Teacher: Ayla Bruckmann Grade Level: Kindergarten Unit: Shapes Lesson: Organic Shape Mobile

Standards: 9.1, 9.2, 9.4 History: Alexander Calder is best known for creating mobiles: sculptures composed of abstract shapes mo ing through space! Born in "#$#% in the &hiladelphia area% Calder came from a family of artists! Both his father and his grandfather were sculptors! After graduating from the Ste ens 'nstitute of (echnology in "$"$ with a degree in mechanical engineering% )Sandy) *as he was known by his friends+ held arious ,obs before entering the Art Students -eague of .ew /ork in "$01! At first a painter% he studied under (homas 2art Benton% 3eorge -uks% Kenneth 2ayes Miller% and 4ohn Sloan% and was a classmate of 4ohn 3raham! 'n the early "$05s he worked as an illustrator% co ering such e ents as the circus! 2is sketches of circus acts rekindled his childhood fascination with animals% a sub,ect that became central to his art! 'n "$06 he went to &aris for the first time and stayed there until the fall of "$07! An acti e participant in the a ant8garde milieu of &aris between the two 9orld 9ars% Calder had a wide circle of friends and colleagues in the arts! 2e met many of them through performances of his entourage of small sculptures% Circus% in the late twenties and through his membership from "$1" in the Abstraction8Cr:ation group% a loose alliance of artists promoting di erse multi8national trends in abstract art! Goal: Create a music inspired mobile using organic shapes! Objectives: Students will: "! -earn about Alexander Calder! 0! ;se string and lines to in ent shapes! 1! <iscus what makes a shape organic! =! Connect sound% dance% and emotion to shapes! >! Make a hanging mobile! 6! Criti?ue and examine different iews and styles of each art piece created! S !!lies: Cardboard@colored stock paper &aint 3lue String Scissors Markers 9ire hangers@ sticks@ pipe cleaners "e# ire$ents: Mobile% &ractice sheet, Aubrics Teacher %re!aration: &rint examples% create examples% and create worksheet &ntrod ction: (alk about 'le(ander )alderBs mobiles and the shapes he uses in them! 9hat is a mobileC 9hat is an organic shapeC 9hat isnBt an organic shape *3eometric shape+C 2ow do we make an organic shapeC

&ractice sheet: color in only the organic shapes! <iscuses how the shapes and colors make you feel in CalderBs art! 2a e students stand up and pretend they are an organic shape on one of CalderBs mobiles! &ick three types on music and play a small section of each! Mo e your body how the music makes you feel% mo e how you think a mobile inspired by this music would mo e! *irections: Make sure you ha e three pieces of paper% a marker% string% " big pipe cleaner and 1 small pipe cleaners! Once a song begins think about how you felt when you were mo ing to the music earlier! ;se the string to create an organic shape! Aemember the ends of the sting should be touching! 9ith your marker carefully trace around the shape you ha e made! Aepeat this with each song! ;sing your scissors cut out the traced shapes from your paper! Bring your shapes to the teacher to be hole punched! &ut one pipe cleaner through each of your shapes and twist it! Attach each of your shape pipe cleaners to your long pipe cleaner! (ie your string to the middle of your long pipe cleaner! )los re: (he class with ha e a formal criti?ue and discus each others art! (hey will try to identify the emotions and songs of each of their shapes! (hey will state what makes these shapes organic and the similarities and differences of their mobiles compared to Alexander CalderBs mobiles! )riti# e+,val ation+'ssess$ent: Students will hang their works up and ha e a criti?ue! Self% peer% and teacher rubric! ,(tensions: 'f a student completes the pro,ect early they ha e three options! "! Make organic shapes of out pipe cleaners! 2. 2elp a student who is ha ing defaulting completing their mobile! -. 9ork on unfinished pro,ects! .ocab lary: Alexander Calder8 An American artist known for his mobiles and sculptures! Organic Shape8 Shapes that ha e natural flowing lines! Mobile8 Sculptures made of shapes mo ing through space! Ti$e 'llot$ents: <aily@ => Minuets *ay 1 "> minuets8 'ntroduction 0> minuets8 9ork > minuets8 Clean up *ay 2 05 minuets8 9ork 0> minuets D Criti?ue Safety Concerns: Scissors Aesource Material: %hoto co!ies o/ 0or1% 2act Sheets, htt!:++000.!hilli!scollection.or3+research+a$erican4art+bios+calder5bio.ht$

Name __________________ Class ___________________

Unit: Shapes

Organic Shape Worksheet

DIRECTIONS: Color in all the Organic shapes.