Symmetrical suns: elementary school.

Significant Problem

Students in my art enrichment class enjoy working with a variety of found objects. This class is limited to only eight students, which allows us to work on a large scale. We decided the sun would be the perfect motif for a lesson on symmetry.

Essential Concepts

1. Understanding balance, bi-lateral and radial symmetry, and symmetrical design.

2. Working on a large scale with a variety of found objects.

3. Using overlapping and highlighting to create interest, visual rhythm, and emphasis.

Materials

various recycled objects such as paper plates, foam rubber, bottle caps, beads, plastic lids, plastic caps, mat board, white glue, low-temp hot glue guns, acrylic and tempera paints, paintbrushes (optional, spray paint)

Guiding Practice

Review radial symmetry. Have students contribute to a chalkboard drawing of a sun. Sort the materials into small bins.

1. Glue paper plate, rim side down, to center of a piece of mat board. 2. Layer objects to create an interesting face. 3. Cover rim of plate with small objects. 4. Experiment with organization of sun's "rays." Overlap objects to create interest and visual rhythm. Use white glue and glue gun to attach objects. 5. Use paints to cover every object in piece so that the objects can be "hiden" and a unified surface created. 6. Accent fine details with smaller brushes and contrasting colored paints. Add lines and patterns for emphasis. 7. Help with cutting away excess mat board.

Assessing Learning

Ask students to discuss their work and to comment on the advantages and disadvantages of working on a large scale, reasons for the choices of materials, and how they created symmetrical balance, interest, visual rhythm, and emphasis in their designs.

ClipCard submitted by Jane J, DeSimone, a visual arts teacher at Holliman Elementary School in Warwick, Rhode Island.