Mobiles & Story Elements
MOBILES AND STORY ELEMENTS
Learning Description
In this lesson, students will create a mobile sculpture inspired by the artist, Alexander Calder, to show the elements of a story.
Learning Targets
"I Can" Statements
“I Can…”
- I can create a mobile sculpture inspired by the artist, Alexander Calder, that illustrates the elements of a story.
Essential Questions
- How can I demonstrate my understanding of the elements of a story through a mobile sculpture?
Georgia Standards
Curriculum Standards
Grade 2:
ELAGSE2RL1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
ELAGSE2RL5 Describe the overall structure of a story including describing how the beginning introduces the story, the middle provides major events and challenges, and the ending concludes the action.
ELAGSE2RL7 Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
ELAGSE2SL1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
ELAGSE2SL2 Recount or describe key ideas or details from written texts read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
Grade 3:
ELAGSE3RL1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
ELAGSE3RL7 Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).
ELAGSE3SL1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
ELAGSE3SL2 Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Arts Standards
Grade 2:
VA2.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.
VA2.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.
VA2.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, and processes of two-dimensional art.
VA2.RE.1 Discuss personal works of art and the artwork of others to enhance visual literacy.
VA2.CN.3 Develop life skills through the study and production of art (e.g. collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, communication).
Grade 3:
VA3.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.
VA3.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.
VA3.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, processes, and concepts of two dimensional art.
VA3.RE.1 Use a variety of approaches for art criticism and to critique personal works of art and the artwork of others to enhance visual literacy.
VA3.CN.1 Investigate and discover the personal relationships of artists to community, culture, and the world through making and studying art.
South Carolina Standards
Curriculum Standards
Grade 2:
2.I.1.1 Ask self-generated questions that lead to group conversations, explorations, and investigations.
2.RL.MC.6.1 Use information gained from illustrations and words in a print or multimedia text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
2.C.MC.1.4 Participate in shared conversations with varied partners about focused grade level topics and texts in small and large groups.
2.C.MC.1.5 Explain personal ideas and build on the ideas of others by responding and relating to comments made in multiple exchanges.
2.W.RC.6.1 Write routinely and persevere in writing tasks over short and extended time frames, for a range of domain-specific tasks, and for a variety of purposes and audiences.
Grade 3:
3.I.1.1 Formulate questions to focus thinking on an idea to narrow and direct further inquiry.
3.RL.MC.1 Use text evidence to: a. describe characters’ traits, motivations, and feelings and explain how their actions contribute to the development of the plot; and b. explain the influence of cultural and historical context on characters, setting, and plot development.
3.C.MC.1.1 Explore and create meaning through conversation and interaction with peers and adults.
3.C.MC.1.2 Participate in discussions; ask questions to acquire information concerning a topic, text, or issue.
3.W.RC.6.1 Write routinely and persevere in writing tasks
Arts Standards
Anchor Standard 1: I can use the elements and principles of art to create artwork.
Anchor Standard 2: I can use different materials, techniques, and processes to make art.
Anchor Standard 3: I can improve and complete artistic work using elements and principles.
Anchor Standard 4: I can organize work for presentation and documentation to reflect specific content, ideas, skills, and or media.
Key Vocabulary
Content Vocabulary
Character - A person, figure, or animal depicted in literature.
Setting - When and where a story takes place.
Plot - The main events of the story.
Summary - A brief description of a passage that captures the main idea.
Main idea - The central idea or theme of a story.
Detail - Information from the passage that supports the main idea.
Arts Vocabulary
Shape - One of the seven elements of art; a two-dimensional object that can be geometric, organic, or free-form.
Form - One of the seven elements of art; a three-dimensional object that can be geometric, organic, or free-form.
Sculpture - An art form that shows the element of form.
Mobile - A hanging sculpture that has moving parts.
Materials
- Paper plates
- Markers/colored pencils
- Plain white paper
- Yarn/string
- Paper clips
- Scissors
Instructional Design
Opening/Activating Strategy
- Show the students Alexander Calder’s sculpture, Mariposa (Butterfly), on a screen. Do not show them the title of the artwork. Have students go through the See, Think, Wonder strategy to engage with the image.
- Tell students that the name of the sculpture is Mariposa (Butterfly). Ask students if they can see the butterfly in the sculpture.
Work Session
- Explain to the students that this sculpture shows the following elements of art: shape, line, and form. Explain that sculpture is three-dimensional art. The pieces of the sculpture are made up of free-form shapes and lines. Show students the different types of shapes in art: organic, free-form, and geometric.
- Tell students that you are going to read them a story. Students should listen for details that tell about the character(s) and setting of the story. As you read, students should raise their hands whenever they hear a detail about the character(s) or setting. Pause as you read to allow students to share their details. Create a list of details on the board.
- At the end of the story, ask students to summarize the story. Students should identify the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
- Explain to students that they are going to create a sculpture like the one they looked at at the beginning of class, Mariposa, by Alexander Calder.
- Students should draw the setting of the story on their paper plate.
- Then, demonstrate to students how to draw a spiral on their paper plate, starting at the middle and spiraling outward. Students will then cut along the spiral.
- Next, students will draw images/symbols on plain white paper to represent the character(s) and the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Students should cut these out.
- Students will tie yarn or string to the spiral that they cut out of the paper plate and attach the symbols for the beginning, middle, and end of the story to the yarn or string. Students should place the symbols in sequential order. On the back of the symbols, students should summarize the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
- Students will attach a paper clip to the center of the spiral to hang the sculpture.
Closing Reflection
- In small groups, have students compare and contrast their artwork to the illustrations in the book. What are the similarities and differences between the way the illustrator communicated meaning and the way students communicated meaning?
- Students should conclude by writing an artist statement that says what they are most proud of in their artwork, their names as artists, and what symbols they chose to show in their artwork.
Assessments
Formative
- See, Think, Wonder strategy analyzing Calder’s, Mariposa (Butterfly) - students should be able to use visual evidence to support reasoning
- Students’ identification of the character(s)
- Students’ identification of the setting
- Students’ identification of the beginning, middle, and end of the story
Summative
- Students’ mobiles that show the character(s), setting, and beginning, middle, and end of the story
- Students’ summaries of the beginning, middle, and end of the story
Differentiation
Acceleration: Have students retell the story to each other using their mobiles as a visual aid. Students should then compare and contrast their use of symbols to communicate meaning.
Remediation: Have students work in groups. Each member is assigned one part of the story to illustrate for their group’s mobile–beginning, middle, or end. Students will combine their work to create one piece of art. Students will work together to retell the story using their mobile.
Additional Resources
*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.
Ideas contributed by: Katy Betts
Revised and copyright: September 2023 @ ArtsNOW
