Name of Project: Narrative Chair Models
Grade Level or Age of Participant: 2nd-4th Grade, 8-11 years old
School, Teacher and Classroom: Urban Arts Academy, Rosey Lowe, 2nd-4th grade classroom
MCAD Teaching Artist: Ellie Doolittle
Visual Arts Content or Standards
Standards: Demonstrate knowledge and use of the technical skills of the art form, integrate technology when applicable.
Strand: Artistic Foundations
Benchmark: Identify the tools, materials and techniques from a variety of two and three dimensional media such as drawing, printmaking, ceramics, or sculpture.
Curricular Link / Standards (if in a classroom only)
Standard: Write narratives and other creative texts to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
Benchmark: Write narratives and other creative texts in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, including details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.
Overview of Project
This project offers the young students the opportunity to envision a chair or piece of furniture as professional furniture designers through hands on interactive making process and invent fictional story about it. Students are provided professional materials, are presented ideas through small chair models, observe demonstration of glueing techniques before making their own chair model. As they progress with their furniture they are asked to think of a story revolving around, or involving the chair they are making, so that the can write a short story during or after their project.
“Big Ideas”/ Essential QUESTION(s)
Students will create an observational learning process, to figure out the best ways to construct their project, and create a story around it. They will need to ask themselves problem solving questions: what materials works best with one another, how to apply material together, and how create a structured form. They will also need to ask themselves what the chair represents to them and create a story that draws the reader in to the aspects of the furniture as well as the story.
Student Outcome Objectives
have an introductory understanding of furniture making/modeling
develop an understanding for materials application
create a story that accompanies their chair
Students will be given the opportunity to learn as they make. Students need to be able to write a descriptive story, complete small arts and design projects, and have an understanding of story telling (beginning, middle and end).
Examples of Artwork
Demonstrating some furniture models e, as well as some made out of the same materials they will be using and share historical chair cards to develop ideas.
A successful chair will be carefully built and will be able to stand, and have an accompanying story.
Small Wood Scraps
Small Material Scraps
Glue (for fabric)
There will also be provided hot glue guns for adhesive
Learning Activities and Timing
1. Introduction - 10min
2. Showing materials and examples - 5min
3. Create time - 30 minutes
4. Gather children together to share how far they have come today 5min
5. Clean up 10min
6. Including helping with model and writing project
1. Overview of project - review 5min
2. Check in for needs for the day for participants - 10min
3. Build and write
4. Share chairs and stories with one another
5. Photograph chairs with children