THEME: MOVEMENT
SUBJECT: EARLY CHILDHOOD
ARTIST: BENJAMIN SOTA
GRADE: recommended PreK-3rd grade

OBJECTIVES
Students will learn the difference between visual art and performance art, and how they work together.
Students will learn how different artists use movement to make art, tell stories and convey feelings.
 
KEY QUESTIONS
How can you tell a story through movement?
Can you tell how someone is feeling just through movement?
What parts of the body do artists use for movement? (i.e. a dancer uses their body, a painter uses their hands and arms, a storyteller uses their mouth, etc.)
What kinds of tools do artists need to make movement?
 
BOOK REFERENCES
1. The Toy Circus by Jan Wahl
2. Skippyjon Jones Cirque de Ole by Judy Schachner
3. Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet by Jane O’Connor
4. The Circus by Brian Wildsmith
 
VISUAL REFERENCES
1. Damn everything but the circus, (2014) by Benjamin Sota
 
ACTIVITY
Create an artist tool used for telling a story with movement.  The first step is to choose several pipe cleaners.  Wrap and twist these pipe cleaners together, then connect the two ends to form a circle by twisting the pipe cleaners together. Decorate the pipe cleaners by wrapping, tying or threading ribbons, yarn and string around half of the pipe cleaner circle.  Use as many different colors, lengths and textures of ribbons and strings as possible. Use the side of the circle without yarn and string as your handle.  Wave the decorated wand through the air to tell a story through movement. Think about how to show different feelings through your movement. How does your wand help you to tell your movement story?
 
BONUS
Play the game of charades.  One person stands before a group, and using only the movement of his or her body, without speaking, conveys a story, theme or activity.  The group must try to guess what is being displayed.

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PENNSYLVANIA CORE STANDARDS
VISUAL ARTS
(9.1.3.A)
-know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities
 
(9.1.3.D)
-use knowledge of varied styles within each art form through a performance or exhibition of unique work
 
(9.1.3.E)
-demonstrate the ability to define objects, express emotions, illustrate an action or relate an experience through creation of works in the arts