High School

The Essential Question
How does collaboration expand the creative process?

Objective
Students will work collaboratively to create a hanging dragon sculpture using recycled materials.

Materials
recycled materials such as egg cartons, cardboard tubes, and cardboard boxes, scrap paper, scissors, glue, string or fishing line

Procedures
1. Introduce students to dragon-inspired artworks from a variety of artists and cultures. Discuss that dragons often represent good luck and are associated with life-giving rains in Chinese culture. After the discussion, tell students they will work collaboratively to complete a dragon sculpture.
2. Students cut scrap paper into various details (dragon spikes and scales) that will be glued to the sculpture later.
3. Students paint the recycled materials that will serve as various body parts and let the pieces dry.
4. Students work in small groups to glue the paper scales and other features to the recycled materials. The recycled materials are then glued to cardboard tubes. (This step may require hot glue.)
5. Insert a string or fishing line through all of the cardboard tubes to connect the dragon. Extra string is used to hang the sculpture from the ceiling. I also used string at connecting points between the tubes as our sculpture was about 16' (5 m) long.

Assessment
Students participate in small group and class discussions and talk about how working together can expand creative ideas.

Note: This project was completed by my high-school adaptive art class.

Rolanda Root is an art teacher at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Kansas.