Theatre Education: A Resource of Practical and Project-Based Warm-ups/Theatre Games for K-12

Sculpting

Where we learned it: Devising class at GAC
Ages: 4th grade and up
Materials: None

Process:

1. Demonstrate how to sculpt with people.  Whoever is the clay stands in neutral.  There are two ways a sculptor can sculpt.
1. Direct touch: The person sculpting must ask permission to directly touch the person.  This is the only talking that occurs.
2. Demonstration: The sculptor could also shape their clay by showing the clay what to do (e.g., demonstrate a particular facial expression) and the clay will mimic it.
2. Allow the students to sculpt one another.  Reinforce that there are no correct versions of that image.
3. Ask the sculptors to walk around and examine the sculptures.
4. Have the clay and the sculptor trade places and repeat the process.

Variations:

1. Use words, ideas, themes or subjects as a prompt for sculpting such as happiness, oppression, school, family, the Underground Railroad, the Great Depression, etc.
2. This work can be done in pairs, in small groups with one sculptor or in a circle with a few clay people in the middle and the rest of the class entering the circle to sculpt.

      

Copyright © 2002 by Arizona State University and the Arizona Board of Regents.