have been learning about shapes in Math, so we've taken 2D and 3D shapes and created conglomerate shapes from them.
On 2D day, I had paper cut outs of basic shapes - triangle, circle, square, and had them look at basic shapes in the room and duplicate that with shapes on their paper (i.e. lamp: triangle (for the top) and circle (for the body)). I was very impressed with how creative they were. Some of the things I wish I had done differently was to have more source images for them to look at, we just looked at objects in the room, and some of them had a hard time finding something they were interested in duplicating. I also think that if I had done a demo for them and left it up for them to look at it would have helped them to come up with more ideas. The other thing that might have helped them to really create what they wanted would have been to have more variety of size in the paper shapes. Overall I think they had fun and got really creative. It's a good exercise to help them learn how to see and observe. Perhaps more variety of shapes (oval, rhombus, diamond, thinner triangles and rectangles) would have also allowed them to expand that vision.
For our 3D project, I had construction paper for them to cut and fold to make 3D shapes. Remembering from last time, I decided to do a demo for them, I showed them how to make a cylinder (matching end to end of a rectangular piece of paper), I also showed them how to make a cone and told them they could also just cut and fold to make whatever shape they wanted. I think that I should have just shown them how to make basic shapes in a more simple form. A few were frustrated because they didn't know how to make a cube or cone, etc... After creating their own basic shapes I had them get into groups of 3 or 4 and combine the shapes they made together to elicit interaction and teamwork, as well as to help each other be creative and think of ways to combine shapes to make other forms. They had a lot of fun coming up with ways to do that. At the end I asked them to talk about their shapes and how I created them. I think they really enjoyed that part. I'm very impressed with how well they understand shapes and how creative they are.

Lesson Plan:

Some of the creations:

(photos to come - I forgot my camera at the school - we were just having too much fun!)