It’s hard to get students making stuff on the first day of class, particularly when they are Freshmen. For this quick project, I start with a short lecture on the work of Chicago artist Nick Cave. Next, students do some quick form exploration with staples, tape, and craft paper. Finally, they work as a group to construct a “soundsuit” for me to wear.

This assignment breaks the ice, foregrounds collaboration, and results in a large-scale object. Students get to see research, iteration, execution, and reflection modeled in the space of a single class period. It also gives me the opportunity to look silly, which helps offset my status as an authority figure.