Responsive Learning: Exploring Sculptures

The foundation of the VMFA ECE programming is to listen to how children talk about their process when making art, and to ask open-ended questions as children are both viewing and working with materials. Listening to students’ discussions, preferences, questions, and curiosities, can inspire the next series of artmaking.

Art Materials to “Open” the Studio Space

• heavy paper (cardstock, cereal boxes, poster board, backboards of paper pads, etc) for bases 
• small pieces of firm foam for sculpture bases
• scrap paper (some cut into strips) 
• pipe cleaners 
• twisteez wire 
• Wikki Stix 
• glue sticks or liquid glue 
• washi tape 
• small paint brushes and cups for liquid glue
• other materials to support sculpture building

Each child should have at least one base with their name written along the edge (allows for both sides of a base to be used), and access to an assortment of the initial materials listed above.

TIP: Writing the child’s name small at the bottom is suggested for two reasons: 1) You can flip the paper over and use another side if needed, 2) When photographing the children’s work, having their names at the bottom will help identify the work in photographs later.

As children become more curious about the potential of the materials, (or when new sculpture images are introduced), demonstrate a new connection method that allows the children to re-engage with familiar materials in a new way. Asking the children about their discoveries at a sharing time can also alert the teacher to children who can serve as peer mentors.

TIP: For ease of managing materials in the studio area, and to allow for deeper exploration by the children, introduce a limited array of materials. You can assist thorough engagement by presenting materials in an organized way, with cups or on trays, along with one or two items to connect the materials.

Questions to Encourage Observations

• Tell me what you see in this artwork.
• What colors do you see?
• Can you find any shapes? Can you find lines?
• Does this artwork remind you of anything?
• How would it feel if we could touch this?
• What do you think the artist was thinking about when they made this artwork?

Share with the children that they are looking at examples of a SCULPTURE, a 3D work of art that takes up space and isn’t flat! ‘A painting is flat and a sculpture if fat’, is a fun phrase to remind the children of the difference between a painting and a sculpture. 

Next, introduce the children to the materials available and their designated surface for beginning their sculpture. Share that they will have the chance to use the materials to build their own sculpture. 

When introducing the studio space, ask:

• What materials do you see here?
• How do you think we might use these materials to make our own artwork?
• What materials would you like to use today?

Suggestions for Demonstrating Materials

Demonstrate one or two connection methods to build anticipation and excitement!

• Paper strips – demonstrate various folding techniques like a pleat fold (back and forth) curls (roll strip around a pencil), creased curl (folding strip over, onto itself), and tabs (folding a small bit of the paper back to allow the paper to stand up from the base). Demonstrate using glue sticks or glue brushes to connect the strips to their base, or the strips to one another.
• Tape – offer small lengths of tape (colored masking tape works well for students), showing how to tear using both hands (younger children may need support/assistance).
• Wire (twisteez, bread bag wires) – soft wire can be manipulated like paper, and adhered to sculpture bases with tape, or be pushed into pieces of foam. 
• Wikki Stix – these wax sticks are easily manipulated and stick to one another. Offer one or two colors from the boxed collection and have the children assist with separating them before use can be helpful.

As the children begin to explore the materials and try the sculpture techniques, take notes as they work, or take videos to share with their caregivers later. It can be amazing to see the variety of work the children make, even though they were all inspired by the same image. The goal of this activity is to offer the children a chance to explore familiar materials in a new way.

As they work, engage the children in discussing their process. Instead of asking them to identify what they are making, observe how they are using the materials. (Can you tell me how you are using your paper strip? I see you are curving the pipe-cleaners.)  

The children will try the connection methods at their own pace. Continue to observe how they are working and as they ask questions about elaborating, (make it taller, more colorful, etc.), point them back to previous demonstrations, or have them observe how a peer used the materials.

TIP: If the children decide to work together on a collaborative project, let them know eventually they’ll need to divide it or decide who will take it home. 

Prompts to Assist Children in Sharing Their Process

• What part did you work on first?
• How did you make this part of your sculpture?
• Do you have a favorite material?
• What would you like to work on tomorrow?
• What additional tools or materials do you need?
• Is there anything else you’d like to share about your sculpture?

TIP: Establish a dedicated display area in the classroom (a wall, bulletin board, counter-top, bookshelf) for finished artwork.  But allow the children to revisit the studio to add layers to their work if desired (during their turn).  

Add the children’s story adjacent to their work. This can be done a few different ways. Children can narrate a description for the teacher to document, and the description can be hung beside the art. The teacher could also combine a photo of the child in the process of creating, along with a typed paragraph of descriptive comments and this could be hung beside the finished art. 

Photographs of children’s processes can also be shared in an album (for example, on Google Photos), or by printing a series of photos from the documentation process and displaying it throughout the classroom.

The guiding philosophy of responsive learning is that it never truly ends. 

In responsive learning, there is a cycle of introduction, working and observation. New ideas and offerings are based on these observations which results in continual work and observation, etc. As the children move through these cycles, their interest diverges into using different materials. This inspires the teacher to search for new fine art objects and topics for explorations, and to offer diverse methods for art-making. 

TIP: Responsive learning is centered on observing how the children use materials and ask them questions about their process.