ART CLASS HAPPENINGS - OCTOBER

Grade 7 - For the past few weeks grade 7 students have been busy sketching and creating large, close-up flower paintings.  The flower paintings Giorgia O'Keeffe created were viewed for inspiration.  Students used water soluble pastels for this project which allowed them to blend and fade color.  The photographs below provide a glimpse of the project.

Grade 8 - I enjoy creating collages with my students -although at the end of the day it can make the art room look like a tornado passed through- because they become a catalyst for creative thinking. After spending  time discussing Cubism and the goals of Cubist artist - fractured planes, multiple viewpoints, flat space - we worked on creating collages in the manner of Cubist artist such as Pablo Picasso and George Braque.  We kept the principles of design in mind -Emphasis, Balance, Proportion, Unity/ Variety, Rhythm and Pattern - when constructing the collage.  The photographs below provide a view of the project in action.  The finished results are hanging in the cafeteria and they are impressive.

CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY -  Structures, Constructing Balsa Wood Towers

This trimester I teach only one grade 7 C.T.D. class, but we still had a lot of fun learning about structures, loads, forces and constructing balsa wood towers.  The photographs below provides an overview of the design, construction and testing process  Once the students had an understanding of types of structures, trusses, loads and forces they were provided with a design brief for the lesson and off they went.  All six teams were able to support the maximum load of 270 lbs.  Very impressive for structures with an average weight of 33 grams.

The design phase.  Students create drawings of their tower design.

The construction phase.  Students construct the towers

The testing phase

CTD CLASS - EGG CAR TEST DAY, Trimester 1

If you walked into room 104 last week and it smelled like scrambled eggs there was a good reason. Grade 8 students were in the process of testing their "EGG CARS".  It must be a little exciting and nerve-wracking to stand before the class and let go of your car for its short ride down the ramp and into the cinder block.  Will your solution work?    Or after impact, will the egg resemble Humpty Dumpty. Either way it's all about gathering data in the learning process.  What material(s) from the allowed list protected the egg the best?  Did one design perform better than another?  What if your design spun halfway down the ramp and had a side impact? Did you account for that wrinkle?  As I've stated before, engineering involves trial and error and redesign. Good job everyone there were some "eggcelent" designs.

ART CLASS HAPPENINGS  - Trimester 1, September 2014

I've realized that I've focused on C.T.D. class the last few posts so it's only fair to acknowledge the great work being produced in art class by students in grade 7 and 8.  Below are a few photographs of the projects we are currently working on.

Grade seven students started the trimester with a Typography project that required them to create a different style for each letter in their name.   Currently they are learning how to create value, light and shadow in a drawing.

Grade eight students are exploring color, line and texture by creating silhouettes of plants against cool or warm color skies.  The ongoing work is wonderful and I am always impressed by their creative problem solving.  Once I have several finished products I will photograph and upload them.  

Grade 8 CTD Classes, Trimester 1

The Engineering Design Process continued - “Protect the Pringle’

Perhaps you are familiar with the YouTube video of the delivery man, obviously, having a bad day and throwing a package over the tall gate of a house.  I’m sure once the package was opened the contents did not fare well.  Most, if not all, products are delivered to us in some form of packaging. In the case of a fragile item the package has to not only store, but also protect the contents inside.  Apple, in my opinion, has some of the most innovative and creative packages for their products.  Good package design is an art form that involves creativity and good engineering.  To continue our exploration of the Engineering Design Process, grade 8 students were asked to consider the following problem - Design and construct a package that will protect a “Pringle” potato chip from a 2 meter drop and a textbook crush test.  For this project the student were limited to one sheet of 9” X 12” paper and 45 cm of masking tape.  The photographs below show the students sketching, writing, constructing, and testing their way to a successful design.

                          Grade 8 "EGG CAR" Homework Project - Due October 1

These are the same instruction I provided in class.  I have also included a few examples of student projects.

CTD Class – Transportation Technology: Engineering Safer Automobiles 

Background: We can all agree that automobiles have forever changed our lives.  However, with all of the many benefits and conveniences there are some negative impacts.  First on the list would be safety for the occupants.  Since cars can travel at great speeds the need to design and build safe vehicles is a crucial task for engineers.  Today cars are safer than ever due to improved seat belts, air bags and state of the art chassis.

For this homework assignment you will take on the role of an automobile safety engineer to design and build a vehicle capable of keeping your passenger (one raw egg) safe during a simulated crash.  Put on your thinking caps and start designing.

Objective: Design and build a vehicle capable of transporting and protecting one raw egg during three impacts with a concrete barrier.

Specifications and Constraints for building the vehicle:

·         You may use any material to build your vehicle except foam, Styrofoam and/or bubble wrap.  Milk cartons, juice bottles and small boxes make great  car chassis.  I will provide wheels and axles.

·         You will receive up to 10 points for vehicles built out of materials that would get thrown away or recycled.

·         The vehicle must roll freely down the ramp.  No braking devices.

·         The vehicle can’t be larger than 20” long or 14” wide

·         You may use a bumper, but please do not make it more than 2” thick.

·         You can use tape, glue, nails, hot glue guns, screws or any other fastening device to assemble the vehicle.

·         I will supply the egg on test day.  Please make sure a part of the egg is always visible from the outside of the car.

Specifications and Constraints for protecting the egg.  These are the only materials allowed to touch and protect the egg.   All other materials may result in points deducted from your grade.  Ask me if unsure

·         String (any type including cloth and yarn)                                       

·         Straws

·         Rubber Bands (any size)

·         Cardboard

·         Up to three sheets of printer paper

Evaluation/Grading – A rubric will be used to assess the five areas below:

·         Creative problem solving (is your vehicle creative and unique?)    Up to 40 points

·         Construction (Is everything put together well?)                            Up to 25 points

·         Egg Safety (Did your egg survive all three test runs?)                    Up to 15 points

·         Completed self-assessment sheet turned in on time                     Up to 10 points

  Use of throw away or recycled material used to construct the vehicle.  Up to 10 points

Grade 8 CTD Class – Trimester 1

What is the Engineering Design Process?

The Engineering Design Process (EDP) is a series of steps that engineers follow to design, develop and produce solutions to specific problems.  In a nutshell: state the problem, research the problem, develop possible solutions, choose the best solution, build a model or prototype, test and evaluate the solution and finally, either communicate the results or redesign if needed. We utilize the EDP often in Critical Thinking and Design class.  For our first cooperative project,  Grade 8 students had to use the EDP to solve the following problem - Design a tool or device that could be used to rescue a person trapped in a well( a golf ball represented the person and 2”PVC pipe represented the well).  To build the tool, students were limited to the following materials: eight Popsicle sticks, two straws, two pipe cleaners, unlimited tape and unlimited string.  Below are photographs of a few solutions and engineering in action.  As any engineer will tell you, setbacks and failures are part of the learning curve.  The students discovered that redesigns were necessary to achieve success. The students developed many creative solutions and the success rate was 90%.

                                                     The start of another school year.

After such great weather it is hard to believe that school will start in two weeks.  I am looking forward to welcoming all of the new grade 7 students as well as seeing the returning grade 8 students.  The new year always brings new challenges and opportunities to gain new knowledge.  It will be nice getting back into the routine and I must admit that I miss the smell of the art supplies always present in room 104.

Speaking of supplies, I want to make incoming grade 7 students aware that you need to purchase (either) a sketchbook or a sturdy pocket folder filled with some plain white printer paper.  The sketchbook or pocket folder will allow us to complete warm up activities in art class as well as keep them organized.  If you choose to go the sketchbook route do not purchase a very expensive one.  A 9"X12'" sketchbook purchased at Target, Wall-mart or Staples should only cost about $2.00 to $3.00.  However, you can opt for the less expensive pocket folder route.  Additionally, it is also a good idea to purchase several pencils for class.  Enjoy the rest of vacation and see you soon. Hopefully Grade 8 students should still have their sketchbooks from last year.

                                       

Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity? A worthwhile way to spend twenty minutes this summer.

David Hockney's "A Bigger Splash" 1967, Acrylic on Canvas.
This painting always reminds me of the the hot days of July and August.  Hope your are all enjoying this great weather.