Collaborative Circus in Space
October 25, 2019 and November 15, 2019
Project Description:
In this project, students will collaboratively make a creature/alien that they hired for a circus in space. This will help the students discover teamwork and collaboration in the sense that they must incorporate at least one idea from each students sketchbook drawing. This is relevant to this age group because they are at a stage where they are less accepting of others ideas’ therefore they will learn the value in collaborating.
Essential Understanding:
Artists and designers collaborate with others in the creation of their work.
Learning Targets:
Using a prompt, students will be able to collaboratively create an alien/creature.
Using their artwork students will be able to tell a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end.
Using art materials, students will be able to create an alien/creature that incorporates color and detail.
Key Concepts:
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Students will ideate individually through their sketchbook prompt.
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Students will take their individual ideas and combine them with their classmates ideas, respectfully collaborating with each other.
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Students will create a story as a way of reflecting on their collaborative efforts.
Skills:
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Ideation
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Collaboration
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Imagination
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Reflection
"His name is Fluffers. He was found on a planet made entirely of cotton candy. He was king of cotton candy. We found him on his throne of cotton candy eating his dinner. Which by the way was cotton candy. We put a trail of cotton candy and led him on a ship. That is how we have our creature for our circus."
What worked well for this art experience? Why?:
This art experience was one of the most successful art experiences we had throughout the semester. Students were engaged in the process of making, they were collaborating in a way that was respectful of each other's ideas. Students were thinking about ways that they could incorporate everyone's ideas. I went up to a group of students and asked what one student wanted to add to the final piece from her original drawing. She kept saying that she didn't like any of it. However, one of her group members jumped in and said that he really like the collar that she put on her creature. This was cool to see how they were collaborating and trying to make sure that everyone had an idea that was included in the final piece. In general students were excited and engaged. They all were thinking about how to collaborate. Teams were working together to both draw the creature, and write the story of how they found and hired the creature. This experience was great to get them thinking about collaboration and how that can fit into an art practice. Another big part of this art experience that was successful was that students thoughtfully reflected through writing their stories. This was especially meaningful because it was reflecting in a way that was more engaging. They were asked to think about the work they created, but in a storytelling way. This was meaningful for students.
What didn't work well for this art experience? Why?:
I think the main thing that didn't go well with this experience was that while most students were engaged since it was a collaborative piece, students who had a difficult time working with others were often left out. There was one student in particular that was drawing in his own sketchbook while his group was working on the creature. Since he was still engaged and making art, it was difficult to know what to do. He has a more difficult time working in groups, so that was something that we didn't necessarily plan out before we started our lesson.
What would you do differently? Why?
I think in order to still include students that may have amore difficult time working in groups, something we could have done differently is have those students create their own creature. This would allow for them to still be engaged in the lesson, but not necessarily have to work in a group with a lot of people. Some students work best individually, so I think that may be the best way to handle a situation like that.