LESSON CONCEPT #1
the secret life of objects
1. Assignment Connection
Assemblage & Sculpture Unit
2. Key Question
When does an object become something other than what it was designed to be?
3. Primary Understanding & Learning Goals
Students will understand that artists can transform ordinary objects through juxtaposition, modification, and context.
Students will investigate how assemblage artists create new meanings by combining unrelated materials and challenging assumptions about function.
4. Technical Objectives
Students will:
- Analyze found objects for formal and symbolic qualities.
- Combine disparate materials into a cohesive sculpture.
- Develop a narrative or identity for their transformed object.
- Present the work as though it exists in a fictional world.
5. Materials, Equipment, & Tools
- Found objects
- Recyclables
- Hot glue
- Wire
- Paint
- Sketchbooks
6. Sequence of Activities
Day 1: Examine assemblage artists and collect found objects.
Day 2: Sketch possible transformations and narratives.
Day 3-4: Build sculptures.
Day 5: Present sculptures and explain their new function and story.
7. Formative Assessment
- Sketches
- Object inventories
- Work-in-progress critiques
- Artist statement
8. Artists
- Marcel Duchamp
- Thomas Deininger
- Nick Cave
LESSON CONCEPT #2
Future Relics
1. Assignment Connection
Concept Art & Worldbuilding Unit
2. Key Question
How can artists use found objects to tell stories about worlds that do not yet exist?
3. Primary Understanding & Learning Goals
Students will understand that objects carry narratives and can be used to construct fictional histories.
Inspired by kitbashing, Afrofuturism, science fiction, and speculative design, students will create artifacts from an imagined future society.
Students will investigate how artists and designers use material culture to build believable worlds.
4. Technical Objectives
Students will:
- Develop a fictional culture or society.
- Kitbash found materials into a speculative artifact.
- Create concept sketches and written lore.
- Present the object as a museum artifact from the future.
5. Materials, Equipment, & Tools
- Found objects
- Recyclables
- Toy parts
- Cardboard
- Wire
- Sketchbooks
6. Sequence of Activities
Day 1: Explore Afrofuturism, kitbashing, and speculative design.
Day 2: Design a future society and sketch an artifact.
Day 3-4: Build and modify objects.
Day 5: Create museum labels and presentations.
7. Formative Assessment
- Concept sketches
- Written worldbuilding notes
- Prototype critiques
- Artifact presentation
8. Artists
- Rammellzee
- Cyrus Kabiru
- Nick Cave
LESSON CONCEPT #3
Craft, Hobby, or Art?
1. Assignment Connection
Contemporary Art & Cultural Value Unit
2. Key Question
Who decides what counts as art?
3. Primary Understanding & Learning Goals
Students will investigate how institutions, critics, and cultural hierarchies influence perceptions of artistic value.
Students will examine the relationship between crafting, collecting, customization, fan culture, and contemporary art.
Students will consider why some forms of making are celebrated while others are dismissed.
4. Technical Objectives
Students will:
- Research a hobby, craft, or maker community.
- Create an assemblage inspired by that practice.
- Curate and display the work as contemporary art.
- Write a defense explaining its artistic significance.
5. Materials, Equipment, & Tools
- Found objects
- Hobby materials
- Recycled materials
- Display materials
- Sketchbooks
6. Sequence of Activities
Day 1: Discuss art versus craft and analyze examples.
Day 2: Research a chosen hobby or maker culture.
Day 3-4: Create assemblage work.
Day 5: Install a class exhibition and conduct critique.
7. Formative Assessment
- Research notes
- Sketches
- Peer critique
- Written defense
8. Artists
- Marcel Duchamp
- Nick Cave
- Thomas Deininger