K-3 Grade Frank Stella 3D Abstract Art
![]() The following project was completed by an art teacher at the Toledo Museum of Art. I was in the class as an observer and helped the students with their projects.
AED 5900, Toledo Museum of Art K-3 graders Mixed Media Project: Frank Stella Abstract Art Class Time: 2 hour period Preparation: 12 students Teacher: Amanda Flemming Observer: Patricia Whittington Classroom Management: Children entered the room and sat down. The teacher explained they were to take a trip up to the museum to view artwork by Frank Stella and explained it to be abstract art. Rules: Students were reminded of the rules of the gallery, no gum, single file line, hands to themselves, low voices or no talking. Gallery Visit: Students were placed in front of Frank Stella’s La Penna Di Hu The teacher explained about abstract art. She pointed out the individual shapes and solid colors students could recognize. The 5 shape, cone shapes, cylinder shapes. She pointed out how the forms and shapes overlapped each other and combined together complete a whole art piece.
Content Areas: Language Arts, Culture Elements of Art: Color, Line, Shape, Form Principles of Design: Pattern, Repetition Supplies: round cardboard plates (small pizza size) assorted neon colored construction paper, assorted colored straws, scissors, tacky glue, wooden pop sickle sticks, hole punchers, colors of acrylic paints, paint brushes, water containers, small amount of water, paper towels, circle shaped stencils, markers or pencils to draw, paper plate holders for organizing supplies. |
![]()
|
Classroom Management: The students returned to the classroom and sat in the center of the floor in front of the teacher. She demonstrated how to cut the neon colored construction paper into strips, cutting the strips with zigzag patterns and snake like shapes. Then demonstrating how to fold the flaps on the ends and use the wooden sticks to glue the tacky glue onto the ends. Next she glued the ends of the strips of paper into shapes and glued them onto round cardboard baseboard.
After the demonstration, students returned to their seats, chose a colored paper to start with and began cutting their colored paper into strips and used their scissors to cut a pattern into the paper. Some students hole punched a pattern into their strips, while others cut zigzags or snake like shapes. Students who sat next to each other often copied ideas and even talked about how they did their task at hand.
After the demonstration, students returned to their seats, chose a colored paper to start with and began cutting their colored paper into strips and used their scissors to cut a pattern into the paper. Some students hole punched a pattern into their strips, while others cut zigzags or snake like shapes. Students who sat next to each other often copied ideas and even talked about how they did their task at hand.
Once the students become confortable with the idea of building their project, the creativity aspect takes over and the students developed many different shapes and styles. Students even used left over scraps and hole punch dots to add more decoration to their projects When students completed all the construction of their project, they were asked to paint patterns anywhere they wanted on their paper strips and color the white cardboard base of their Stella sculpture.
Cleanup: Students were asked to help with cleaning up by taking their paint brushes and water containers to the sink. Teacher and assistants cleaned up the remaining materials and supplies. The students were able to take home their projects the same day.