Plainfield High School
Course Syllabus
2013-2014
Course: 722 Sculpture
Teacher:
Alice A. Sumner
E-mail:
Website:
Phone:
sumnera@plainfieldschools.org
Your course website if applicable
(860)564-6422 ex 3222
Plainfield High School Mission Statement:
The mission of Plainfield High School is to promote academic excellence and personal
development. In conjunction with rigorous instruction and high expectations, we will work
collaboratively with families and the community for our students to develop skills necessary to
succeed in college or career choice, challenging them to become lifelong learners and
responsible, productive citizens.
Visual Arts Academic Expectations
Students at Plainfield High School will:
AE3: Demonstrate problem solving and critical thinking skills
AE4: Communicate artistically and creatively using a variety of artistic, musical and visual
Forms


AE1: Read, write, listen and speak for effective communication.
AE2: Use technology and other sources to gather, analyze, interpret and synthesize
information effectively.
Visual Arts Social Expectations (SE):
Students at Plainfield High School will:
 SE1: Demonstrate respect for themselves, others, diversity, and property.
 SE2: Demonstrate punctuality, preparedness and engagement in school activities
 SE3: Demonstrate honesty, integrity and personal responsibility.
Course Description:
722 – Sculpture AE 2, 3, 4 S2
Credit .5
This is a course offered to students who have successful completed 2 Dimensional
Design or 3 Dimensional Design and pottery 1. Students will explore three-dimension
using a variety of materials which may include wire, clay, plaster of Paris Strips, and
mixed media. They will be able to transpose 2 dimensional works into three-dimension.
Historical/cultural references are used for inspiration and instruction. The student is
required to complete a short summary paper.
Sculpture
Course Objectives
A. Sumner
1. the students will understand, select and apply media, techniques
and processes with sufficient skill to realize intentions
2. TSW will understand & apply the elements and organizational
principles of art
3. TSW consider and select from a variety of subject matter,
symbols and Ideas.
4. TSW will understand the visual arts in relation to history and
cultures
5. TSW describe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate their own and
the works of others
6. TSW make connections between visual arts, other disciplines
and daily living.
Skills
1. Students will be able to: employ both additive and subtractive
processes to create stable constructions,
2. Transform from 2D to 3D
3. Use such materials as paper, moist clay, plaster craft, modeling
clay, wax, Styrofoam to build a variety of 3-dimensional forms
according to intent
4. Judge and evaluate effectiveness of their artworks and that of
others.
Select appropriate references to support and inspire their art work
5. Employ the elements and principles of design in construction
6. They will use creative thinking skill to create original artworks
Sculpture
A. Sumner
Required Materials:
Textbook: Beginning Sculpture, Davis Publications Inc., 2005
Folder, pen, pencil, pocket folder and agenda. Helpful additions: project specific scrapbooking materials, beads,
Recyclables: plastic bags, small wood scraps, twigs, metal bottle caps and flip tops shoe boxes/covers
Assignment Overview:

Week 1, , Setting the pace rules /routines and procedures assign weekly homework journals, Beginning Sculpture
Chapter 1, Background and critical thinking, activity/skill building: Shell Interpretation , Essential question: How
do you get Ideas? Essential Question: generate multiple artworks using modeling technique (additive)
Essential Question: Compare and contrast 2 construction material?
Initial Activity: Design Sketches: abstract, hybrid, animated/personified, forced association/disjunctive
assimilation construction
Project: abstracting form and extension/ transformation ex. Shell
Strategy: One on one monitoring
Student Engagement student text pgs.22-23
AE3 Demonstrate problem solving and critical thinking skills.
Week 2 Essential Question: How Fashion design design/ construct a 50’s shoe?
Essential Question: Applying aesthetics, how do you personalize a shoe?
Initial Activity: Search for references
Project: Designer
Student Engagement, Cinderella’s Slipper, Foot Loose in History
AE3 Demonstrate problem solving and critical thinking skills.
AE4 Communicate artistically and creatively using a variety of artistic, musical and visual Forms
CE1: Participate in school and community activities.
SE3: Demonstrate honesty, integrity and personal responsibility.
VA 1 Media, Techniques & Process VA 6 Interdisciplinary connection, VA 4 History and Cultures, VA5 Evaluate
Strategies Vocabulary word bank
Week 3/4
SLO:Construct a caste
Initial Activity: Plaster strip castes in pairs Career search
Strategy Pairing/ American Sign Language Alphabet Chart/
Project: Rodin’s Hands Text: Beginning Sculpture/pgs. 76-77 or Vieth, Ken. Engaging the Adolecent Mind pg.
109
Student Engagement: Internet search select pose/ interpret using color
Student will self evaluate using school wide rubric Problem solving and creative
expression.
AE3 Demonstrate problem solving and critical thinking skills.
AE4 Communicate artistically and creatively using a variety of artistic, musical and visual forms
SE3: Demonstrate honesty, integrity and personal responsibility.
VA The students will consider and select from a variety of subject matter symbols and ideas VA the student will
understand, select and apply media, technique and processes with sufficient skill to realize intentions
Week5 Figure Construction with wire Assemblage. Ref. Cloth Scissors Paper, Guys and Dolls figures for play/lobby
0pt.mixed media
VA4 history & culture, VA1 media technique and processes, VA6 Connections
AE3 Demonstrate problem solving and critical thinking skills.
AE4 Communicate artistically and creatively using a variety of artistic, musical and visual forms
Week 6
Essential Question: How to apply the subtractive technique in sculpture
Initial Activity: Wax Modeling
Page 3 of 4
Sculpture 722
A. Sumner p.2
Project: Example: Netsuke figure Mammal
Strategy: Guided practice, scaffolding simple to complex
Student Engagement: Internet search, selection of references
AE2 Use technology and other sources to gather analyze interpret and synthesize information effectively
AE3 Demonstrate problem solving and critical thinking skills.
Week7-10
Essential Question: How do you construct a portrait bust?
Essential Question: How to apply proportion and relationship in construction
Phillipe Farrault DVD Portrait
Initial Activity: Proposal for Construction
Project: Agent of Social Change/ Portrait Construction
Construction of human head with facial features applying physical and visual balance in construction
Use of proportion and placement to define character
Application of hollowing out technique
Surface enhancement
Strategies: Student exemplars, placement and proportion practice in drawing Homework
Student Engagement selection: Philippe Faraut / Dan Edwards
AE2 Use technology and other sources to gather analyze interpret and synthesize information effectively
AE3 Demonstrate problem solving and critical thinking skills
AE4 Communicate artistically and creatively using a variety of artistic, musical and visual Forms
SE3: Demonstrate honesty, integrity and personal responsibility.
VA 4Students will understand the visual art in relation to history and cultures
VA 1the student will understand, select and apply media, technique and processes with sufficient skill to
realize intentions
VA5 self-evaluate defend selection
Final Project/alternate: Sculpture /Assemblage art in a box: environment/interior
Selects sculptural reference design and construct
References: Sandy Skoland, Debra Butterfield,
AE3 Demonstrate problem solving and critical thinking skills
AE4 Communicate artistically and creatively using a variety of artistic, musical and visual Forms
VA Students will understand the visual art in relation to history and cultures
VA the student will understand, select and apply media, technique and processes with sufficient skill to
realize intentions
Policies:
I usually stay after school most Wednesdays for pottery club and extra help from 2:00-3:30,
arrangements for other day are to be pre- arranged and dependent upon teacher schedule.
Low grades can be reworked & resubmitted for a better grade within a reasonable time frame.
Each student is expected to be responsible for at least 1 piece of artwork to be displayed at the annual art show
 Reflections /essential questions are due 3days before progress reports and 3 days before the end of each
quarter
. Order and assignment duration may be adjusted depending on the nature of the
 Clean up is part of your participation grade
 When a student is absent 7 or more times from class in any semester, he/she will receive a 10 point
Reduction in grade.
 Tardiness policy: school rules prevail class Attendance: School rules prevail
Grading: School Wide Rubrics, Department and criteria Specific Rubrics are utilized as well as oral
critiques Projects are 50% OF YOUR TOTAL GRADE
Skill building projects, Participation- Work habits, and Homework COMPLETE THE OTHER 50%
Page 4 of 4