Lunchbox as Functional Art

Every school year I do a unit on functional art. This year we did lunchboxes. In the past I have done benches, clocks, chairs, and birdhouses. (Click to read those posts.)

I started out with a short slide show of different photos of lunchboxes I grabbed off the internet. The first one was your typical plain lunchbox.

 

I started a discussion on what does it need to function as a lunchbox? 

Answers: Latch, zipper, or Velcro to open and close it. Handle or strap to carry it. Large enough to hold food.

Then I showed several character lunchboxes and we segued into the definition of copyrighted material. In addition to character lunchboxes there are many whimsical and unique boxes and bags available. Definitely functional art! Just do a Google search to create your own slide show.

Students were directed to fold 18x12" paper in half. Their choice as to which direction to create a long box (hotdog fold) or short box (hamburger fold). Outside would be the design and inside would contain a healthy lunch.  I did this with 2nd to 5th grade.

I love how they came out! Sorry there aren't more pictures, don't always get to it. 

Thanks for reading! What lesson do you do for functional art?

Clay Maracas

I'm busy working on the standards relating to utilitarian objects or functional art. I always try to emphasize the fun in functional art. With that in mind, the 3rd-5th are making clay maracas. We have already done weaving, you can check out the plastic bookmarks here.

Last year I did benches click here. And the year before that I did clocks, find it here. I have some plans for chairs and birdhouses in the near future.

The very basic directions for the clay maracas are to make two pinch pots, make little clay beads, (must use the word beads and not balls..... gotta love those 4th & 5th grade boys) wrap the beads in paper towels and place inside one of the pinch pots, score and slip edges of both pots and join them together.

When students finished, they were instructed to put them on a piece of paper with their name on it, on the back table. I would then write, with the point of a compass, their name and class code. I would also create the hole in the bottom for the air to escape from as they heat up in the kiln.

So for anyone curious as to what happens when you don't put that hole in it OR you thought you did but it created a dimple instead, it breaks! This was my first explosion and hopefully my last. I was glad to figure out what went wrong. (I did glue it back together and gave the student the choice to do it again or keep that one.)

   

My amazing students took it one step further and created all sorts of different shapes. They also added details with their new found knowledge of the score and slip trick. Some also learned what happens when you don't score and slip........ But that's what glue is for!

 The above student is in the middle of making an Eiffel Tower.

 

 We have a cube and a pumpkin.

I really had too many students doing this project for me to have them glaze them and re-fire them. So students first used crayons to color them and watercolor paint to fill in between crayon lines. Basically crayon resist.

 

 We have the Titanic and Pokemon.

 

 A fox and a cupcake.

   

An owl, a mountain and a ball.

There were so many interesting shapes and themes created. I know my students really enjoyed it.

If working with clay is new to you I found many wonderful videos online for making pinch pots and clay maracas-SO just Google away and have some fun!

I would love to know what lessons you have for teaching functional art!

Thanks for reading!!!

Benches on Parade

My daughter and I spent a month in Europe during the summer of 2001. And while there stumbled upon these incredible benches. Apparently the concept of public art in the form of benches started in Zurich, Switzerland. The first venture, which were cows, was a concept from artistic director Walter Knapp and was called "Land in Sicht" translated to "Countryside in View" in 1998.  When the mayor of Chicago, Peter Hanig visited the area and saw all of those wonderful cows all over the city, painted to look like anything but a cow, he brought the concept back home and launched the "Cows on Parade" as a fundraiser for the city. The cows were so popular they were reproduced and sold as collectibles. I actually have a couple (my oldest grandson called dibs on them) in a display case in my living room.  

I totally missed the cows but was lucky to find all these magnificent benches AND I also found the book at the top of this post, in one of the shops as I went through the town.

Here are some photos from the book:

 

 

 

They are both amazing and amusing, don't you think?? Now this wonderful public art fundraiser spawned in a variety of different ways all over the world. In addition to cows and benches there are horses, lions, manatees, turtles and many more!!

The benches are a wonderful lesson in which to introduce functional art. The art palette is my sample from the first time I did this lesson. I photographed it so I didn't have to save it. The sewing machine is the sample I made to show my students this time around.

 

 

I did a power point with art benches after a Google search just to inspire my students and of course I shared the book with them. I changed out the original directions I had, because I decided to stream line it, that's why some of it is crossed out.

Students were given the directions, 12" x 18" white paper, 18" long rulers, scissors and pencils.  Even though they had the directions I still insisted that they do this with me step by step.           
                               Using rulers with them for some reason is just tricky??????

 

I wanted my 5th graders to have the 3D bench up and in front of them to understand how to go about planning it. When I saw the benches, originally, certain ones made sense in front of certain shops. So I wanted them to think of where their bench might be. And to consider all four sides.

   

 

 

Now, unfortunately I went on medical leave right in the middle of this project. So the directions to do the back on a separate sheet of 9" x 12" paper to attach while assembling the bench didn't really get out there. Backs were left blank???   Anyway here are some fronts to feast your eyes on!

 

 

 

 

I thought these came out great!!!

The NAEA conference is about 10 days away........ Have totally whined daily to my husband about missing it this year (having surgery.....) Anyway have been asked to share the info on the photo below. I was there last year and it was a blast to meet some of MY favorite bloggers! So if you are there and can make over to the Art of Ed booth, it is totally worth it!

 

Below is from New Orleans, 2015 

Thanks for reading!! Hope to see you next year in New York!

Tick Tock-Still Making Clocks!

Continuing from the other day: My unit on Functional Art-

This lesson for my 2nd, 4th and 5th graders started out with a power point. (3rd graders were busy on another project.)

After a short discussion of functional  art, I started the power point.

One of the slides had the students compare and contrasting the above clocks.

We then talked about how to plan our clock according to the following questions on this slide. Then they each received a worksheet with these questions.

 

We looked at slides with different themed clocks. Here is one example.

 

We considered what shape our clock should be.
What should our numbers and hands look like.

   

I have a big supply of donated cardboard that the students painted their clocks on. The cardboard is pretty thick, so I though the students should consider the background of the cardboard to be the wall they would hang the clock on. This way we wouldn't need to cut them out.

Students were encouraged to create a pattern or shape for their clock on the back of their worksheet. I did offer tracers for some of the younger and less confident students. I also went on the internet for some free coloring sheets for their requested shapes.

 

When students were ready to paint, I spoke to them about the different size paint brushes and when to use them.

 

    

I had some packing corners left from some computers and students used them to make desk clocks.

 

Not everyone has finished making their clocks, so I will publish more photos another time!

I haven't even finished my sample......... Where does the time go?
By the way, am I the only one who doesn't finish stuff??

Thanks for reading!