First and second graders began this lesson with a quick game matching an animal to its habitat based on observable characteristics such as webbed feet, fur or feathers. This also drew upon second graders' prior knowledge of landforms and first graders science study of animal characteristics. This was a delightfully fun way to kick off our unit on animal habitats and animal classification. See my June 2016 entry for specific examples of our student-created animal game called "Guess the Animal". So can you teach art AND science? Absolutely! My art students learned how to draw animals using basic shapes, how to use space and proportion, how to blend and color effectively to create a background, and finally how to use focal point to create their animal game cards. (See blog above!)
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One of my goals as an elementary art teacher has always been to teach our children how to be better stewards of the earth. As a board member of the Highland Conservancy, I create the theme for our annual Huron Valley earth day poster contest. Last year's theme focused on endangered animals - what can we do to save an animal's habitat, how can we help save animals from extinction by protecting or restoring their homes? This year, it was time to focus on a new environmental issue. Since our district has a number of teams that compete in the First Lego League competition, I decided to tie into their Trash Trek theme. The fifth grade and middle school teams had already done a great deal of research on recycling trash and living the 3R's so it was a perfect fit!
At Oxbow and Highland Elementary, we kicked this unit off with internet research focusing on how to LIVE GREEN through the 3R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Using guiding questions, upper el students went on a Webquest where they visited a recycling plant to see how items are recycled and how things like plastic are turned back into containers or toys. Then we brainstormed how to reuse everything from paper to plastic bottles, to toys, clothing and even composting food. Students came up with ideas on how they can make a difference such as by turning out the lights, walking instead of driving, composting lunchroom food, or shutting off the car while waiting in the parent pick-up line. Finally they created a poster with a slogan, facts and their idea on how to live green. The posters were judged by the Highland Conservancy Board and the cash prizes will be awarded to the winners at 1:30pm at the annual earth day celebration at Carls Family YMCA Sunday, April 24, 2015 (it runs from noon to 4 pm). I am proud at the depth of learning of all of our students. They often surprise me with their creative solutions for positive change! Winners for the Elementary Division are: First Place: Nicodemus Williams/Highland El., Second Place: Makayla Cope/Oxbow El., Third Place: Aaliyah Kinsey/Oxbow El., Two Fourth Place Winners Tied: Madison Thompson/Highland El. and Keira Thomas/Highland El. Winners for the Middle School Division are: First Place: Marian Shaver, Second Place: Madeline Rende, Third Place: Nicole Graham, Fourth Place: Katelyn Cuthrell - all from White Lake Middle School. Congratulations to all the awesomely creative winners! What a thrill it is to see my students investigate different science issues and topics in art. It is easy to dismiss art as merely a "special" whereas, in my opinion, art can be taken to a much deeper level. I make an effort each year to find a variety of ways to integrate technology and science, social studies and language arts with the art curriculum. Sometimes this means creating fun games such as Habits and Habitats picture cards the students use to try to match what creature goes with which habitat, or what eyes belong to what kind of animal? This encourages my students to use their investigative habits such as observing scales, feathers, hair or other characteristics that will give a hint to the animal's environment. Each year, we also use Webquests where students are guided to complete a variety of steps on different websites that then culminates in a final art activity and often a research report. What an excellent way to take science or social studies learning to a deeper level.
DONORS CHOOSE INTEGRATED SCIENCE PROJECT - Habits and Habitats - Classifying Earth's Animals3/31/2016 This project has been fully funded! Thank you to all our wonderful donors. The students were delighted to see all the wonderful art supplies we now have! We will begin this Habits and Habitat's unit as soon as our mummy unit is finished. Can't wait!
"In my room, students use art to think like a scientist, learn animal classification and forge connections with the core curriculum to spark learning. Students who might otherwise struggle are able to succeed using science and art in hands-on activities. My goal for my students is to help them develop a sense of discovery, learn the importance of animal habitats and ecosystems, and explore how each animal has a place in the food chain. Art becomes the vehicle for their experimentation and creativity." To read more and donate, click on the link below. http://www.donorschoose.org/project/habits-and-habitats-help-us-classify-e/1912315 Fourth and fifth grade students at Oxbow and Highland Elementary were in for a treat! Knowing we were going outside they were bursting with excitement and energy. The lesson was set up by introducing the children to the art of Andy Goldsworthy, a unique Scottish artist who creates sculptures entirely made from nature. They watched the video Rivers and Tides and were fascinated to see him string a trail of golden leaves through an emerald green forest or create huge driftwood structures that slowly floated off into the sea when the tide came in. Eagerly they broke into groups or worked with a partner setting out their leaves, sticks, acorns, apples or pine cones into radial designs, spirals of colorul leaves and delightful 3D sculptures around Highland and Oxbow. With the eyes of an artist, they would step back to survey their work, then run over to see what another team was doing, full of eager enthusiasm as the sculptures slowly evolved and developed into works of art. What a great way to enjoy this unseasonably warm November weather.
Third through fifth graders watched a Power point showing a variety of fascinating ocean creatures. We talked about the food chain/web and how there are predators and prey, producers, etc. Students then played a game where they worked with their table team to sort photos of sea creatures putting them into a chain (or sometimes a food web). This was a great way to get students up and moving and using cooperative group skills while problem solving. The following week, I showed a variety of actual coral, seahorses, starfish and colorful carved and painted fish and we talked about how coral has texture. Finally, we discussed focal point, contrast, dimension (size relationships) and using color in drawing and coloring our underwater ocean art. Week three, I read Who Eats What by Patricia Lauber, a delightful book about food chains and webs. Then students added more creatures to their own ocean food chain and painted the water.
Our third semester project was a unit integrating art with life science in a study of the Rainforest. Students learned about various Rainforest animals, food chains and the Rainforest ecosystem exploring its rich diversity.
Kindy students learned about the colorful macaw and created paperplate scarlet macaws. Lower el made texture frogs and chamelons using a variety of materials. We dream upon different learning styles such as cooperative learning, individual research, and team building activities that build on conceptual thinking to promote creativity beyond the art room. As with most of my projects, this unit connected art across the curriculum which is highly beneficial and promotes curiosity and deeper learning. Fourth and fifth graders kicked off the unit with a fun up-and-moving game where they tried to place animals in the different layers of the Rainforest. This took some problem solving since they had not delved into the unit yet, but certainly peaked their interest. Then they conducted research and wrote a research report. They included information such as what is a Rainforest, the characteristics and adaptations of its animals, their place in the food chain, and humans impact on this important ecosystem. Their reports and animals are on display around Brooks and Oxbow. I am excited that this project was fully funded through the Donors Choose website in just four days! I deeply appreciate all our supporters and donors who contributed to this project via donorschoose.org - The students thoroughly enjoyed this project. Thank you! Bring in a lunch bag with your name on it full of "stuff" to finish the details of your Rainforest animal. Look around your home. Do you have zip ties you could use for whiskers? Toothpicks for porcupine quills? Something for teeth? Bottle caps or shells for eyes or ears? A wine cork for a nose? Colorful feathers to add to your Macaw? Tell your family what animal you are making and kick around ideas with them. Then go on an in-home scavenger hunt for things. Look through the "junk drawer" to see what you can find. Once we have finished painting your animal we will hot glue on the final details to complete it. Please bring this stuff with you to art on March 14 or 15th. NOTE: We could use small size multi-temp hot glue sticks for our low temp hot glue guns! We will share what you don't use with the rest of the class. Thanks.
Our student teacher, Austin Fabinski, came up with an exciting lesson for relief printing. Third grade students chose a Rainforest animal and drew it in its habitat (home) including leaves, trees, flowers. Students practiced making four different versions, then drew the final scene onto their styrofoam plate using a dull pencil. If the lines weren't etched deeply into the sytrofoam, they went over it pressing a bit harder. Next they added colored marker onto the plate making sure to color it thoroughly. Then they sprayed the paper with water and printed their plate several times until they perfected the technique. This would be an excellent lesson for home - you can use a styrofoam plate or clean styrofoam meat tray, a set of markers, and a damp sponge. Enjoy!
Lying in bed, I was thinking about Jacque Cousteau and the animal and nature shows I used to be able to watch on Animal Planet and PBS. It was time to show our students a good, short documentary on endangered animals and the importance of saving them from extinction. As a board member of the Highland Conservancy, I decided this should be the theme for this year’s Huron Valley Earth Day poster contest. It’s so important that our children understand how the loss of one animal in an ecosystem can have huge implications. It was also time for some research and in-depth study! Oxbow’s lit lab teacher, Mrs. Peraino, graciously agreed to lead students to appropriate websites such as National Geographic to learn about different endangered animals, and how and why they are heading toward extinction. Each animal faces a different set of problems such as being hunted for their beautiful fur (which are made into coats and hats) or loss of habitat due to slash and burn farming or other poor farming techniques, or poaching due to the ivory trade. In kindy, first and second grade we watched an Eye Witness video on Insects and then made Shoe Bugs. We talked about what an insect is, metamorphosis, predator and prey and other insect facts…how some insects like the praying mantis are rare and how important it is to leave these creatures in their natural homes and not try to catch them for pets. This was a review of last year’s insect unit and a preview for our upcoming butterfly lesson on vulnerable monarchs! Third through fifth graders watched several short vignettes by Jeff Corwin on how and why the polar bear and sea turtle and few other key species are going extinct. This followed on the heels of our lesson on penguins which has two types that are endangered, the African penguin and the Jackass penguin. Of course, I had to explain to the students that this penguin was named because of the strange braying sound it makes similar to donkey (its name-sake). That certainly got them excited. (I decided to skip that small part for the next classes ;) If you get a chance to do some additional research at home, there are many great websites for students out there. You can start with the World Wildlife Fund, click on species and click on endangered species. You’ll find a photo and extensive information about each endangered animal… http://worldwildlife.org/species/directory?sort=extinction_status&direction=desc You can also visit: http://animalstime.com/endangered/ The posters have been judged and below are the winning students from our Huron Valley Schools along with runners up. Thanks to all who participated! Very impressive! |
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March 2024
AuthorMy name is Mrs. Krupa and I'm an elementary art teacher at Oxbow Elementary. I'm a professional harpist turned art teacher of 20 years. I'll share art lessons and ideas on these pages, what works and doesn't. Enjoy! Categories
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