Submitted by: Julie Casebourn, Blue Eye
Schools, Blue Eye, Missouri
Unit: Sculpture - assemblage
Lesson Plan: RECYCLED ROBOTS
Grade Level: Kindergarten (adaptable to other grades)
   
Click images for larger views
Children's Stories (these were
displayed with the robots):
Bob: His name is Bob. He
drinks oil and he likes to eat bolts. He likes to eat bread too.
Bob applied for a job and now cooks Hamburgers at Sonic. He
likes to do back flips off the roof of his house.
Leo and Camden: The Big
robot is named Leo and the little robot is called Camden. The
dad builds stuff like other robots and robot dogs. He can do back flips.
He can do front flips.
Terron: Its name is Terron. He likes to eat metal and eat
screwdrivers and brains. Terron likes to dance in the park for
money. One of his other favorite things to do is roller-skate
and ice skate.
Booch and Sally: The large
robot is a dad and his name is Booch. The small robot is Sally.
The robot dog's name is Corny. The daddy robot eats frog heads.
They like to clean bathrooms. This family is walking to the
park. They are going to play swings and slide and catch fish.
They are going to throw a stick and the dog will chase
it..
Grade Level Expectations (GLEs):
Select and apply media techniques and processes to communicate
ideas and solve challenging visual art problems.
National Standards VA 1, Content
Standards FA 1
Discuss the nature of art,
personal and group responses to artworks.
National Standards VA 3, Content
Standards FA 3
Objectives:
-
The purpose of this lesson is
to enhance the students' creative and motor skill
development and visual/auditory perception to create a
unique/one-of a kind piece of art.
-
Students will work in small
groups to plan and create a robot from found objects/junk.
-
Students will cooperatively develop a story/facts about
their robot.
Notes: This lesson is built
upon previous lessons revolving around geometric shapes found
in man-made environments. Before this lesson is introduced,
students should be able to identify, name and find basic
geometric shapes in their constructed environments. Art
activities using flat 2-D paper shapes for collage were used
to build vocabulary and understanding before this lesson was
presented.
Essential Questions: What
are robots? What are they made of? Have you ever seen a robot
up close and personal? What kinds of shapes do you see in
robots? How do they move? What do they do? Can you think of
anything that you have in your house that is made to help you
and your family? (vacuum, dishwasher, clothes washer and
dryer, blender, toaster etc...)
If you could build your own
personal robot, what materials would you use; what would your
robot do; does it talk; how does it move; does it eat; what
does it eat; what kinds of jobs does it do? Etc...
Resources: Magazines, books
with pictures,
Big A Video- "Exploring
Ideas" (14:19) (GPN PO Box 80669, Lincoln, NE
68501-0669 800-228-4630),
Materials: Corrugated
cardboard (spray paint) for mounting - Gutted dead school
computers, junk from personal and others' sheds, castaways
from the school's maintenance and bus barn depts. , junkyard
(be a dumpster diver!!) Hot glue and liquid nails,
something to separate stuff for each group (soda pop flats are
ideal). Examples of small stuff for the robots might be: clean
nails, screws, washers, nuts, bolts, rivets, buttons, coins,
jewelry.
Prep ahead of time: cut
large sheets of cast-off cardboard into huge rectangles and
paint black or whatever color you want. Sort various sized
objects from your junk collection into as many boxes as you
have groups (4-5 students in each group works well). Decide
which kids will work together in which group and write their
names on the back of the cardboard.
Activities and Sequence:
Motivation:
-
Conversation on how this
lesson relates to previous one about shapes and
introduction of this lesson and what they will be expected
to create -2 minutes
-
Essential questions/discussion
and pictures and/or book(s), stories about robots - 5-10
minutes
-
Show the portion of the Big A
video on robots - 5 minutes OR Read a book about robots
-10 minutes
(if time is short... let them draw
a picture of their robot and save the
group 3-D lesson for next time and review information the
following class period- we all have different time issues)
Procedures:
-
Separate kids into groups.
Give them their cardboard and box of junk and allow them
to explore the stuff -5 minutes
-
After exploration.. the kids
will have great ideas about what they want to use from the
junk box for their robot. The only real guidance after
this point is to remind them about basic proportion: it
will work well if they use a large object for the body and
head and the medium sized pieces for the neck, arms and
legs and the smaller pieces for feet, toes,
fingers/pinchers Also...
remind them about trying different ideas- different
objects in different places to serve as different body
parts of the robot. This allows for everyone in the group
to have their idea recognized.
-
THEN....sit back and let them
“creatively play” and imagine. THIS IS THE GOOD STUFF
- 10-15 minutes
-
Monitor and make suggestions
only if a group is stuck, but that is very rare.. they are
oozing with ideas to try out.
Closure- review what
they learned today and tell them that their robots will be
permanently attached to their background next time they
come to class.
Notes: Over the course of the week teacher or an older
age group.. (Julie used 6th graders that wanted to help glue)
will glue down the robots
EXACTLY how the kindergarten laid them out.
Hot glue for lighter pieces and
liquid nails for heavier, odd- shaped parts. Attach
a hanging device to the back.
Extension: The following
week the robots were on display when the students entered the
room and they were allowed time to look at them and touch
them. They reviewed some of the “essential questions”
again. The students were
again put into their groups and were given time time to invent
facts or a story about their robot. They
needed some prompting here so Julie asked them questions about
their robot to assist the blank. Some
groups planned what they wanted to say and other groups gave
teacher individual facts about their robot. As they recited
their info or story, Julie typed on the computer and then
printed their recitations and attached to the cardboard. All
the robots went on display into the hallway with a huge sign
stating the objectives and photos of the students working
cooperatively.
They also talked about recycling
during this period and referred back to the Big A video robot
artist that uses “junk” in his artwork and how it is
helpful to the planet to find creative ways to incorporate
stuff that would normally go to waste.
Sample Rubric:
Project:
Recycled Robot
Name ______________________________ Date ________________ Class _____________
|
Criteria
|
Goal
|
Mastery
– 3 pts
|
Advancing
–2pts
|
Novice – 1 pt
|
Score
|
|
Developing
skills at grade level – Shows growth - takes risks to discover
|
I
produce high quality, creative work. I show
originality and take risks to learn new.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Understanding
and application of Art Concepts and lesson objectives
|
I
apply all art concepts, especially those stressed for
the project. I solve problems myself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Participation
and effort
|
I
always participate in class and always use class time
well
|
|
|
|
|
|
Use
and care of Materials
|
I
used all materials appropriately with no reminders. I
always clean up
|
|
|
|
|
Behavior
|
I
always follow all classroom rules and never cause a
classroom disturbance. I am Always helpful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
S+=15-11
S=10-6
NI=5-0
Total |
|
Art Concept(s): Artists use recycled materials to create art
objects.
Artist often work together to
create art.
Lesson
Objectives:
Students
-
enhanced creative and motor
skill development and visual/auditory perception to
create a unique/one-of a kind piece of art.
-
worked in small groups to
plan and create a robot from found objects/junk.
-
cooperatively developed a story/facts about their robot.
Teacher’s
comments:
Parent
Signature:
_______________________________________date______________
National Standards:
| 1.
Understanding and applying media, techniques, and
processes |
3.
Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter,
symbols, and ideas |
5.
Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and
merits of their work and the work of others |
6.
Making connections between visual arts and other
disciplines
(can make connections to
science - and language arts)
|
| |
Students
explore and understand prospective content for works of
art |
Students
understand there are various purposes for creating works
of visual art |
Students
understand and use similarities and differences between
characteristics of the visual arts and other arts
disciplines |
| |
|
Students
describe how people's experiences influence the
development of specific artworks |
Students
identify connections between the visual arts and other
disciplines in the curriculum |
| Students
use different media, techniques, and processes to
communicate ideas, experiences, and stories |
|
Students
understand there are different responses to specific
artworks |
|
| Students
use art materials and tools in a safe and responsible
manner |
|
|
|
| 
