Sculpture Course Syllabus

Studio Projects (that are always subject to change!) Sculpture is a course for students who like to work three-dimensionally. You will learn new techniques and tools for each studio project, be introduced to contemporary artists doing similar things, and then develop sketches and “blueprints” before diving in. We spend about two weeks on these long-term studio projects. These studio projects are graded out of 20 points and are worth the majority (60%) of your grade. Here is an example of some of the things we will do in this class (pictured above):

-Deconstructed Books -Urban Animal Paper Mache -Packing Tape/Plaster Human Movement Sculptures -Kinetic Sculptures (Mobiles!) -Mini Food Sculptures with Polymer Clay -Other amazing things that will remain unnamed

Semester Project You will receive a packet of 30 prompts that encourage you to create, reflect on, or write about art. You will choose 3 prompts from each category (create, reflect, write) and turn all 9 in – together - at the end of the semester. These prompts are designed to be done in class when you need a break from your project, if you finish a project early, when we have shortened classes, or at home as homework. You will be graded on meeting length/completion requirements, your effort and your creativity. The semester project is worth 20% of your grade, so I would encourage you to put a significant amount of time and thought into it! Critiques We will have several critiques throughout the semester, which will give you the opportunity to hear what your peers think about your work! These are always fun and positive experiences. We will do them in several different formats, though all formats are graded on participation. I expect you to be honest, yet respectful – our goal is to analyze the artwork (separately from the artist) and talk about the things that were done well, as well as the things that could be improved. You should be SURE to have work ready for critique days, as your participation is worth 10% of your semester grade.

Final E x am There may be several quizzes throughout the semester to cover tools, skills, techniques and information in each unit. Your final exam will cover all of the information and artists that we covered over the entire semester. You are expected to keep all handouts, quizzes and grade sheets in order to study for the final exam. This will be worth 10% of your semester grade.

How to Succeed in Sculpture Keep an open mind. Experimenting with new materials and learning new skills can be challenging, but it is so fun!! Listen and watch demonstrations carefully. Ask questions of your teacher and peers! “How did you do that?!?!” Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t work perfectly the first time. Practice and problem solving skills are good. Put forth your best effort on every assignment. I am looking for you to be learning and challenging yourself. Use your time wisely. Materials and tools may not be taken home, so work hard while you are here! 1 Come to class on time and ready to learn/work/make stuff. Ask questions!! Be excited about art!

Art R oo m R u l es **all school rules apply here

No eating or drinking at all. It is not safe to eat around chemicals and food allergies are a real thing.

Tool Use - Use tools for only their intended purpose. Abusing tools can ruin them and can also be very dangerous. If you are not sure how to correctly use a tool, please talk to the teacher. Please DO NOT use the paper cutter without permission! This can be a finger-removing device! :/

Please don’t touch others’ artwork! Sculptures can be extremely fragile and will sometimes break even with a delicate touch. Please respect other students and ask before you touch or move their project.

Cell phone policy – Cell phones are not allowed to be used in the art room. This means that they should be kept out of sight during the entire hour. You on your phone tells me that you are disengaged from learning, bored with my class, and is generally disrespectful. If I see you texting, checking the time, ANSWERING A PHONE CALL (!!?!), looking at Instagram, taking a selfie, taking a photo of someone else, etcetera, I will take your phone from you. It will go to my office until I am able to take it down to the main office. ** If there is an emergency situation, you will be notified by the office. I will abide by the same cell phone policies as you do – the only time I may use my phone is to take photos of your artwork and I will let you know that I am doing so.

Music -- I will be DJ for the classroom, so you will not “need” to have your phone out as a music playing device. I think I have good taste in music, but you can be the judge. You can expect Pandora stations such as: classical, ethnic (Irish, Bulgarian, African, etc), Indie artists (Bon Iver, Sylvan Esso), Old School 90s hits (!!!), etc. I will take suggestions for stations as the semester goes on. Some days I may read short stories to you. AWESOME.

Absences - If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed.

Tardies - If you are not in the art room when the bell rings, you are tardy. 5 tardies = 1 unexcused absence. 5 unexcused absences = truancy ticket. 1 truancy ticket = $80 or so + a trip to court with a parent/guardian.

Passes - You must ask me to use the ONE hall pass for our room. If the pass is gone, you will have to wait.

Cleanup - Put all materials and tools away in their proper place before you leave. Your area and anywhere you worked is your responsibility. Our custodians are WONDERFUL and it is their job to maintain a clean space, not to clean up pencils and stuff that you don’t want to bend over to pick up. P.s. Washing your hands is a good thing.

Last Bell - I will call “Clean Up” with the appropriate amount of time left for you to clean up. Please DO NOT clean up before this – that would be wasting precious art-making time!  When you are finished cleaning up, be seated until the bell rings.

Grading

Rubrics – Rubrics give a written description of the requirements and expectations for each project. Each rubric includes: points for specific aspects of each unit, points for the time you have spent, effort you have put in and the craftsmanship you have shown in each project. You are expected to grade yourself and answer any questions using the rubric before you turn in your completed work.

Effort and Challenge - Your participation and attitude will count in parts of your grade such as critiques and cleanup, but will also affect every project that your create. If you are not trying, or expecting much of yourself, you will not achieve what you could. Promptness on written assignments is essential. You need to be prepared for what we are doing in class. I hope to see you challenge yourself—experimenting and practicing is what art people do!

Growth - Every student begins this course with a different level of skill and experience. Students are expected to improve their skills this semester, no matter what proficiency they begin with.

Deadlines - Projects must be completed by the grading period deadlines or you lose points. Communicate with me if you are having trouble with a deadline.

2 ART STUDENT SAFETY CONTRACT Purpose: Art is a hand-on class. You will be doing many activities in this room that will require the use of chemicals, tools and machines. Safety in the Art Room is the number one priority for our students and teachers. To ensure a safe Art Classroom, a list of rules has been developed and provided to you in this Student Safety Contract. These rules must be followed at all times. Two copies of this contract are provided to you. One copy must be signed by you and returned to your classroom teacher before you can participate in any art room project or activity. The second copy is to keep in your Art Folder as a constant reminder of the safety rules.

General Guidelines: 1. Conduct yourself in a responsible manner at all times in the Art Classroom.

2. Follow all written and verbal instructions carefully. If you do not understand a direction or part of a procedure, ask the teacher before proceeding.

3. Never work alone. No student may work in the Art Classroom without a teacher.

4. When first entering the Art Classroom, do not touch any equipment, chemicals, or other materials until you are instructed to do so.

5. Do not eat food, drink beverages, or chew gum in the Art Classroom. We work with many chemicals which are not safe to be ingested.

6. Perform only those projects authorized by the teacher. Never do anything in the Art Classroom that is not called for in the Art Classroom procedures or by your teacher. Carefully follow all instructions, both written and oral. Unauthorized projects are prohibited.

7. Be prepared for your work in the Art Classroom. Read all procedures thoroughly before starting the next task.

8. Never fool around in the Art Classroom. Horseplay, practical jokes, and pranks are dangerous and prohibited.

9. Observe good housekeeping practices. Work areas should be kept clean and tidy at all times. Bring only your Art Classroom instructions, worksheets, and/or sketchbooks to the work area. Other materials (books, purses, backpacks, etc.) should be stored in the area designated by the Art Teacher.

10. Keep aisles clear. Push your chair under the desk when not in use.

11. Know the locations and operating procedures of all safety equipment including eye wash station, fire extinguisher and fire blanket. Know where the fire alarm and exits are located.

12. Be alert and proceed with caution at all times in the Art Classroom. Notify the instructor immediately of any unsafe conditions that you observe. 3 13. Dispose of all chemical waste properly. Never mix chemicals in sink drains. Sinks are to be used only for water and those solutions designated by the instructor. Chemicals and other materials are to be disposed of all in the proper waste containers, not in the sink. Check the label of all waste containers twice before adding chemical waste to the container.

14. All labels and project instructions must be read carefully before use.

15. Keep hands away from face, eyes, mouth and body while using chemicals. Wash your hands with soap and water after performing all projects. Clean (with detergent), rinse, and wipe dry all work surfaces (including the sink) and apparatus at the end of the project. Return all equipment clean and in working order to the proper storage area.

16. You will work at your designated seat/station. Do not wander around the room, distract other students, or interfere with the Art Classroom projects of others.

17. Students are never permitted in the Art Storage rooms or preparation areas unless given specific permission by their teacher.

18. Know what to do if there is a fire drill during an Art Period; containers must be closed and any electrical equipment turned off.

19. When using sharp instruments, always carry with tips and points pointing down and away. Always cut away from the body. Never try to catch falling sharp instruments. Grasp sharp instruments only by the handle.

Clothing:

20. Any time chemicals, heat, or glassware are used, students will wear goggles. There will be no exceptions to this rule.

21. Dress properly during an Art Classroom activity. Long hair, dangling jewelry, and loose or baggy clothing must be secured.

22. Art aprons have been provided for you and can be worn during classroom activities to protect your clothes from dirt and debris.

Accidents and Injuries:

23. Report and accident (spill, breakage, etc) or injury (cur, burn, etc) to the teacher immediately, no matter how trivial it may appear.

24. If you and/or your classmate are hurt, immediately get the teacher’s attention.

25. If a chemical should splash in your eye(s) or your skin, immediately flush with running water from the eyewash station for at least 20 minutes. Notify the teacher immediately. 4 Handling Chemicals:

26. All chemicals in the Art Classroom are to be considered dangerous. Do not touch, taste, or smell any chemicals unless specifically instructed to do so.

27. Check the label on chemical bottles twice before removing any of the contents. Take only as much as you need.

28. Never return unused chemicals to their original bottles.

29. When transferring chemicals from one container to another, hold the containers away from your body.

30. Handle flammable hazardous chemicals over a pan to contain spills. Never dispense flammable liquids anywhere near an open flame or source of heat.

31. Never remove chemicals or other materials from the Art Classroom.

32. Take great care when transferring chemicals from one part of the Art Classroom to another. Hold them securely and walk carefully.

Handling Glassware and Equipment:

33. Never handle broken glass with your bare hands. Use a brush and dustpan to clean up broken glass. Place broken or waste glassware in the designated glass disposal container.

34. When removing an electrical plus from its socket, grasp the plug, not the electrical cord. Hands must be completely dry before touching an electrical switch, plug, or outlet.

35. Report damaged electrical equipment immediately. Look for things such as frayed cords, exposed wires, and loose connections. Do not use damaged electrical equipment.

36. If you do not understand how to use a piece of equipment, ask the teacher for help!

Questions:

37. Do you wear contact lenses?

a. Yes b. No

38. Are you color Blind?

a. Yes b. No

39. Do you have allergies? 5 a. Yes b. No If yes, please list: ______

Student Safety Contract Agreement:

I, ______, have read and agree to follow all of the safety rules set forth in this contract. I realize that I must obey these rules to ensure my own safety, and that of my fellow students and teachers. I will cooperate to the fullest extent with my instructor and fellow students to maintain a safe Art Classroom. I will also closely follow the oral and written instructions provided by the teacher. I am aware that any violation of this safety contract that results in unsafe conduct in the Art Classroom or misbehavior on my part, may result in being removed from the Art Classroom, detention, receiving a failing grade, and/or dismissal from the course.

Student Signature: ______Date: ______