Middle School

Artwork: Benjamin Z., kinetic sculpture.

The Essential Question
How can students use geometric shapes to create a kinetic sculpture?

Objective
Students will deconstruct various materials to create geometric shapes to form a sculpture.

Materials
building materials (cardboard boxes, paper plates, cups, toothpicks, wooden skewer sticks, drinking straws), construction paper, tape, hot glue gun, rulers, scissors, utility knives, pencils

Procedures
1. Gather a variety of building materials for students to use. Write on the board, “What are the definitions of geometric and kinetic?” After discussing these terms, challenge students to work with a partner to create a geometric kinetic sculpture.
2. Share the following guidelines: (a) Create at least twenty-five geometric pieces for the sculpture. (b) Incorporate at least one moving component. (c) Make the sculpture freestanding.
3. Let each team explore the materials and discuss which shapes they will use in their sculpture.
4. Students glue or tape their individual pieces to assemble their sculpture. Remind them to consider the elements of sculpture (volume, movement, balance, and form).
5. The last step is to incorporate a moving component into the sculpture. Students use skewer sticks, toothpicks, or drinking straws to add a pinwheel-style portion to the sculpture, or create a revolving tray that pivots the entire sculpture.

Assessment
Did students follow the guidelines and create a sculpture that has volume, movement, balance, and form?

Christopher Taylor is an art educator at Hebrew Academy High School in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.