What did we do on the first day of 3D art elective class for 8th graders yesterday? We played Jenga!  As a first day activity it really worked well on so many levels.  First of all it was a great team building activity for students to get to know one another at their tables.  There was a lot of conversation and smiling going on which was fantastic!  After we played for about 20 minutes I asked them how the game related to the sculpture class they were just starting.  Boy did they have some great responses!
-Sometimes in art it's great to have a strategy before starting, but other times it's good to just wing it and go with what seems to be working.
-Sculptures need to be balanced.  When you move one piece, it means going back to look at the whole structure to see where the next thing should go.
-Sometimes things fall apart when creating art.  It's ok to fail and try a new approach next time.
-Making art is fun!

After playing the game and having a conversation about the connection to art, I asked each table to build an interesting sculpture with their blocks. One of my favorites was a kinetic sculpture that moved like dominos!

Our school has been fortunate over the past few years to host exchange students during the months of January and February. We currently have four students from Korea and another four from China that will be attending classes until the middle of February.

Today, one of the Chinese teachers helping to coordinate the program was a guest teacher in my class. It was an amazing experience for my students to learn how to do Chinese calligraphy from a person authentic to the culture! Students not only heard about the ancient traditions of Chinese calligraphy, but also were able to practice how to mix the ink using a stone and ink block, how to properly hold the brush and even how to write their name in Chinese characters!

It was interesting to see how difficult it was for students to hold the brush in proper position. The instructor said that many Chinese students have to attend martial arts courses in order to help build up their muscles to the point where they can hold the brush correctly for extended lengths of time!

Below are a few photos from the day.