Julia Kropinova

Art 135

Reflection

March 28, 2017

Professor Amber Ward presented a very interesting activity to students in her Art

Education class. This was one of my favorite activities so far because it incorporated critical

thinking and production of a sculpture, which many teachers overlook because sculpture is less

popular than drawing and painting. The project included students focusing on the places they are

from while creating a souvenir which would represent who they are. Professor Ward has

provided think sheets to each other students which ultimately helped them brainstorm, and pre-

plan the sculpture souvenir they wanted to build. As a student I really enjoyed this project

specifically the fact that sculpture was incorporated into our usual creations such as drawing,

painting and writing. This was a refreshing project and it allowed students to think about their

past as children, where they came from and how they became who they are based on where they

are from.

As a teacher I would implement similar strategies such as think sheets, brain storming

information, peer sharing, and sketching out the future sculpture. I would love to include this

lesson plan in my classroom because it allows students engage in critical thinking while

discussing their ideas politely, encouraging one another. This project also allows other students to

learn more about the surrounding areas which their peers come from. This also broadens the

students mind and the ability to relate to other around them.

I would include some adaptations, which would direct the project into a different area such as

creating a souvenir which features places that the student would want to travel to. For example;

As a Russian citizen, I have been lucky enough to travel the world however there are a few

places that I still dream of going to. Such as Spain, Paris, Florence, etc. As a student I would like

to create something that I have not experiences, travelled to. I enjoyed creating my sculpture

which ended up being a Matreshka doll; however I would have created an Eiffel tower if the

project was slightly different.

This project supports four Anchor standards such as creating, presenting, responding and

connecting. Creating standard 1 allows students to conceptualize artistic ideas and work by

allowing students to image and plan the sculpture they are to build. Presenting is expressed

through anchor standard 5, where students are developing and refining artistic work for

presentation at the end of the lesson plan. Responding refers to anchor standard 7, where students

perceive and analyze each others work; this is where students are able to critique the sculpture.

Finally, connecting comes out though anchor standard 11, where at the end students think about

what they have created while trying to relate to who they are and why they have created this

specific sculpture.

In California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Teaching Performance Expectations, I

realize that as a teacher I have to demonstrate the ability to teach state-adopted standards for art

and applicable English language Development Standards. I will plan, implement and evaluate

instructions that assure the students meet the state standards for art. I will design instructions in a

form of think sheets, this will engage students through inquiry in researching for information and

resources needed to explore an artist question.

Questions: What type of techniques should a teacher show to the students in class in order to

maximize the result of the sculpture they are building? What is the best way of presenting the

sculpture they are working on in order to grasp the full concept of what they were trying to

create?