Creating a Tunnel Book

Submitted by: Bill Dutton, art teacher
Title of Lesson: Setting the Stage
Grade level: 5 - 8th grades

 

Goals / Objectives:

Students explore creating the setting for a story by making a stage environment in the form of a tunnel book. It could be the stage for a dance, Broadway musical, or fairy tale.

 

Students try to create a sense of depth as well as a mood for a place to set their story.

 

During Renaissance times, theatrical productions began to use elaborate stages for plays, including the use of perspective in the background panels.

Materials Needed:

3 x 5" index cards
Colored Pencils
Manila file folders
Sharp Scissors
Stapler

 

Lesson Description:

We look at the sets used in operas, musicals, and movies to see how mood as well as foreground, middle ground, and background are established.

Students work in groups of four to choose a story with a setting they find interesting. They make a small mock up of it using index cards.

After they feel the mock up is satisfactory, they begin using file folders. The back panel is left uncut, but each other folder has a border and is cut so that one can see through into the next panel.

The file folder sheets are stapled to side strips of paper which are folded accordion style.

 

Assessment:

The assessment criteria is given at the beginning as a rubric. The project will create a sense of depth by containing the following:
1. Various textures to make the closer objects appear near
2. Rising ground level to simulate distance
3. Diminishing scale of objects as they recede
4. Use of blue in the distance, or diminishing intensity of color

National Visual Arts Standards Covered:

Standard #1 Students reflect on how their choices for their sets affect the communication of the settings mood and appropriateness for its story.