SCARBOROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL
I am currently a full-time art educator at SMS, teaching sixth and seventh graders lessons in painting, drawing, ceramics, watercolor, sculpture, and fabric arts. Please see student work below.
Cardboard Sculpture
During our sculpture unit, seventh graders used only cardboard and glue to build recognizable forms. These “upcycling” projects require patience and a great deal of problem solving. Here are some examples from last semester.
Active humans
After learning about the proportions of the human body, sixth graders created these lively sculptures of humans in action. Each student created their own character, then worked individually or in teams to bring the environments to life. This project includes many steps and processes, as well as a multitude of materials including wire, foil, paper maché, paint, glue, wood, modeling clay, and fabric.
CERAMICS
The students learned to make a proper pinch pot with even walls, and then were let loose to create whatever they wanted out of clay. The only criteria was that their artworks had to have a practical function, such as pouring tea, holding snacks, storing jewelry, etc. It was fun to see how many different places a pinch pot can go.
DRAWING PORTRAITS
After learning to use the grid method, shading techniques, and the importance of looking (rather than thinking), seventh-graders observed carefully to achieve proper proportions and create value in their celebrity portraits.
cardboard relief portraits
Sixth graders used cardboard and glue to create relief sculptures of famous people or characters.
printmaking storybooks
Seventh graders created accordion-fold storybooks using printmaking. They developed a character, wrote a six-page story, carved their character into a printing block, made several stamps of their character, and designed the pages and book covers using all sorts of materials.
