Summer Session: Part II

After much investigation of the museum’s lobby with pictures and building materials, we began day two by splitting the class into two groups of ten and giving each group photocopies of certain areas of the museum to draw on. Maria's group focused on the elevator shaft and my group on the triangle shaped columns used to support the museums 'video box'. Images of both are shown below.

Our tower-like elevator shaft

The triangle shaped columns

As the students created their drawings, we teachers paid close attention to their comments and documented the process with photos and notes. When we returned to the museum, we brainstormed together and shared what ideas each of our groups had come up with. This helped us decide what materials to bring with us the next day. 

I began the second day with my students by asking them how they thought it would feel to sit inside of the space between the triangle space columns. They weren't sure at first so I asked them if they could find a space in their school that would feel similar. We took a short tour of the school and they all became excited as we walked past their play room because they had found several spaces in their play set that they thought could feel like the columns. They enjoyed sitting under the arches and agreed that the space was small and a little dark. 

Scouting for spaces

Almost all of us fit in this tiny space!

Because many of the group's ideas dealt with the concept of light, I purchased transparent plastic sheeting for them to draw on. They were given triangles cut to fit between the triangle shaped columns in the lobby. The clear plastic allowed them to add their drawings to the space without blocking the light. When they were done, the students placed their drawings in a model I created to see how they would look 'in real life'.

Trying out a prototype in the model

After much discussion about their ideas and what they had drawn, the group decided that their goal for the finished project was to make something beautiful and colorful. 

To prepare for the full scale project, I cut a large triangle from the plastic sheeting to fit the space between the triangle space columns and packed some window markers in my supply box. Before beginning the large scale artwork on the third day, the students each took turns describing the best way to work together on the large plastic sheet. They agreed that each person should get one colored marker and be given a specific space to draw in. That way, they could fill up the space with many different colors. After choosing colors, they began working on the large plastic triangle. They worked quickly, trading colored markers as needed.  When it was time to quit for the day, the group l took a step back to look at their work. They commented that they had worked hard that day and did a good job working together. 

Working on the large-scale drawing

To begin the last session, we again looked over our work from the previous day. I reminded the students that their chosen goal was to make something beautiful and colorful for the space between the triangle columns. After talking about the work, they decided it needed more. So, they each chose a marker and got to work.

After they all agreed they were done, the class stepped back and looked at the work again. They decided that they had indeed made something beautiful and colorful.

Because it was difficult to see light passing through the plastic when it was lying on the floor, I gave the students small lanterns and string lights to place under the sheet . They really liked how the light shined through their drawings and although I brought the lights simply because there was not a window in the school large enough to hang the plastic from, the students decided the piece should be hung with the lights behind it when displayed in the museum lobby.

Meanwhile, Maria's group spent their days working on ideas for the space near the elevator shaft. They were curious about the space and wanted to know where the elevator went, how high it could take them and why it "looks so weird". They commented that it looked like a tower or skyscraper- perhaps even Rapunzel’s tower with her long hair flowing down. 

 

So it was decided that the group would somehow create an artwork that was tall like a tower and would perhaps be hung from the bridge in the museum.  The first thing the group tested out was decorating a long/tall winding string. Students suggested that they could use glitter on it, color it or even braid it.  The students made small examples of this with some cotton twine and metallic twist-ties that Maria had packed in her supply box.  Next, they experimented with a long roll of paper and some colorful markers.  Each student used a different color so everyone knew which lines belonged to which person.  After a day of experimenting with different options for "tall" art, the group decided they were ready for the final product: decorated rolls of long, thin paper that could easily hang from the bridge.

Working on a 'tall' prototype

"Miss Maria's Team" (as we began to call them) started their third day by drawing on black and white images of the elevator shaft, as practice.  Colorful lines were marked up and down, the lights in the lobby were tinted purple, lions were tamed in their cages and towers were constructed. 

The students each got markers, crayons and a roll of register paper. (The things we find left-over in our supply closet are astounding!)  The drawings started off small but as the students continued drawing, Maria had to tape the paper up on the wall so the students had more room and a clean space to work. 

The students drew waterfalls, a race track, "little guys holding TVs" and lots of colorful lines.  At the end of the day the group agreed that their tall artworks were looking really great.

The drawings started off small...

...but got very (very!) tall.

On the last day, the students thought they needed to add some embellishments to their drawings.  We used sticky vinyl, colored tissue paper, glue and colored tape. (Again- thank you supply closet!)  The students really enjoyed using the tape and ripping it into smaller pieces.

Some of them continued their drawings with the markers and crayons.  The pieces got very tall as each student was excited to add more length to his/her drawing.  At one point, someone realized that if you hold up one end of the drawing, it acts like a bridge- just like the bridge the artwork would be hung from. 

Ripping tape is fun

Crawling under a 'bridge'

Finally, as the students completed their drawings, Maria asked them to title their work so she could create a label for the installation. 

At the end of our fourth day, Maria and I brought the two groups together and had them give themselves a big round of applause. We also reminded them that we'd be installing their work (according to their instructions, of course) at the museum in a couple of weeks. We sent them home with letters for their families, inviting them to see the work at the upcoming MiniMasters Family Day. 

So, how did everything turn out? The finale is coming right up! 

(Did you miss part one? Don't worry, here it is)