What's your sign?

Middle-school students are experts in taking any form of communication and transforming it into a creative art form. I have seen notes and novels written on the back of candy wrappers. I have eavesdropped on conversations spoken in complex codes that not even top government experts could decipher. One of my personal favorites is when messages are tapped out with pencils on the side of desks. It is for this reason that I have my seventh graders utmost attention when I introduce the topic of sign language as an alternative way to communicate. I use this topic to explore blind and regular contour drawings, the anatomy of the hand, and the manipulation of wire to create three-dimensional contour drawings. Artists to which I refer during this unit are Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Ellsworth Kelly, and Henri Toulouse-Latrec because of their use of contour line.

Day One: Contour Drawings

It takes three 50-minute classes to cover this lesson. I use a tall stool with many interesting curves to introduce the idea of contour. I demonstrate on the chalkboard how to do a blind contour drawing by focusing on the edges of the object, not the drawing on the paper. The main idea is that this is a looking activity not just a drawing activity. The students place a piece of paper over their marker by punching a hole in the center and slipping it over the marker end. This acts as a shield from wandering eyes.

After we draw the stool without looking at the paper, students remove the paper shield and try a regular contour drawing. I stress that it is still a looking exercise. Even though they can look down at their paper, they continue spending the majority of the time looking at the edges of the stool. The moment they put their marker on the paper, they cannot lift it up again until they have completed the drawing. Students then do a whole new set of blind and regular drawings using a student model sitting on the stool.

Day Two: The Hand

On the second day of this unit, I focus on the hand. I draw a paw on the chalkboard to show what not to do. The normal human hand does not have the thumb emerging from the same part of the palm as the rest of the fingers. This trait is what separates us from the majority of animals. We have our thumbs growing from the lower side of the palm. This gives us the ability to pinch, grasp, and manipulate objects. Next to the paw drawing, I draw the true anatomy of the hand with each digit emphasized.

After a discussion on the use of our hands to communicate, I discuss how we will be creating a wire contour drawing of their hand in sign during the next class period. Today's class will be utilized in drawing blind and regular contour drawings of their hand. They must choose between the first initial of their first name or last name. I always like to address the fact that any inappropriate sign language is unacceptable. It tends to eliminate the need for the usual seventh-grade prankster from demonstrating that they know inappropriate sign language.

Before I hand out laminated sheets of the manual sign language (Figure 2) for reference, I always like to demonstrate a blind contour of my hand in sign language (Figure 1). I draw this on the chalkboard in large scale. I talk about the anatomy as I draw. I discuss the need to include details and creases in the skin where the finger bends. I examine the parts of the nail that I might see or not see. I do this demonstration slowly so the students get the idea to take their time and look at all the expressive details of their hand besides just the shape that it makes. The remainder of the second class is for students to practice signing their name. They must draw a blind and regular contour of their hand in the formation of their initials in sign language. The final decision of which initial they will want to manipulate in wire during next class must be completed by the end of this period.

[ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED]

Day Three: The Sign

On the final day, the class creates wire hand sculptures. I have the wire precut to 4-5' (122 x 153 cm) strips before the class begins. Both ends are coiled into a small spiral to prevent sharp points from causing any accidents. Before I even think of handing out the wire to the students, I give a speech on safety. I always emphasize the need for students to be aware of the opposite end of their wire coil. They must not forget in the excitement of shaping their hand that part of their wire coil could be pointed in the direction of their neighbor's face. Some students find it easier to just step on the end of the wire that they are not manipulating and eliminate the need to worry about their neighbor. I also like to demonstrate with some wire how to use a jig, such as a large marker, in order to wrap the wire around to create circles and curves.

It has been through trial and error that I have found the easiest way for a seventh grader to create a wire hand sculpture. They must first create a wire hand that has an open palm and all five fingers straight up. After the open wire hand is created, students can then bend and manipulate the fingers. When students have completed their artwork, I have them come to a drop-off station. The sculpture is placed inside a recycled plastic shopping bag and deposited into a large class box. This eliminates a large tangled mess for me to grade.

I like to display the hands in display cases throughout the school. I include a copy of the manual sign language in each display and ask all viewers to find the letter being displayed by the artist. There is no question that the artwork is indeed communicating and involving the viewer. The visual communication and interaction that captivated the audience was an art in itself.

MATERIALS

* Paper shield for blind contour

* white drawing paper

* markers

* manual sign language handouts

* 14 gauge sculpture wire cut to 4 (122 cm) lengths,

* plastic shopping bags

NATIONAL STANDARD

Students select and use the qualities of structures and functions of art to improve communication of their ideas.

Shari Willis Kaucher is a visual art teacher at South Mountain Middle School in Allentown, Pennsylvania.