Library Sculpture Commission Proposal Project

High school (Grades 9-12)

Sculpture 1
Written by: (Keven Proud, Jordan High School)
Length of Unit: (Six Lessons)

OVERVIEW
State Standards for Visual Arts
S1 CREATE - Students will generate artistic work by conceptualizing, organizing, and completing their
artistic ideas. They will refine original work through persistence, reflection, and evaluation.
CR.2: Choose from a range of materials and methods of traditional and contemporary artistic
practices to plan works of art and design.
Concept & Skill Objectives
A. Students will understand...
there are different kinds of materials, skills, methods, and techniques to they can propose to do
in a project.
measurement can be used to create the dimensions of a project before it is made.
reflection on the different stages of a project will assist them through writing a process portfolio.
the physics of structural integrity will help a sculpture to stand alone.
they can compare and contrast contemporary with traditional art making ideas to create
artworks of their own.
B. Students will know
the different kinds of materials, skills, methods, and techniques that sculptors use
the definition and importance of structural integrity
traditional and contemporary art making medium, skills, technique and sculpture
will know what it means to measure and why it is important to create dimensions for a sculpture
before building it.
C. Students will be able to
create their own project ideas through a proposal
develop the dimension plan for their project proposal
use a ruler to measure and draw dimensions
write and reflect on the different stages of their project through a process portfolio
use structural integrity to get their sculpture stand alone
compare and contrast different contemporary and traditional art making ideas to use in their own
artwork

BIG IDEA
At the end of the course, We will have learned a variety of sculpting materials, skills, methods and
techniques to create and design artistic works. We will be able to choose from these materials skills
and methods and create and design our own work.
Create own work using a traditional artistic practice
Create own work using a contemporary artistic practice
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
1. Sculpture - Have students design and create an artwork using previously learned materials, skills,
methods and techniques through a proposal process. They can also research and find new materials,
skills, methods and techniques in which they want to include
What is the value of understanding and participating in the creative process?
Why do artists choose particular tools, techniques, and materials to express their ideas?
2. Math - Have students in the design of their project, focus on measurement. Have students give the
dimensions of all the parts of the project.
Why is it important to plan the dimensions of a sculpture before putting it together?
3. ELA - Have students create a process portfolio to record their reflections on the planning stages,
creation, changes/revisions of their work from beginning to end.
How can an artist explain/document what they do in making a project from beginning to end?
Why should artists document their process?
4. Science - Have students experiment with structural integrity and the physics of getting sculptures to
stand alone.
What is structural integrity?
5. Social Studies - Have students research traditional and contemporary sculpture materials, methods and
techniques and share their findings through group presentations.
How does knowing the contexts, histories, and traditions of sculpture help us create sculpture?

BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
A. For Teachers
1. Need to have a knowledge of a variety of sculpting materials, skills, methods and techniques both
traditional and contemporary
2. Need to have a good background in Sculpture history (Top 20 famous sculptures)
3. Need to have experience working with the major sculpture building technique (Carving, modeling,
casting, construction, assembling) and materials (wood, paper, metal, clay, textiles, stone, etc.)
B. For Students
1. Basic knowledge on sculpture materials, skills, methods, techniques
a. Not required but helpful if students have already been introduced and have worked with a
variety of traditional medium, skills and techniques
b. Students understand the difference between representational, non-representational, and
abstract sculpture
c. Students have experience with research tools and information search, documentation and siting
resources

Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate understanding?

The city is commissioning a local artist to design and propose an idea for a public sculpture to be created for
the entrance of the new city library. Students will work as prospective sculptors applying for the commission to
create a sculpture to be placed permanently at the new city library. Students will at the end of their research of
traditional and contemporary artists, materials, skills and techniques plan out a proposal, 2D design, and 3D
Model for their application.

What student products and performances will provide evidence of desired understandings?
City art proposal
2D design, and 3D model to present to the city mayor and arts council
By what criteria will student products and performances be evaluated?
Rubrics
Self evaluations and Peer reviews

LESSONS
Lesson One: ELA/Sculpture
Library Sculpture Commission (ELA: The Proposal Application and Create and
Keep a Process Portfolio/Artistic Visual Journal)
A. Daily Objectives
1. Lesson Content
Project Proposal: Students design and create an artwork using previously learned materials,
skills, methods and techniques through a proposal process. They can also research and find
new materials, skills, methods and techniques in which they want to include
Process Portfolio/Artistic Visual Journal: Students create a process portfolio to record their
reflections on the planning stages, creation, changes/revisions of their work from beginning to
end.
2. Concept & Skill Objective(s)
Students will be able to reflect on their artistic process.
Students will be able to fill out an application and write persuasive proposal
B. Materials
Library Sculpture Commission application (hard and electronic copies)
Book making materials to make their visual journals
Instructions for each of the starters, reflections, experiments, research assignments
C. Key Vocabulary

D. Procedures/Activities
Hook: Announce the Artist Sculpture Competition that the city is having (this is pretend, thought to be real)
Part one - Reading application and creating a visual process journal
Starter: Introduce the Library Sculpture commission
Read application
Demonstration on creating a journal
Process Portfolio/Artistic Visual Journal: Students create a process portfolio to record their reflections
on the planning stages, creation, changes/revisions of their work from beginning to end.
Create a journal and creatively personalize
Project Proposal: Students design and create an artwork using previously learned materials, skills,
methods and techniques through a proposal process. They can also research and find new materials,
skills, methods and techniques in which they want to include in their proposal to be commissioned for
the city library sculpture
Part two - Reflections and research (This part of the lesson is part of the other lessons as process of getting
them through the brainstorming, planning, creation, experiments, learnings/findings, changes and revisions)
Section off the parts of the Journal (planning, creation, changes/revisions, Sculpture materials,
sculpture skills, sculpture methods, sculpture techniques, brainstorming)
Reflections on the planning stages
Visually reflect, illustrations/images, written explanations will be recorded in their journals
Reflections on the 2D design
Reflections on finding for Structural Integrity experiments and stand alone sculpture
Compare and contrast other public artworks (Good and Bad)
 Visually reflect, illustrations/images, examples of contemporary vs. traditional sculpture materials, skills,
methods, techniques
Reflections on brainstorming ideas from library themes

E. Assessment/Evaluation
1. Each addition to the journal and the application will have individual checklists and rubrics
2. Process Portfolio/Artistic Visual Journal: Students create a process portfolio to record their reflections
on the planning stages, creation, changes/revisions of their work from beginning to end.
3. Self assess: Proposal

Lesson Two: Science

Library Sculpture Commission
(Science: Experiment with Structural Integrity)
A. Daily Objectives
1. Lesson Content
Physics Experiments: Students experiment with structural integrity and the physics of getting
sculptures to stand alone and keep a log of their process and findings in their journal.
Students will find effective ways to get their sculpture to stand alone.
Project Proposal: Students design and create an artwork using previously learned materials,
skills, methods and techniques through a proposal process. TConcept & Skill Objective(s)
B. Materials
Center instructions and materials for centers on structural stability (gravity, balance, etc. also working
with different materials)
C. Key Vocabulary: Foundation, build, ground, structural stability, gravity, balance, column, support, centroid,
structure, construction, ground, tension, stable, unstable,
D. Procedures/Activities
Pre-assessment on structural integrity
Starter: What is structural integrity?
Starter: What would happen if.?
Physics Experiments: Students experiment with structural integrity and the physics of getting sculptures
to stand alone and keep a log of their process and findings in their journal.
Centers on structural integrity experiments (Problems in getting sculptures to stand alone)

E. Assessment/Evaluation
1. Pre-assessment on structural integrity
2. Written assessment on vocabulary and how to get materials to stand on their own
3. Process Portfolio/Artistic Visual Journal: Students create a process portfolio to record their reflections
on the planning stages, creation, changes/revisions of their work from beginning to end.

Lesson Three: Social Studies

Library Sculpture Commission
(Social Studies: Research project - Traditional vs Contemporary comparisons of
sculpture materials, methods, and techniques - Create a presentation to be
presented to small groups. )
A. Daily Objectives
 2. Lesson Content
Traditional vs. Contemporary research comparison: Students research traditional and
contemporary sculpture materials, methods and techniques and share their findings through
group presentations.
Project Proposal: Students design and create an artwork using previously learned materials,
skills, methods and techniques through a proposal process. They can also research and find
new materials, skills, methods and techniques in which they want to include in their proposal to
be commissioned for the city library sculpture
3. Concept & Skill Objective(s)
Students will be able to compare and contrast traditional and contemporary materials, skills,
methods, techniques, and artists.

B. Materials
Research assignments, research groups assigned, Pre-assessment on traditional sculpture materials,
methods, and techniques, presentation on traditional sculpture materials, methods, and techniques,
structured notes, google accounts and collaborations materials, presentation options (google slides,
Powerpoint, keynote or other tools)
C. Key Vocabulary: Carving, modeling, casting, construction, assembling, wood, paper, metal, clay, textiles,
stone, etc.) traditional, contemporary, representational, abstract, non representational, installation, public
sculpture,
D. Procedures/Activities
Pre-assessment: sculpture materials, skills, methods, techniques
Discussion and Structured notes: learned materials, skills, methods and techniques
Review Activity sculpture materials, skills, methods, techniques
TAB centers/labs: different tasks in centers/labs on materials, skills, methods and techniques (videos
tutorials, menus, small projects, this can be traditional and contemporary ideas)
Research assignment: finding new materials, skills, methods and techniques
Traditional vs. Contemporary research comparison: Students research traditional and contemporary
sculpture materials, methods and techniques and share their findings through group presentations.
With a partner - students will research traditional and contemporary sculpture
They will create an informational document comparing and explaining to be presented in small groups
addressing the following
o Materials
o Methods
o Techniques
o Sculptures
o Sculptors
Prompts: comparing different new and old materials, skills, methods, techniques, and artists
Critique: artworks with different materials and of different artists
Quiz: learned materials, skills, methods and techniques

E. Assessment/Evaluation
1. Pre-test
2. Checklists and rubrics for all the parts of the centers, presentation, critiques
3. Students write examples of their findings in their journals
4. Students create examples of traditional and contemporary materials, skills, methods, technique
assessed with checklists and rubrics
 5. Process Portfolio/Artistic Visual Journal: Students create a process portfolio to record their reflections
on the planning stages, creation, changes/revisions of their work from beginning to end.

Lesson Four: Math

Library Sculpture Commission
(Math: Creating the 2D design to scale using measurement)
A. Daily Objectives
4. Lesson Content
Project Proposal: Students design and create an artwork using previously learned materials,
skills, methods and techniques through a proposal process. They can also research and find
new materials, skills, methods and techniques in which they want to include in their proposal to
be commissioned for the city library sculpture
2D Design of project: Students in the design of their project, focus on measurement. Have
students draw a 2D design of the dimensions of all the parts of their project.
5. Concept & Skill Objective(s)
Students will be able to correctly plan a project to scale through correct measurement.
B. Materials
Rulers, graph paper, sketch paper, compasses, stencils, pencils and drawing papers
C. Key Vocabulary (List and define vocabulary that will be introduced in the lesson.)
1. Ruler, inch, foot, centimeter, meter, scale, ratio, 2D, 3D, measurement, exact, design, dimensions
D. Procedures/Activities
Pre-assessment on measurement
Hooks: centers/labs/starters on measuring and creating 2D design sketches
Measurement review
Proposal application: section on creating a 2D design with measurements to scale
Students design project through the proposal application
2D Design of project: Students in the design of their project, focus on measurement. Have students
draw a 2D design of the dimensions of all the parts of their project.
Post test on measurement and vocabulary

E. Assessment/Evaluation
1. Pre test on measurement and vocab
2. 2D design rubric
3. Post test on measurement
4. Process Portfolio/Artistic Visual Journal: Students create a process portfolio to record their reflections
on the planning stages, creation, changes/revisions of their work from beginning to end.
5. Self assess: Proposal

Lesson Five: Sculpture

Library Sculpture Commission
(Creating the 3D Model)
A. Daily Objectives
1. Lesson Content
Project Proposal: Students design and create an artwork using previously learned materials,
skills, methods and techniques through a proposal process. They can also research and find
new materials, skills, methods and techniques in which they want to include
 Creating 3D Model of the Proposed sculpture from the 2D design
2. Concept & Skill Objective(s)
Students will create a sculpture from a range of materials and methods of traditional and
contemporary artistic practices.
B. Materials
Sculpture materials students identify for their sculpture
C. Key Vocabulary

D. Procedures/Activities
Students create a small 3D miniature of the final sculpture

E. Assessment/Evaluation
1. Final 3D model will be assessed with final rubric
2. Student and peer reflections/critiques
3. Process Portfolio/Artistic Visual Journal: Students create a process portfolio to record their reflections
on the planning stages, creation, changes/revisions of their work from beginning to end.

CULMINATING ACTIVITY (Optional)

A. It might be fun to bring in a guest art director to come in and juror the projects and choose best project
proposal and award top three prize
B. This lesson could also be adapted to a number of different commissions real and pretend or even a real
art competition