Objectives
Students will be introduced to the art of Renaissance artist Michelangelo, or French sculptor Auguste Rodin, and will create a subtractive process sculpture. This free lesson plan is in fulfillment of Standard #4: K-4 and Standard #4: 5-8 of the National Standards for Art Education: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.

Materials
Ivory Soap
Butter Knife
Tooth Pick

Lesson
Step 1
Tell students, "Today you will learn basic sculpting techniques and terms as you carve your own soap sculpture. Michelangelo/Rodin carved many subtractive process sculptures from large blocks of mable. Weather you start with marble, or a bar of soap, the technique is the same - remove (take away) the stuff that's not the thing you are sculpting."

Step 2
Tell students, "Draw a goldfish on the side of your bar of soap."

Step 3
Tell students, "Carefully cut away the soap until you reach the lines you made to define your goldfish".

Step 4
Tell students, "Begin to shape your goldfish by rounding the top and bottom, and by flattening the tail. Finally add the eyes."

Step 5
Tell students, "If you would like to smooth your sculpture out a bit, wet your fingers with water and then rub them over the surface of your goldfish."

As the students work, you can quiz them on a few facts about Michelangelo/Rodin.

(Students might enjoy carving a heart as an alternative project.)

Have Fun!