Clay Ocean Sculptures

Designed by: Erin Fisher, Satchel Ford Elementary

1) CORE CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE(S):

GRADE LEVEL: Third     SUBJECT: Visual Arts

2) OVERVIEW: Students will study ocean life and will create a sculpture that shows a fish in its environment.

3) FOCUS/ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S): Students will look at and discuss artworks that include ocean life as a theme or part of an image. Students will pinch a fish from clay, with emphasis on shape, texture, details and movement. Students will build an ocean sculpture in a realistic style, creating an environment for the fish they made previously. Emphasis will be on shape, texture, details, movement and pattern. Students will paint their sculptures in a realistic style with emphasis on color, value, patterns and contrast. Students will look at and discuss student artwork relating to guidelines for design and development objectives of the lesson.

4) TIME FRAME: Approximately five fifty minute class periods

5) RESOURCES/MATERIALS:

Unit Resources and Visuals (pictures or models of artworks containing fish, visuals of ocean life, fish, clay, paint, clay tools, painting tools

6) CULMINATING ASSESSMENT: Check level of student participation in discussion and check level of student success utilizing guidelines and skills; shape, texture, details, movement, pattern, color, variety and value.

7) INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:

Lesson #1 Guidelines:  

Display artwork that has ocean life as the theme or part of the image.

Have students compare and contrast how art concepts were used by the artists to make statements or give interpretations of ocean life.

Have students give ideas of how they might incorporate the same art concepts into their clay sculpture.

Lesson #2 Guidelines:  

Choose a fish to look at while working.

Pinch the basic shape of the fish.

Pinch the major details (fins, tail).

Press or draw textures, patterns, and details.

Mode the fish to show movement.

Procedures: Introduce objective and guidelines.

Discuss the oceans. Have students give examples of creatures that live in the ocean (fish, sharks, whales, sea anemone, coral, plants, shells, rocks, etc.). show visuals of fish, sharks and whales. Have students discuss the shapes of the fish (oval, round).

Demonstrate how to pinch a basic fish shape from clay. Get a fist-sized piece of clay and roll into a basic shape.

Discuss the details of the fish (fins, tails, gills, mouth). Demonstrate pinching the details. Stress that students should pinch more clay than they think they will need for a fin or tail! Demonstrate pinching a fin that is very thin. Show how it falls off and tears easily. Demonstrate pinching a fin using more clay than before. Show pinching major details.

Discuss the texture and patterns of fish (scales, rough, smooth, stripes, polka dots, etc.). demonstrate drawing and pressing textures and patterns.

Question for understanding. Pass out fish visuals and have students choose one to look at while they work. Encourage students to look at the shapes and details as they work. Collect extra visuals after each student has chosen one. Give students a fish-sized piece of clay and have them begin.

Repeat the guidelines as the students work. Give help where needed. Breaks should be repaired by scoring and slipping.

Prepare ziploc plastic bags for each student. Press a piece of tape on each bag and write the student's names on them. During clean-up, students need to carefully place a damp sponge and their fish into the bag, "zipping" the bag shut.

Lesson #3 Guidelines: 

Make a piece of land that has the texture of land, connect the fish and make five or more ocean objects.

Look at visuals to make ocean objects.

Pinch clay into the shape of ocean objects.

Press or draw all textures, patterns, and details.

Score and slip any added clay.

Have plants show movement by changing the shapes of them.

Make the objects many sizes and shapes to create a sense of movement.

Procedures: Give objectives and guidelines. Demonstrate each quickly.

Discuss land beneath the ocean. Is it flat? Does it vary from place to place? Demonstrate taking a piece of land (pinch a fist sized of clay into an irregular shape, pressing textures into it to make it look more realistic).

Discuss other ocean objects (coral, plants, rocks, anemone, cliffs, etc.). Pull out visuals showing a variety of objects. Point to them while demonstrating how to make them out of clay. Review scoring and slipping all objects that need to be added. Stress that objects that are not scored and slipped will fall off when the sculpture dries!

Demonstrate making five or more ocean objects. While demonstrating, discuss how movement can be created by altering heights and thickness of objects, and by pinching them to appear to move with ocean currents. Press textures, patterns, and details into the clay to make objects look more realistic.

Question for understanding and give each student a fist-sized piece of clay, and have them make land. Students should press a texture into the land. While they are working, give out the fish from the previous class time, and have the students core and slip their fish onto the land.

Give each student another piece of clay so that they can begin to make five or more ocean objects for their sculpture.

Monitor student work and give help were needed. Review guidelines often. Have students write their names on the bottom of their sculptures.

Lesson #4 Guidelines:  

Paint neatly, using good craftsmanship.

Mix paint to create new values, making the sculptures more realistic.

Patterns should get a variety of color.

Contrasting colors can be used to make certain objects or patterns show up better.

Procedures: Introduce the objective and guidelines.

Show visuals, reminding the students of the many colors and patterns in the ocean. Discuss the great variety in the ocean and how interesting contrasting colors and patterns make ocean objects. On a clay sculpture, point out where patterns need to be painted a variety of colors and where contrasting colors might be used.

Review painting procedures, proper ways to mix colors (on palettes) and how to apply the paint to the sculptures.

Remind students to paint neatly and slowly so that the sculptures will look nice.

Question for understanding and choose helpers to pass out water cans, paint, brushes, and palettes (if needed).

Monitor student work and give help where needed. Review guidelines often. Spray the dried sculptures with polymer for a glossy shine.

Student work produced in this unit will be displayed in the school media center. Consideration will be given to entering selected pieces for the District Art festival or state fair.