Activity Example

 Balancing

Create balancing sculptures from objects found in environment

Grade Level Focus: 5th Grade
School: Barack Obama School of Leadership and STEM
Teaching Artist: Alana Ferguson
Classroom Teacher: Paul Capps
Materials: rulers, tape, scissors, clothes pins, classroom/ household/ found items
Lessons: 1 Unit: Kinetic Sculpture

Summary: First steps in combining physics and art.

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Lesson Sequence:

1. Introduce balancing artist
   
2. First trial of balancing objects
3. Revision and reconstruction of balancing objects

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Next Generation Science Standards:5-PS1-4 Matter and Its Interactions 4-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity

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National Arts Standards: Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.

Anchor Standard 3: Refine and complete artistic work.

Anchor Standard 4: Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.


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Artist Connections:
Rocky Byun
Marian Zazeela
Alexander Calder
Gertrud Goldschmidt
Zimoun
Mobile Sculpture Artists
Balance of Power

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Additional Resources:



Balancing powerpoint with reference artists by Teaching Artist, Michael Lopez:

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Work examples:  (Examples include additional documentation from teaching artist Michael Lopez, teaching artist Niema Qureshi and classroom teacher Francesca Wessely at Barack Obama School of Leadership and STEM)

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