PAPER ROD SCULPTURE – Balance, Movement, Stability

Students create multicoloured rods of construction paper and use them to build a three-dimensional sculpture.

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PAPER ROD SCULPTURE – Balance, Movement, Stability

Supplies:

  • Crayola Construction Paper - 22.9 cm x 30.9 cm (9" x 12")
  • Crayola Washable No-Run School Glue
  • Pony Tail Elastics
  • Bamboo Skewers - 30 cm (12") - 1 per student
 

Steps:

1
Step 1

PAPER ROD

  1. Place a piece of construction paper flat on your desk and at a 45-degree angle to the edge of your desk.
  2. Place the skewer on one corner of the paper so that it is parallel to the edge of your desk.
  3. Slowly begin to roll the paper around the skewer keeping it fairly tight.
2
Step 2
  1. When you are almost at the end put a small amount of glue on the tip of the paper, then finish rolling the paper.
  2. Press the glued tip against the rolled paper to hold it in place.
  3. Remove the skewer and you have a paper rod.
  4. Make about 12 rods in various colours.
3
Step 3

SCULPTURE

  1. Use 3 rods to create the base for your sculpture.
  2. Make sure the base is very stable and well balanced so it can support all the other rods that you add to it.
  3. Place a small amount of glue on one of the rods and press a second rod into it.
  4. Gently press the rods together and hold them in place for about 30 seconds.
4
Step 4
  1. Add the third rod to create a tripod structure.
    - think about where you want the rods to join – midway, two-thirds up, or somewhere in between
  2. Use an elastic to hold the rods together while the glue dries.
5
Step 5
  1. Once you have a sturdy base begin to add more rods to create your sculpture.
  2. Add each rod in such a way that it touches 2 other rods but does not touch the ground.
  3. Place each rod so that it creates a new angle and is not parallel to any other rods.
  4. Use an elastic to hold the rods together while the glue dries.
6
Step 6
  1. Continue adding rods until you are satisfied with your sculpture.
  2. As you add more rods make sure they do not touch the ground.
  3. From time to time gently turn the sculpture around to view it from all points of view.
  4. It should:
    - be stable enough to be moved without falling apart;
    - have many different angles;
    - have no two rods that are parallel to each other.
  5. When you are satisfied with your work set it aside to let it dry.
  6. Once it is dry, remove the elastics and give it a title.
  • Subjects:

    • Language Arts,

    • Mathematics,

    • Science,

    • Visual Arts

  • Grades:

    • Grade 4,

    • Grade 5,

    • Grade 6


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