Earthwork Exploration Lesson
Grades: 9-12
The goals of this lesson are to cultivate conscientious, critical thinkers who care for the natural environment and for students to learn how to create art eco-consciously. Students will learn about several contemporary artists of the Environmental Art and Land Art movements as inspiration in creating their own outdoor sculpture and to better understand how art can be created for environmentalism.
Earthwork is a form of “art that is made by shaping the land itself or by making forms in the land using natural materials like rocks or tree branches” (MoMA). In creating their own earthwork sculptures, students will use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to build artwork limited to natural found objects as their only source of material. By using site-specific found objects, the natural aspect of the environment is preserved in that when the artwork is left there and begins to erode or disassemble on its own, there will be no foreign man-made material left to disrupt nature.
Overall, this lesson aims to broaden students’ respect for nature, recognition of ecological balance and sustainability, and to encourage environmentally responsible behaviors. Students will also practice collaborating in a group setting to achieve success in working on one project together incorporating team-building skills and team work.
Earthwork is a form of “art that is made by shaping the land itself or by making forms in the land using natural materials like rocks or tree branches” (MoMA). In creating their own earthwork sculptures, students will use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to build artwork limited to natural found objects as their only source of material. By using site-specific found objects, the natural aspect of the environment is preserved in that when the artwork is left there and begins to erode or disassemble on its own, there will be no foreign man-made material left to disrupt nature.
Overall, this lesson aims to broaden students’ respect for nature, recognition of ecological balance and sustainability, and to encourage environmentally responsible behaviors. Students will also practice collaborating in a group setting to achieve success in working on one project together incorporating team-building skills and team work.
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