Tasha, Hannah, Connor, Kate
Activity 1 : natural materials mandala
20 minutes
Process
Describe: Sketch out shapes within a larger shape (wiggles within a rectangle, triangles inside a square, etc.). Explain that different materials can fill each area, for example all acorns within one triangle, all grasses within another.
Collect:
Explore immediate area and divide materials into categories. Allow kids to fill reusable bags with materials they show on the ground.
Build:
Fill in mandala with different materials.
Discuss:
Talk about the different properties- texture, color, shape, etc., of each material and how they are special parts of the larger mandala.
Photograph:
Take a photo of the completed mandala and send to principal of school and their teacher, to send to the kids’ parents later.
Goals:
Introduce concepts of materiality, what makes different materials special, the many different properties that they can have.
-Observe behavior- how they interact with their environments, the materials, process of making, and listen to comments. Record in a journal to share with group.
Process
Describe: Sketch out shapes within a larger shape (wiggles within a rectangle, triangles inside a square, etc.). Explain that different materials can fill each area, for example all acorns within one triangle, all grasses within another.
Collect:
Explore immediate area and divide materials into categories. Allow kids to fill reusable bags with materials they show on the ground.
Build:
Fill in mandala with different materials.
Discuss:
Talk about the different properties- texture, color, shape, etc., of each material and how they are special parts of the larger mandala.
Photograph:
Take a photo of the completed mandala and send to principal of school and their teacher, to send to the kids’ parents later.
Goals:
Introduce concepts of materiality, what makes different materials special, the many different properties that they can have.
-Observe behavior- how they interact with their environments, the materials, process of making, and listen to comments. Record in a journal to share with group.
Activity 2:
Andy Goldsworthy-inspired Land Art
20 minutes
Process
Describe:
Explain that we will be building a shape of our own choosing out of materials that we find around the property in a location of our own choosing.
Collect:
Let the kids take us on a walk around the Caroline Elementary property in search of useful materials. Let them take us wherever they want to.
Design:
Look at all materials collected. Design a form that we can make out of the materials.
Build:
Assemble materials into a form, or multiple forms. Build as one team.
Discuss: Talk about why materials were chosen- for their color, shape, texture, etc. Talk about how these materials were manipulated to create a form. Talk about what the form reminds them of, or looks like, once it is built.
Photograph:
Take a photo of the completed work and send to principal/ teacher to share with class and parents.
Goals:
Use found materials to create a form; reinterpret found materials in a new way; focus on properties of material; work as a team to create.
-Observe behavior- listen to comments, pay attention to how interact with environment, how they make decisions, how they interact with material. Record in a journal to share with group. Encourage active participation for all personality types: quiet students may prefer to draw or focus on how to ‘knit’ materials together (ripping, ‘sewing’, breaking into similar sizes, etc.), whereas more active students may prefer to continually gather material. Engage them in how and why they are doing what they are doing- how are you making this? Why did you choose this material?
Process
Describe:
Explain that we will be building a shape of our own choosing out of materials that we find around the property in a location of our own choosing.
Collect:
Let the kids take us on a walk around the Caroline Elementary property in search of useful materials. Let them take us wherever they want to.
Design:
Look at all materials collected. Design a form that we can make out of the materials.
Build:
Assemble materials into a form, or multiple forms. Build as one team.
Discuss: Talk about why materials were chosen- for their color, shape, texture, etc. Talk about how these materials were manipulated to create a form. Talk about what the form reminds them of, or looks like, once it is built.
Photograph:
Take a photo of the completed work and send to principal/ teacher to share with class and parents.
Goals:
Use found materials to create a form; reinterpret found materials in a new way; focus on properties of material; work as a team to create.
-Observe behavior- listen to comments, pay attention to how interact with environment, how they make decisions, how they interact with material. Record in a journal to share with group. Encourage active participation for all personality types: quiet students may prefer to draw or focus on how to ‘knit’ materials together (ripping, ‘sewing’, breaking into similar sizes, etc.), whereas more active students may prefer to continually gather material. Engage them in how and why they are doing what they are doing- how are you making this? Why did you choose this material?
Response/experience
Mandala
1.Creating
2. Discussion
3. Observing
ANALYSIS of nature mandala
Tasha Doulos
Analysis of andy goldsworthy inspired art
Personal Thoughts/experience/notes
Connor:
Right from the beginning when we asked the kids where they wanted to go they started charging for the forest. I noticed how they acted. They all liked the forest and got increasingly excited as they were running around. As they lead us through the site we asked them to gather in a bag what they loved, liked, and were drawn to. I was surprised they lead us to the main outdoor classroom. There we made the mandala.
On the way to Activity 2 they lead us towards the creek. On the way we asked them to gather similar items like by color or texture or shape. The kids couldn't help but jump around in the knot weed that they called "The Jungle." throughout the entire workshop I noticed how the kids were all attracted to scale. They loved all the little berries and bugs yet they loved being engulfed in the knot weeds.
Right from the beginning when we asked the kids where they wanted to go they started charging for the forest. I noticed how they acted. They all liked the forest and got increasingly excited as they were running around. As they lead us through the site we asked them to gather in a bag what they loved, liked, and were drawn to. I was surprised they lead us to the main outdoor classroom. There we made the mandala.
On the way to Activity 2 they lead us towards the creek. On the way we asked them to gather similar items like by color or texture or shape. The kids couldn't help but jump around in the knot weed that they called "The Jungle." throughout the entire workshop I noticed how the kids were all attracted to scale. They loved all the little berries and bugs yet they loved being engulfed in the knot weeds.