Content Focus: Social emotional (perseverance), writing, reading, flexibility

Language Focus: Reading, writing

Vocabulary Focus: Persevere: to continue even in the face of difficulty

Standards:

• Art: A.A.Cr.1.e: Investigate Explore studio skills, techniques, materials, tools, and elements and principles of art and design.
• Grade 1 reading: R.1.2 Identify a main topic or central idea in a text with guidance and support; retell important details. (RI&RL)
• SEL Social competencies grade 1-3: Self-Awareness Self Management: Learners will be able to, with encouragement, persist toward reaching a goal despite setbacks.

 

Arts Integration: Sculpting:

“But what is sculpting? We can’t prepare to sculpt if we aren’t sure what it is.”

Have slides ready of rolling, pinching, flattening, texturing. Within slides, add pictures and definitions of each. Practice each technique as a group before beginning.
Rolling: Rolling involves moving the material back and forth (or in a circular motion) under the palm or between both hands to alter its shape. This can be done to make coils (snakes) or balls.
Pinching: Pinching is the act of using a “crab claw” motion—a thumb on the inside and fingers on the outside—to squeeze and compress clay, making it thinner and forming it into a vessel.
Flattening: Flattening is a foundational technique where clay or dough is pressed with the palms, fingers, or tools to transform a three-dimensional shape (like a ball) into a flat, 2D sheet, pancake, or disc. It is used to create bases for structures, slabs for building, or to create texture and relief.
Texturing: Texturing in sculpting refers to the deliberate manipulation of a material’s surface to create a specific, tangible, or visual feel—such as rough, smooth, bumpy, or slimy. It adds depth, sensory stimulation, and detail to three-dimensional creations. This is often done with fingernails, toothpicks, etc.

After going through sculpting techniques, students begin the design phase of their project. After getting it checked by an adult, they can begin sculpting. After they are finished sculpting, they will draw the outcome on the other side of their paper. Save emblems in a safe space.

Lesson Objectives:

• Students will be able to identify and justify an appropriate emblem to represent a historical figure’s act of perseverance.
• Students will be able to use their knowledge of sculpting to sculpt an emblem for themselves based on past experiences of perseverance.

 

Activities: 

• Reading books about historical figures to determine moments of perseverance.
• Creating an emblem for their real-life superheroes.
• Designing an emblem for themselves based on past moments of perseverance.
• Sculpting the emblem that were previously designed.

 

Engagement/Introduction: Begin by getting students excited about superheroes.

“What does it mean to be a superhero? What kind of words would you use to describe a superhero? WELL, did you know that there are REAL-LIFE SUPERHEROES?”

Describe how real-life superheroes are people who persevere when things are difficult. In school, we persevere when math gets tricky or you are disagreeing with a friend. What does it mean to persevere? Persevere: to continue even in the face of difficulty

“I am going to read you a book about a real-life superhero. Her name is Rosalind Franklin. Can you repeat her name? *Rosalind Franklin* While I read this book about her life, it is YOUR JOB to look for times when she persevered. Once you notice a time when she persevered, I want to see a thumbs up. I might see a thumbs up once, or many times.”

Read Rosalind Franklin by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara with minimal interruptions.

After reading, turn and talk to someone nearby about how she persevered. Discuss as a class a few examples of WHY that is perseverance. Make sure to highlight that it was REALLY hard but she used her perseverance powers to help change the world.

“Hmm, superheroes usually have something that helps show that they’re a superhero. Rosalind Franklin was definitely a real-life superhero, yes? (class responds yes). That means she needs something called an emblem. Repeat that word (class repeats emblem). An emblem is a symbol that represents YOU and what you stand for. You may already know the emblem for Superman, or the Flash, or Captain America. The Flash’s emblem is a lightning bolt because he is FAST and perseveres when things get tough. What should Rosalind Franklin’s emblem be? Something that represents what she stands for?”

Take class ideas and decide on a double helix strand. Model the worksheet on the doc camera. Draw a double helix strand in the emblem circle and make it look nice. Then, write a sentence about how Rosalind Franklin’s emblem is a double helix strand because she helped change the world with science.

Tell students that they will be doing this tomorrow with a different real-life superhero. They will get to design an emblem for their real-life superhero.

Assessment Procedure: Assessment on day 2 and day 3.

• Day 2 assessment is worksheet about real-life superhero emblem.
• Day 3 assessment is worksheet about personal perseverance emblem design AND how sculpture turned out.

 

Materials:

• Air dry clay ($30)
• Kids superhero capes ($35)
• Sculpting tools ($9)
• Coloring supplies

 

Supporting Documents:

• Presentation

 

Contact: Ashley Whittington (whittingtonash@aasd.k12.wi.us)