SchoolArts - April 2009

High School Studio Lesson

CAN
the Creativity!
Materials

UÊ 15 x 20" ( 38 x 51 cm) illustration board

UÊ glue guns

UÊ glue sticks

UÊ strong scissors with a serrated blade

UÊ clean and empty aluminum cans

ferent ways of building three-dimensional shapes. Talking about positive and negative space will also help students see the unlimited ways they can create a three-dimensional art form.

Instead of leaving the work flat, demonstrate how overlapping shapes can add depth to their work. Using a glue gun, glue thinner strips of aluminum in arches over other strips to show how negative space can affect the overall look of the piece. Remind students to use caution when applying hot glue to aluminum, as the metal can heat up quickly and even melt.

Cindy Hasio

Art teachers know that budget limitations are one of the obstacles that affect creativity in art class. However, teachers can now pour creative juices into their curriculum by using aluminum cans to give their high-school students a project that conceptualizes their sense of environment.

This project allows students the freedom to experiment with pre-cut aluminum can strips to stimulate their tactile senses and understand three-dimensional space. Aluminum allows for flexibility and motivates students to think about recycling. By shaping the aluminum strips into three-dimensional structures, students are able to explore the concepts involved in spatial learning while also exploring environmental issues.

Spatial Learning

Students will choose environmental concepts that are meaningful to them. They should sketch thumbnails on paper first and then work on the three-dimensional processes.

Ask students to carefully cut the aluminum cans into strips or other shapes. Use the illustration board as

a base for the

Aluminum allows for flexibility

three-dimensional structure.

and motivates students to

Students will

think about recycling.

decide to formu-
late the shapes
of their structures based on their
general idea for the project. Once
students are able to see how flexible
the aluminum is, they will under-
stand the meaning of space and
become more likely to experiment
with and manipulate the aluminum.

Demonstrate different ways of manipulating the aluminum strips and how this can branch out to dif-

Ideas to Share and Discuss The best thing about this assignment is that it allows students to express their inner thoughts and convictions. They should discuss why they chose their ideas and how they can promote social/environmental change. Students can share their insights with others to motivate positive environmental changes. This lesson also allows students to inspire each other and collaborate during the creation process.

Cindy Hasio is a doctoral student at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. Hasio@unt.edu

NATIONAL STANDARD

Students conceive and create works of visual art that demonstrate an understanding of how the communication of their ideas relates to the media, techniques, and processes they use.