Year 8 Students at The Australian International Academy explore different contemporary and traditional arts forms and styles in creating these clay Creatures and Critters. 

Unit: Creatures and Critters
Year Levels: 8
AusVELS level: 7-8
Term: 2
Year: 2014

Learning Focus from AusVels Level 7 an 8:

Students explore different contemporary and traditional arts forms and styles to develop understanding of the concept of style. Students apply their arts knowledge and, with guidance, and understanding of style when experimenting with, selecting and using a range of contemporary and traditional media, materials, equipment and technologies to explore and expand their understanding and use of a range of skills, techniques and processes in the arts disciplines of Art (two-dimensional and three-dimensional)

Unit Learning Focus:

This unit of Ceramics focuses on the understanding of elements and principles in the creation of designs. Students investigate the creation of form, developing an understanding of handling clay as an Art medium, and its properties. Students, through research, are inspired by contemporary artists Sabine Spiesser and Sandra Lee. 

Unit Assessment Standards Level 8:

Making

They combine and manipulate arts elements, principles and/or conventions to represent and communicate ideas and develop imaginative solutions to set tasks.

They experiment with, select and use appropriate skills, techniques, processes, media, materials, equipment and technologies across a range of arts forms and styles. They generate and develop ideas that explore particular concepts, techniques and issues when making arts works.

Responding

Students research, observe and reflect on their explorations to develop, discuss, express and support opinions about their own and others’ use of arts elements, principles and/or conventions, skills, techniques, processes, media, materials, equipment and technologies.

They describe aspects and requirements of different forms, audiences and traditions, and identify ways that contemporary arts works, including their own, are influenced by cultural and historical contexts.

Teaching & Learning Activities

Weeks 1-8:

Making

Drawing Activity: Elements and Principles chart

Collage of creatures and/or critters

Initial drawings and sketches

Refined drawings of 3 concepts

Final outcome drawing of creature

Clay creature

Responding

Artist research :

Sabine Spiesser and Sandra Lee

Resources and Materials

Sketch books
Coloured pencils
Power point on artists
Power point on clay properties, understanding use of clay
Terracotta Clay
Kiln
Acrylic paints
Crystal clear spray gloss

Assessment Tools

MYP Criteria grade 1-7 system (IB school)

Making: grade A-E (practical component)

Responding: grade A-E (theory component)

Cross Curricular Priorities

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures

Research into Aboriginal Art