Discovery Place Museum Charlotte

Discovery Place Museum is science based museum in Charlotte, North Carolina. While many may think: science and art? whhhattt? The two subjects actually have a lot in common. At the current time, Discovery Place is showing a new exhibit called: Gunher Von Hagens' Body Worlds and The Cycle of Life, that features the human body (http://bodyworlds.discoveryplace.org/) in various states and stages.

For an intermediate drawing class, AP, or National Art Honors Society, visiting the Body World exhibit will be an eye opening cross curriculum experience that students would be unable to receive in a classroom setting. Sure, students have see replicas of the human skeleton before, but have they seen "more than 100 real human specimens preserved through the process of plastination"? What an interesting exhibit for students to be able to interact with.

Students would be given a sketch book assignment (depending on how long we were in the museum itself, would determine the number of sketches required) where they drew in detail, specimens from the exhibit and labeled their parts. The structure of the human body is essential to know when addressing proportion in figure drawing and these observations from life with greatly assist students in later drawing and anatomy classes. Connecting the arts to science is a great way to incorporate multi disciplined studies.

Styrofoam Block Sculpting

In a school where a limited budget prevents one from using more expensive materials (like plaster), other options are available for students to create subtractive sculptures and experiment with the techniques required to achieve a work that is successful in the third dimension. Floral foam is an inexpensive foam block that can be easily chiseled or sawed into to create new shapes and forms. This lesson places emphasis on positive and negative space along with form, line, shape, and texture.

Firstly, students will need to be equipped with basic carving tools like steel rasps/needles, Xacto knives, filers, sandpaper ect. along with a wooden base to secure their sculptures. Students will be guided on how to safely use these tools. 

Students will be introduced to the concept of subtractive sculpting through a powerpoint featuring famous sculptors (Michelangelo, Bellini, Isamu Noguchi, and Henry Moore), terms and vocabulary words to be quiz gamed later as a formative assessment, and images of previously completed student work. Students will think about form, shape, movement, and positive/negative space when considering their designs. 

Students should complete three thumb nail sketches of their design that must contain at least two areas of negative space (holes). Students may be allowed to incorporate other objects into their sculptures upon teacher approval (maybe wire/nails). The sculptures will be painted upon completion and students must write a summative paragraph detailing their artistic choices.