Paper Pulp Sea Turtle / 1st Grade

Overview

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    For this lesson, students are encouraged to bring in unwanted things made out of paper, such as newspaper, egg cartons, package boxes, and so on. The paper is then ripped and pinched into tiny bits, soaked, blended, and as much water is squeezed out as possible. When the resulting pulp becomes dry, starch is added to make the paper fibers bond to each other, resulting in paper clay.
    Using the resulting paper clay, students create sea turtles and learn about the sea turtle's life cycle and anatomy.

Rationale

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    This lesson provides the target age range (5-6 years of age) with the Psychomotor stimulation beneficial for their development through the activity of ripping, pinching, squeezing, and pressing. This lesson engages the students' cognitive abilities to translate one shape in one material into the same shape another material.

Objectives

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• To engage students with the paper clay making process.
• To break down a complex shape into simpler shapes, in this case, a sea turtle's anatomy into body (shell), fins, tail, and head.
• To be able to demonstrate solid building techniques by pressing and squeezing the paper clay.

Addressed New York State Educational Standards

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• Standard 1
  Students will make works of art that explore different kinds of subject matter, topics, themes, and metaphors. Students will understand and use sensory elements, organizational principles, and expressive images to communicate their own ideas in works of art. Students will use a variety of art materials, processes, mediums, and techniques, and use appropriate technologies for creating and exhibiting visual art works.
• Standard 2
  Know and use a variety of visual arts materials, techniques, and processes. Students will know about resources and opportunities for participation in visual arts in the community (exhibitions, libraries, museums, galleries) and use appropriate materials (art reproductions, slides, print materials, electronic media). Students will be aware of vocational options available in the visual arts.

Vocabulary

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• Clay -- a moldable soft material that holds it shape when hardned
• Pulp -- broken down pieces of paper that is damp
• Shell -- The back of a turtle
• Front Fins -- The limbs at the front end of a sea turtle
• Back Fins -- The limbs at the back end of a sea turtle
• Platform -- Where something stands or rests

Evaluation

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Objectives	Excellent	Good	Fair	Poor	Incomplete
Turtle Anatomy	The turtle sculpture has a clearly identifiable head, four fins, a shell, and a tail	The turtle sculpture has a distinguishable head, four fins, a shell, and a tail	The turtle sculpture has a somewhat identifiable head, four fins, a shell, and a tail	The head, fins, and tail, are hard to identifiable in the sculpture	The sculpture does not have any identifiable parts
Solid Construction Techniques	No pieces have fallen off its platform	One or two pieces have fallen off	Less than half of the project has fallen off	More than half of the project has fallen off	All of the project has fallen off its platform
Color Usage	Color is applied to all parts of the artwork in a deliberate manner. Work is neat and clean	Color is applied to some parts of the artwork in a deliberate manner	Color is applied to a few parts of the artwork in a deliberate manner. Work is a little sloppy	Color is applied to a few parts of the artwork, but is sloppy	Color is applied to the artwork, but is sloppy, or ignores the subject matter

Extension

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• Students with leftover paper clay can make a second turtle or eggs. Students who are done early can help out a friend. Students can write a short story introducing their turtle. For example, what his or her name is, where he or she lives, and what he or she likes to do for fun.

Student Examples

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