Lesson Overview:
The class will study classical relief sculptures that tell stories of great battles and heroic deeds. Students will create their own "silver" relief of either a contemporary or historical event.
Length of Lesson:
Five 45-minute class periods
Instructional Objectives:
Students will:
- express a story with images by creating a relief sculpture.
- examine relief sculptures from different countries and cultures.
- work with each other to create a frieze made up of many parts.
Instructional Plan:
Lead a class discussion about relief sculpture, with references to Greek and Roman classical sculpture. Find examples of local bas relief (or low-raised) sculptures or friezes and discuss their historical aspects with students.
Discuss a significant event the students are studying in history or a current event they would like to depict in a relief. Students should describe the entire event from the beginning to the end, and describe key characters and background information.
Before proceeding, divide the class into pairs. Based on the description provided by the students, divide the event into specific segments equal to the number of pairs of students in the class. Once the event is sequenced and numbered, have the students begin drawing the event. The initial sketch can be done by one or two students with the rest of the class helping with the background areas. The sketch should be done on a series of 9" x 12" sheets of paper taped together or a roll of white paper that is the same length as the finished frieze.
Once the sketch is completed, measure off 12-inch segments and draw lines on the sketch at each segment. Distribute cardboard to the pairs of students and assign each a numbered sequence of the drawing. Let the students begin to build the relief by cutting cardboard shapes or foam and gluing them to their cardboard in relation to their assigned part of the drawing. Students may build height by layering the cardboard. Lines may be indicated by gluing string or yarn to the cardboard. Larger details may be executed with crinkled newspaper glued to or taped on the surface. Beads, foam shapes, or anything that has a degree of thickness can also be used. As the work progresses, stop the class and ask students to put their pieces in the given sequence so they can see if they need to add, delete, or adjust the heights of their segment to match the adjoining segments of the relief.
When the individual segments are completed, students should glue craft sticks to the back of their pieces so that half of the stick is on the back of the segment and the other half is exposed. The exposed half will be glued to the
next segment in the sequence (this will keep the finished relief rigid).
Use wide masking tape or duct tape to secure the seams on the back of each piece. Using the foam brushes, students should coat the finished relief with white glue. Cut aluminum foil a little longer than 12 inches. Gently press the center of the aluminum foil sheet to the center of each of the relief segments. Using the tongue depressors or craft sticks, students should gently work out from the center, pressing the aluminum foil to the cardboard relief. Students should carefully mold the foil to all the levels and details on the surface and leave the two edges to be blended with the foil on the next segment of the relief. Attach the finished relief to a wall or hallway.
Students may decide to print a narrative of the event below the relief to describe in detail this event in the context of other events in history.
Assessment:
Use the Assessment Rubric to evalute students' learning and their relief sculpture. You may wish to use the following questions as the basis for additional assessment:
- Did the process help you understand the event in more detail than just reading about it?
- What did you like about the process of making the relief sculpture? What didn't you like about it?
- If you were going to do this again, what would you do differently and why?
Extensions:
Make the frieze out of plaster wrap or papier-mâché.
Construct a relief of significant events or historical buildings in the neighborhood and/or school.
Ask students to develop plans for a building or monument on which to place their relief. What would it look like? At what height should the relief be installed on the building? What kind of building should it be on and where?
Sources:
Print:
- Rogers, L.R. Relief Sculpture. New York: Oxford University Press, 1974.
- Bazin, G. History of World Sculpture. New Jersey: Chartwell Books, 1968.
Authors:
-
Joyce Payne, Arts Education Consultant
West Barnstable, MA
