EXTRAordinary

This is a unit that I did a few years ago after being inspired by a Pop Art exhibit at our local museum. My 4th graders explored the idea of making art using ordinary materials. We started with a pile of stuff from my kitchen and garage and asked "Is it Art?" and Where does it belong?"

Then students created a card stock template of their object and used the priceples of design to create repetition and variation in a four block design inspired by Jim Dine's Toasters and Andy Warhol's flowers.

Jim Dine's Toasters

Andy Warhol's Flowers

I collect old wrapping paper, especially the shinny stuff, plus save old boarders and other random paper. Sometimes I find a sale on some really ugly scrapbooking paper, but for this it really rocks!! 

The results were amazing!!

We used the card stock template as the name tag for the finished piece!

Ok this is a teacher sample- but look how cool it is with the name tag!!!

At the end of the unit, I took the 4th graders to see the exhibit called EXTRAordinary, which included work form Oldenburg, Warhol, Dine, and many other names you would know from that movement. They asked the most thoughtful questions and I was really amazed at how in tune they were with the exhibit! The docents were very complimentary, which you know I loved!