Lesson Plans

Spectacular Sculptures

90-120m
Ages 5+

Make a sculpture

Explore mindfulness, creativity and artistic expression by creating two sculptures. The first is an emotion-based sculpture created individually and then collaboratively in line with a theme. 

Subjects
English, Science, HASS, Visual Arts, Design and Technologies, Health and Physical Education

Objectives

Resources

Materials

  • Makedo Invent Kit

  • Upcycled cardboard

  • Colouring and craft supplies for decorating (optional)

Activity

Lesson Steps


Part 1 - Emotion Sculpture

  1. Run a short breathing exercise or meditation to set the tone for a mindful lesson.

  2. Students create an abstract sculpture from upcycled cardboard that expresses a particular emotion. It could be what they’re feeling at this moment or a feeling they’ve had before. 

  3. Allow students at least 30 minutes to work on their sculpture.

  4. Join students with a partner to try and guess which emotion is being depicted in each other's sculpture.

Part 2 - Collaborative Creations

  1. Divide students into groups of 3 or 4 to create a spectacular sculpture. Choose a theme below or create your own. 

    - Under the Sea: eg. octopus, whale, shipwreck.
    - Let’s Move: eg. car, rocket, plane.
    - Safari Adventures: eg. lion, elephant, giraffe.

  2. Allocate 5 minutes for students to communicate ideas, sketch a plan and allocate responsibilities. 

  3. Offer at least 30 minutes of making time. Students can use markers etc to enhance their sculpture.

  4. Conduct roses, buds and thorns: After the activity, each group member reflects on the process by sharing one highlight (rose), one challenge (thorn) and one opportunity to improve (bud).


Part 3 - Group Discussion

  1. How might different emotions be represented in different sculptures? For example, perhaps sharp edges may represent anger, whereas more rounded edges represent calm.

  2. Why might it be difficult to guess another person's expression of an emotion? 

    🎓 Teacher note: People experience and express emotions individually.

  3. Mindfulness can be described as being fully present with what is happening at any particular moment. It is shown to decrease stress and anxiety and improve attention and resilience (among many other benefits). 

  4. Reflect on making your individual sculpture. Did you notice any moments of mindfulness? If so, how did they feel? 

  5. What is collaboration? Where do you collaborate in your everyday life? 

    🎓 Teacher note: Collaboration is working with others to achieve something/a common goal.

Reflection

Journal Prompts

  • Did you struggle to identify and express your emotions in a sculpture? 

  • Do you enjoy working collaboratively?

  • Did you encounter any challenges when creating your sculptures? How did it feel to be challenged? How did you overcome the challenges?

  • How could you be more aware of your emotions in the future? Why might this be helpful?

Extension

Take It Further

  • Art Show: Students display their individual sculptures to the rest of the class. Classmates are then encouraged to consider each sculpture and the feelings it brings up for them. They are welcome to ask the maker questions and discuss how their feelings compare with the artist's interpretation.

  • Famous Faces: Students research renowned abstract artists (eg. Henry Moore, Louise Nevelson) and consider which artists they might have a similar style to. 

  • Performance Time: Create some razzle-dazzle with a class performance incorporating your cardboard creations into one big story.

  • Write a Story: Ask students to consider the entire collection of collaborative creations and create a fictional story involving them.