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Sand casting
Sand casting requires an area that can be left undisturbed so the plaster can dry a half hour or more. This activity can be a collaborative project, either as an entire class or in small groups. If children want to make their own sand casts, you might work with three or four children an hour at a time.

Here’s what you need:
natural objects such as sea shells, twigs, bark, half walnut shells
assorted recycled objects such as plastic bottle caps, large beads, pencil stubs, bolts
newspaper
washtub or other large container of sand
water
plastic shovels or spoons
plaster of Paris
coffee can or butter tub
wooden stirring stick
large spoons

1. Wet the sand enough so that it sticks together. Have children dig a hole in the sand about an inch deep. The hole can be round or square, but it needs to be big enough to hold all the objects children have selected.
2. Have children select the objects and press them randomly or in a design face down in the hole.
3. Meanwhile, mix the plaster of Paris according to the package directions, and let it set for a few minutes to thicken. Have children pour or spoon it over the objects in the hole, taking care not to move the objects.
4. After the plaster has dried, children can dig out the cast and brush off the extra sand.

Variations: Instead of using objects, let children make a handprint or footprint in the plaster. Invite school-age children to look for images of bas-relief in an encyclopedia or by searching the Internet.

Definition: Bas-relief (bah-ree-LEAF)—a sculpture whose figures are carved or shaped against a flat surface and stick out a little; the back side is not meant to be seen

Aluminum foil sculpture
Metal, especially bronze, has been a favorite material for many sculptors. Frederic Remington is known for depicting small, realistic action figures, such as “Bronco Buster,” while Deborah Butterfield creates abstract horses that appear to be made of pieces of driftwood. Bronze casting, welding, and other metal working are complicated and hazardous, but children can use their imagination with aluminum foil.

Here’s what you need:
aluminum foil
newspaper
cardboard or wood square scrap
glue or thumb tacks

1. Invite children to make shapes with aluminum foil. For bulky parts of a sculpture, wad up the newspaper and cover with aluminum foil.
2. Glue the finished piece onto cardboard or tack it onto a wood square.

Block sculpture
Children who enjoy building with Lego® blocks may be interested to learn that the popular bricks have become a bona fide art medium. For examples, see the Lego sculptures of Nathan Sawaya at www.brickartist.com.

Whether you use plastic or wood blocks, consider expanding block play with sculptural elements.

Here’s what you need:
photographs of gargoyles, friezes, corbels, and other architectural embellishments, or a resource book such as Architectural Details by Marcia Reiss (Thunder Bay Press, 2004)
photographs of monuments like the Lincoln Memorial and the Arc de Triomphe
assorted materials such as small boxes, plastic eggs, tubing, pieces of pipe, wood scraps, plastic bottle caps, aluminum foil, cork, spools

1. Show children the photographs. Note how some buildings have artful decorations built into the structure.
2. Discuss the purpose of the architectural sculpture. For example, the sculpted work may be intended to beautify the building, honor a historical figure, serve as a reminder of a spiritual or moral quality, or celebrate an important event.
3. Invite children to incorporate art and sculpture in their constructions, using assorted materials or the sculptures they have made in other activities.

Definitions: Frieze (freeze)—a horizontal band of carved figures or designs that runs above doorways or windows.

Corbel—a bracket supporting a roof, ceiling, or beam.

Paper sculpture
If you’ve ever read a pop-up book, admired origami, made a box from paper, or used a piñata at a party, you’re familiar with paper sculpture

Here’s what you need:
assortment of paper sheets and scraps, including construction paper, card stock, wrapping paper, paper plates, holiday greeting cards
tape and glue
scissors
marker

1. Show children how to fold down one side of a sheet of paper into a half-inch tab. Fold the paper in half and then in half again. Open it up and reverse the fold farthest from the tab. Glue the tabbed side to the opposite side to form an open-ended box.
2. In similar fashion, demonstrate how to make a cylinder by rolling up a sheet of paper. Make a cone by cutting out a circle, cutting a slit along the radius, and overlapping and then gluing the edges.
3. Invite children to make shapes out of paper. Explain that they can decorate them with markers or glue several together to make a sculpture. For example, they might add a folded paper square as a roof to the box to make it a house. Or they might add four paper circles to the box to make it a train car.

Variation: Cut free-form shapes from card stock and snip a 1-inch slit into each side. Interlock the shapes along the slits to build a sculpture.

Sculpture from common objects
In the 1940s Pablo Picasso saw an old bicycle seat and handlebars and got the idea for a bull’s head. He made the seat the bull’s face, and the handlebars, the horns. He was one of a handful of artists in the early 20th century who began using commonplace items as material for sculpture. The idea caught on and influenced later artists such as Salvador Dali.

Here’s what you need:
assortment of objects familiar to children such as plastic spoons, butter tubs, balls, old bicycle parts, small cereal boxes, shoelaces, discarded CDs, pencils, toothpicks
art and craft materials such as craft sticks, pipe cleaners, fabric and ribbon scraps, felt, paper scraps, stickers, miniature tiles, buttons, glitter
glue and tape
markers and paint

1. Ask children to name each common object and describe its function. Explain how Picasso took two bicycle parts and made them into a bull’s head. Discuss how changing the way something looks can change how it’s used, including as art or decoration.
2. Invite children to select a few common objects and change them in some way by using the art and craft materials.

Junk sculpture
Today the objects used by many sculptors include recycled materials and even junk. But no one would think of Jim Gary’s giant dinosaur sculptures made from discarded automobile parts as junk. Similarly, Tone Holman’s “Polar Bears” made from plastic bags and Robert Bradford’s “Patchwork Dog” made from miniature children’s toys elevate junk into creations that inspire awe and delight.

Making sculpture from common or recycled objects is kin to collage. Note that 2-D collage is made by gluing flat items such as photographs, newspaper clippings, paper or fabric scraps, and ribbon to a base. Sculptural collage, on the other hand, uses 3-D objects. Both are intended to be viewed from one side, like a painting. Of course, some works, like Robert Rauschenberg’s “Canyon,” are a combination of the two.

Here’s what you need:
assortment of discarded items such as old jewelry, watch pieces, old toy parts, plastic tubing, bottle caps, clean egg cartons, tissue paper rolls, empty spools
polystyrene packing blocks, small cardboard boxes, and other bulky objects to be used as forms
shoe box lids, one for each child
glue
paint or markers

1. Invite children to choose several discarded items from your collection and assemble them in any way they wish. They may simply glue the items to the shoe box lid (sculptural collage), or they may glue items to a form and then glue the form to the lid (sculpture).
2. Explain that they may paint or decorate the items before gluing them.

Make a mobile
Engineer-turned-artist Alexander Calder created many metal sculptures but is best known for inventing the mobile in 1931. He has been called “the man who made sculpture move” and led the way in the development of kinetic art.

Here’s what you need:
drinking straws
paper clips
construction paper
pictures cut from magazines or junk mail
scissors
glue or tape

1. Invite children to cut several shapes out of construction paper or pictures from magazines.
2. Make the top unit of the mobile by sliding a straw through a paper clip. Move the paper clip to the middle of the straw. From this paper clip, make a chain of paper clips for hanging the mobile.
3. Make two chains to hang on each end of the straw. Insert a straw into each chain at unequal distances down each chain.
4. Make three more chains to hang from each additional straw. At the end of each chain, clip a shape or picture
5. Encourage children to hold up the mobile and figure out how to make it balance, such as by inserting a straw higher or lower in a chain, sliding a chain over on a straw, or adding or subtracting chains or pictures.
6. When a mobile is balanced, children can place a spot of glue or tape at the top of each chain.

Variations: Make a mobile to carry out a curriculum theme, such as animals or the alphabet. Instead of straws and paper clips, use twigs and string.