Lesson Plans
LegoLand (Building Your Own Lego Figure)
Grade Level: Upper Elementary Students: Fourth Grade (ages 9-10)
Title of Lesson: LegoLand (Building Your Own Lego Figure)
Teacher’s Name: Amberrose Venus-Gordon
Time Required: Approximately four days
Overview of the lesson: The main objective of this lesson is to have students create a 3D sculpture of themselves in the form of a Lego character. Students will use 3D shapes such as cubes, spheres, and cylinders to make the form of their characters' bodies. Students will also create a designated space for their character to live; they will imagine where their character lives, what it looks like, whether there are buildings if their character is having a picnic on some grass or walking their dog in the park. Their sculpture should be an extension of themselves, reflecting who they are as individuals. This lesson stemmed from my students' fascination with gaming; many students have a favorite game and a character they play regularly. A common game that many children play is LEGO, whether it is with physical pieces or virtual games. As my students begin to construct themselves out of clay as well as develop a space for their character to reside, it will be reminiscent of them using the physical pieces to create a character from a Lego set, building a spaceship using the Lego pieces, or using legos to construct another form. My students will also draw inspiration from Ekow Nimako, the Ghanaian-Canadian artist who uses black LEGO bricks to build his sculptures. This lesson is tailored around my student's interests; for many, gaming is at the forefront of their minds.
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The Giving Bowl
Grade Level: Fourth Grade (ages 9-10)
Title of Lesson: A Bowl for You: A Willingness to Give and Receive
Teacher’s Name: Amberrose Venus-Gordon
Time Required: Approximately three days
Overview of the lesson: The main objective of this lesson is to have students create the form of a vessel, a bowl, or a rectangular-shaped box (treasure box inspired) with a top lid to contain objects placed inside. I wanted my students to have options and not be limited to a certain form. Students will have the choice of choosing one vessel to create. Their sculpture should be an extension of themselves, reflecting who they are as individuals. Students will then learn about patterns to paint a design on the body of their bowl, inspired by the bowls produced within the Paracas culture. These bowls had elaborate designs all along the objects composed of different geometric shapes and lines that may result in the imagery of an animal. As a second option, students can paint various words along the sides of their sculpture to indicate who they are. The descriptive words will be written in their native language. This idea was inspired by ceramic bowls I saw at the MET with Arabic inscriptions. The idea to create a rectangular shaped box was inspired by a treasure box I had discovered at the MET that was created within the Maori Culture. The boxes (Papahou) were decorated with detailed designs to contain ornaments and other important objects. I have students from all walks of life who speak different languages, and this would be an excellent opportunity for my students to learn more about one another. Lastly, students will fill their bowls with objects that are significant to them. They can make a replica of that object or bring the objects into class and place them in their vessel.
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