Kids consider how the body functions and moves, how each structure has a specific movement and purpose. They apply that idea as they construct a sculptural piece that moves. For inspiration they look to the work of Alexander Calder,...

Students build simple mobiles. In this equilibrium lesson, students investigate the functions of three types of levers as they analyze artwork by Alexander Calder. Students then create their own simplified mobiles.

Students investigate the sculptures of Alexander Calder. They view and analyze pictures of various types of sculptures, discuss how mobiles are a type of sculpture, listen to the book "Roarr: Calder's Circus," and create a class mobile...

Students create an original piece of edible art. In this edible art lesson, students decorate a sugar cookie in the style of Alexander Calder. Students view Calder's paintings and then create an original piece of art.

Students are introduced to the life and art of Alexander Calder. Students define the vocabulary related to this work and then design and construct an abstract paper animal mobile.

Students gain an awareness for the work of Alexander Calder, study a variety of utilitarian objects and discuss their purposes, and create graphic of a utilitarian piece using computer graphic software.

Second graders examine the life and work of Alexander Calder. They create a wire sculpture on a cirucs theme of their choice. They work on these projects in groups. They utilize telephone wire, or any thin wire cut to manageable lengths.

Students learn the vocabulary of contemporary sculpture and distinguish between abstract and realistic sculpture, mobile and stabile, biomorphic and geometric. They write equations using Calder's mobiles

Budding artists experiment with balance and movement as they learn about Alex Calder and his kinetic sculptures. They'll view several of Calder's pieces and review biographical information, then they'll work through the artistic process...

Students explore the concepts of rotational equilibrium. They examine the history Alexander Calder and his mobiles. Students solve simple algebraic equations. They predict, draw conclusions, graph equations and examine the rotational...

Young scholars construct a butterfly mobile. In this visual arts lesson, students use rice paper, watercolors, a coat hanger, and wax paper to create a unique butterfly mobile. Young scholars use photographs of butterflies to construct a...

Students design and build original mobiles and consider how the forces of gravity and convection air currents affect the finished piece. They explore how an understanding of balancing forces is important in both art and engineering design.

Eighth graders examine various 20th century artists and their sculptures. They view and analyze slides, compare/contrast the artists' styles, and create an original sculpture.

Students study the solar system by researching the planets.  For this exploratory lesson students divide into teams and create mobiles.

Students explore some of the components of sculpture through a variety of artists and their artwork. The six lessons of this unit utilize the sculptures experienced when students were studying American history and the Native Americans.

Students discover how energy flows through communities because of the relationship between producers, consumers and decomposers. Examining various ecosystems, they identify the materials that cycle continuously through them. They label...

Students create paper sculptures. In this visual arts lesson, students observe photographs of abstract sculptures and describe their observations. Students use oaktag, tape, scissors, and markers to create their own paper sculptures....

Students observe a piece of artwork by Rafael Ferrer that surrounds an archway. They discuss the sculpture and design an archway for the classroom door.

This site provides information on Alexander Calder, the inventor of the kinetic sculpture known as the mobile, as well as detailed instructions on how to create your own butterfly mobile. Included are "Tips and Tricks" to making "a more...

In this lesson plan, students will apply mathematical, science, and engineering concepts to experiment with balancing levers. They will learn to classify types of levers to design and build a simplified mobile. Students will explore...

Alexander Calder invented two new kinds of sculpture: mobiles and stabiles. In The Cone, he combines elements of each-a stabile, or non-moving sculpture, connected to a mobile, or moving sculpture. In this lesson, young scholars use...

Students will be introduced to form, one of the basic elements of art. They will analyze the types of forms and materials used in various sculptures then experiment with lines in both two and three dimensions to see how shapes become forms.

Students learn how forces are used in the creation of art. They come to understand that it is not just bridge and airplane designers who are concerned about how forces interact with objects, but artists as well.