Artquarium installation

Arts & Activities, June, 2004 by Alison J. Lorion

Summer fun and learning! This is what this lesson is all about. At our school, we enjoy seven weeks of Educational Summer Programming every year. To keep our special-needs students focused, interested and motivated, the summer is centered on a main topic or theme. This summer's topic of "Massachusetts We Love You!" had many sub-topics like industry, economy, history, environment, and fun activities in our home state to explore. So, I was scheduled to teach an art group, focusing on environment.

This provided an excellent opportunity to create a project combining art with environment by creating a sculpture installation, while discussing sea life in Boston Harbor. What with June being National Zoo and Aquarium Month, the timing couldn't be better! It was also a great opportunity to discuss and tie in recycling, caring for our community and keeping the environment clean.

Well, big ideas require research, a variety of materials and lots of hard work. It all began in the library, where I collected information about and images of sea life. The New England Aquarium in Boston also provided information and resource material. I was now ready to begin a great project. Only having six days to complete this, I was a little nervous. But, sometimes you just have to dive right in, and often, your students will surprise you.

In our first class, we viewed the hooks, images and other collected information, and discussed the importance of recycling in the community. Students identified colors, shapes and patterns of different sea life. We observed our collected materials and supplies and made a list of differences and similarities between the animals and our collected materials (i.e. shape, size, texture and color).

The students then drew preliminary sketches of their own sea creatures, keeping in mind they were going to build and construct them. The creatures would probably change as time went on, but the kids understood that this was an important first step.

When the drawings were completed, I demonstrated how to twist and crunch newspaper tightly so it would be strong enough to serve as an armature for papier-mache. The students then began constructing their armatures with the recycled materials, newspaper and masking tape (remind students to apply the tape sparingly because they will be coating it with papier-mache).

During our second class, we reviewed the images and information from the previous class and the students finished building their armatures. They then began layering on papier-mache. At the end of the class, the sea creatures were put aside to dry on sheets of newspaper, which minimizes cleanup time (don't forget smocks to keep clothes clean!). We found it helpful to put name tags on the drying animals if some of the shapes were similar.

In the next two class sessions, students checked their sculptures to see if the papier-mache was applied thickly enough, and reinforced any areas that needed it. They also applied a second coat of mache. When this was completely dry, students began painting. (My students found it easier to draw their design first in pencil and then begin to paint.)

During the fifth class session, textures, details and realism were added to the creatures with colored sand, yarn, tissue paper and beads. Students really used their imaginations, as different creatures required different materials or supplies. For example, some sea creatures are very smooth, so coating or spraying their papier-mache versions with a glossy varnish gave them the appearance of wetness.

On the final day, after the sea Creatures had totally dried, students Helped to create the "Artquarium" installation. We had a wooden-and-plastic case built for this process, with dowels on the top on which our sea creatures could hang. With finishing line and a drill, we tied and hung them so they appeared to be swimming. Actual beach sand from Cape Cod was put on the bottom shelf. (A glass display case will work, as well as some other form of display case that might exist in your school.)

To create a blue background for our "Artquarium," we hung a large cut piece of blue bulletin-board paper on one side of it. Small pieces of green tissue paper served as Seaweed. We collected shells, sea glass and starfish and placed them in the sand to simulate the ocean floor. Then we stood back and enjoyed the view of our "Artquarium," discussing all that view we had learned.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will ...

* learn to identify different underwater creatures

* learn to make a preliminary sketch, then sculpt/construct with newspaper and papier-mache.

* understand the importance of recycling in the community.

* work together as a group and problem solve.

* learn and experience new vocabulary.

* list comparisons between the sea creatures and our collected materials.

* self-evaluate and give an opinion about own and peer's artwork; evaluate and assess as a group.

MATERIALS

* Newspaper and masking tape

* Papier-mache (glue, flour and water) and containers for it

* Sink and paper towels for cleanup; smocks