THE ART OF CHANGE– A CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL ADVENTURE CHANGE IT…MOVE IT… 5,7

CHANGE IT…MOVE IT…

THE ART OF CHANGE–A CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL ADVENTURE: CHANGE IT…MOVE IT…

Learning Description

In this arts-integrated lesson, students will explore the components of a movement sequence and apply their understanding to create a piece that expresses both physical and chemical changes. They will share their sequences with classmates and reflect on their creative process and insights gained throughout the experience.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 5,7
CONTENT FOCUS: DANCE & SCIENCE
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can work with a group to create a movement sequence that expresses a chemical and physical change.

Essential Questions

  • How can dance be used to create choreography that assesses students’ understanding of what constitutes a physical change versus a chemical change?
  • How can we use movement and physical expression to represent the differences between chemical and physical changes?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 5:

S5P1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to explain the differences between a physical change and a chemical change.
a.Plan and carry out investigations of physical changes by manipulating, separating, and mixing dry and liquid materials.
b.Construct an argument based on observations to support a claim that the physical changes in the state of water are due to temperature changes, which cause small particles that cannot be seen to move differently.
c. Plan and carry out an investigation to determine if a chemical change occurred based on observable evidence (color, gas, temperature change, odor, new substance produced).

Arts Standards

Grade 5:

ESD5.CR.1.a Create shapes and levels through movement.
ESD5.CR.1.b Create movement phrases with or without music.
ESD5.CR.1.c Demonstrate knowledge of compositional elements through movement (e.g. beginning, middle, end, transitions).

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 7:

7-PS1-2. Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 1: I can use movement exploration to discover and create artistic ideas and works.
Anchor Standard 2: I can choreograph a dance.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • State of matter - The distinct forms that different phases of matter take on: Solid, liquid, gas and plasma
  • Physical change - A change from one state of matter to another without a change in chemical composition
  • Chemical change - A change that produces one or more new substances and may release energy
  • Substance - A type of matter that has a unique set of properties
  • Material - Relating to, derived from, or consisting of matter
  • Heat - The movement of thermal energy from one place to another
  • Reversible change - A change that can be undone; often called a physical or temporary change
  • Irreversible change - A process that is not reversible
  • Mixtures - A combination of two or more substances that can be separated by physical means
  • Compound - A substance made up of two or more elements that are chemically combined. For example, carbon dioxide is a compound that is chemically combined

Arts Vocabulary

  • Movement sequence - A series of movements; a short danc
  • Levels - One of the aspects of movement (there are three basic levels in dance: high, middle, and low)
  • Body shape - Refers to an interesting and interrelated arrangement of body parts of one dancer; the visual makeup or molding of the body parts of a singular dancer; the overall visible appearance of a group of dancers (they may be curved/angular, symmetrical/asymmetrical, positive/negative)
  • Locomotor movement - A movement that travels through space (e.g. walk, jump, hop, roll, gallop, skip, crawl & more)
  • Non-locomotor movement - A movement that does not travel through space (e.g. shaking, bending, stretching, twisting, turning & more)


Materials


Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

  • Have students demonstrate different sequences that you call out through movement (Incorporate levels, body shape, locomotor and nonlocomotor movements):
    • Straight shape, curved shape, angular shape
    • Shake low, shake high, shake low
    • Jump, jump, slide
    • Gallup middle level, bend, hop
    • Discuss that a sequence is a series of movements in an order.

Work Session

  • Review elements of physical and chemical change.
  • Divide students into groups of three to five.
  • Review Prompts for Chemical and Physical Changes.
    • Each group will choose one prompt from the list that expresses:
      • A physical change
      • A chemical change
    • For each selected change, the group will create a sequence that expresses that change with the following requirements:
      • A beginning, middle, and end
      • Three movements that clearly express the change
      • At least two levels (low, medium, and high)
      • At least one locomotor movement
      • At least one non-locomotor movement
    • Groups should utilize the Physical and Chemical Change Sequence planning sheet to help plan their sequence.
    • After a designated period of work time, each group will present their complete sequence for physical and chemical change. (If time is an issue, the teacher can designate which change should be presented.)

Closing Reflection

  • Students will reflect on one or more of the following questions:
    • How did your movements show the chemical or physical change? Use content and arts vocabulary.
    • How did engaging in the arts support and build upon your understanding of chemical and physical changes?
    • How did this activity help you understand chemical and physical changes in the world around you?
    • If you were to go through this artistic process again, what would you do differently? Why?


Assessments

Formative

  • Chemical and physical change sequence worksheet
  • Check-in/observation of students during group creation of their sequence

Summative

  • Performance of sequence–look for:
    • Three movements that clearly express the change (chemical or physical)
    • A beginning, middle, and end
    • At least two levels (low, medium, and high)
    • At least one locomotor movement
    • At least one non-locomotor movement

Students can explain how their movements showed the chemical or physical change using content and arts vocabulary.

Differentiation

Acceleration: 

  • Have students come up with their own examples of chemical and physical changes rather than use one of the prompts.
  • Have students create props to accompany their choreography that would help explain the changes they are showing.
  • Have students illustrate the changes that they showed through movement.

Remediation:

  • Designate each group to focus on physical or chemical change.
  • As a class designate which of the prompts are physical and chemical changes.

Credits

U.S. Department of Education- STEM + the Art of Integrated Learning

Ideas contributed by: Chris Crabb

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Revised and copyright:  June 2025 @ ArtsNOW

 

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EARTH’S CHANGING SURFACE WEATHERING, EROSION, AND DEPOSITION THROUGH MOVEMENT 5-6

WEATHERING, EROSION, AND DEPOSITION THROUGH MOVEMENT

WEATHERING, EROSION, AND DEPOSITION THROUGH MOVEMENT

Learning Description

Students will use dance to demonstrate the forces of weathering, erosion, and deposition through the use of dance choreography.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 5,6
CONTENT FOCUS: DANCE & SCIENCE
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can explain destructive and constructive processes shaping Earth’s crust through dance.
  • I can model the constructive processes that shape the Earth’s crust with choreography.

Essential Questions

  • What are the constructive/destructive processes that shape the Earth’s crust?
  • How can I use dance and movement to model the impact of destructive processes on Earth’s surface?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 5:

S5E1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to identify surface features on the Earth caused by constructive and/or destructive processes.

a. Construct an argument supported by scientific evidence to identify surface features (examples could include deltas, sand dunes, mountains, volcanoes) as being caused by constructive and/or destructive processes (examples could include deposition, weathering, erosion, and impact of organisms).

b. Develop simple interactive models to collect data that illustrate how changes in surface features are/were caused by constructive and/or destructive processes.

Arts Standards

Grade 5:

ESD5.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.

a. Create shapes and levels through movement.

b. Create movement phrases with or without music.

c. Demonstrate knowledge of compositional elements through movement (e.g. beginning, middle, end, transitions).

d. Create movement based on student generated ideas or feelings.

f. Create and accurately repeat a dance phrase, then vary it using the elements (e.g. body, time, space, energy)

ESD5.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

ESD5.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in dance.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 6:

6-ESS2-2. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales.

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 1: I can use movement exploration to discover and create artistic ideas and works.

Anchor Standard 2: I can choreograph a dance.

Anchor Standard 3: I can perform movements using the dance elements.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Constructive force - A natural process that builds up the Earth's surface, creating new landforms and adding to existing ones
  • Destructive force - A natural process that breaks down or wears away the Earth's surface, destroying or altering landforms
  • Weathering - The breakdown of rocks into smaller fragments without changing their chemical composition; it can be caused by wind, rain, hail, snow, water
  • Erosion - The natural process by which soil, rock, or other surface materials are worn away and transported from one location to another by agents such as water, wind, ice, or gravity
  • Deposition - The geological process by which sediments, soil, and rocks that are transported by wind, water, ice, or gravity are dropped or settled in a new location

Arts Vocabulary

  • Locomotor - A movement that travels through space
  • Non-locomotor - A movement that does not travel through space
  • Pathways - Designs traced on the floor as a dancer travels across space; the designs traced in the air as a dancer moves various body parts
  • Levels - One of the aspects of movement (there are three basic levels in dance: high, middle, and low)
  • Percussive - Refers to the quality of movement characterized by sharp starts and stops; staccato jabs of energy
  • Space - The physical area in which movement occurs and how dancers use, navigate, and relate to that area
  • Time - The element that organizes movement in relation to rhythm, tempo, and duration
  • Energy - The quality or force of movement, describing how the body moves through space
  • Props - Objects that dancers use or interact with during a performance to enhance the visual, narrative, or thematic elements of the choreography
  • Tempo - In music, the speed of the beat

 

Materials

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Teacher Note: In order to be successful in this unit students should be able to define constructive and destructive forces. Students should understand that landforms can change quickly or slowly over time. Students should be able to identify surface features caused by constructive and destructive forces.

  • Show an image of a sand dune. Have students engage in the See/Think/Wonder artful thinking routine. Then ask the following:
    • What type of landform is this?
    • How do you think this landform got there?
    • How long did you think it took for it to be developed?
  • This activator will lead into a discussion of constructive and destructive forces.
  • The teacher will activate prior knowledge by sharing weathering and erosion anchor charts to review unit vocabulary. Students will turn and talk to share their definitions of weathering, erosion and deposition.
  • As they discuss, have students create hand movements that represent weathering, erosion, and deposition.

 

Work Session 20 minutes

  • Tell students that they will use dance to develop their understanding on the topic of constructive and destructive forces.
  • Introduce the following elements of dance: Space, time, and energy. Lead students in a dance warm-up to help them engage with the vocabulary. Teachers can do all or part of the following warm-up. Be sure students are exposed to locomotor and non-locomotor movements, different levels, and different energies.
    • Students will embody the elements of earth, water, air, and fire with movement, learning to express the concepts of space, energy, and levels.
    • Tell students that they will start with Earth focusing on levels and locomotor/non-locomotor movements.
      • Walk (locomotor): Say or paraphrase, “Let’s march in place like sturdy trees standing tall. Can you make your steps big and strong? Walk like you’re feeling the Earth beneath you”.
      • Low level and non-locomotor: Say or paraphrase, “Now, imagine we’re in the forest, and we need to crouch down low like we’re planting seeds. Move slowly and stay close to the ground like you’re growing roots.”
      • Medium level and non-locomotor: Say or paraphrase, “Come up to your normal standing height. Keep your arms strong like branches stretching out from your body, but stay grounded like a tree.”
    • Tell students that now they will become water adding in energy.
      • Smooth, flowing movement (non-locomotor): Say or paraphrase, “Begin by making gentle, flowing waves with your arms. Move like the water is gliding peacefully in the ocean, letting your arms move gracefully through the air.”
      • Sharp, sudden energy (energy): Say or paraphrase, “Now, imagine the water splashing suddenly! Let’s make quick, sharp movements like drops of water jumping off the surface.”
      • Level change (low to high): Say or paraphrase, “Let’s pretend you’re a water droplet, rising from the ocean. Start low, then rise up, and reach as high as you can with your arms like you’re jumping out of the water.”
    • Tell students that now they will become air.
      • Gliding (locomotor): Say or paraphrase, “Start by walking slowly and lightly around the space. Glide and float through the room like you’re a breeze drifting past.”
      • Leap (non-locomotor and energy): Say or paraphrase, “Now, let’s jump into the air like we’re flying! Take off from the ground and imagine you’re floating like a feather in the wind.”
      • High level (energy and movement): Say or paraphrase, “As you jump, reach as high as you can, floating and fluttering through the air. Can you be light and graceful with every jump?”
      • Slow floating (non-locomotor): Say or paraphrase, “Now, let’s pretend to float gently back down. Move your arms in slow, circular motions as if you’re floating peacefully back to the ground.”
    • Tell students that now they will become fire.
      • Quick movements (locomotor and energy): Say or paraphrase, “Let’s move quickly around the room like we’re fire spreading quickly! Move with energy, fast and fiery!”
      • Sharp, strong energy (energy): Say or paraphrase, “Now, stop and make sharp, bold movements. Strike a pose with your arms like you’re the flame of a fire—strong and fierce.”
      • High level (levels and energy): Say or paraphrase, “Let’s jump into the air as high as we can, imagining we’re flames leaping up into the sky!”
      • Non-locomotor (non-locomotor and energy): “Stop and make twisting, turning movements with your body, like a fire spinning in a circle. Let your arms move around like flames swirling and flickering.”
    • Debrief the warm-up discussing locomotor, non-locomotor, energy, and space.
  • Tell students that now they will create a dance using locomotor and non-locomotor movements, energy, and levels to demonstrate weathering, erosion and deposition.
  • Divide students into small groups of three to four.
    • Students will then listen to two pieces of instrumental music (one with a fast tempo and one with a slow tempo).
    • Ask students to choose and write down which song they want to use for their choreography.
    • Provide students with the following criteria for their choreography:
      • The dances must have a beginning, middle, and end.
        • The dance must begin and end with a frozen shape.
        • The dance must include at least six movements total (this does not include frozen shapes).
        • Movements must show each vocabulary word: Weathering, erosion and deposition.
        • Students must show different levels, different energies, and both locomotor and non-locomotor movements.
      • Optional: After students have choreographed their dances, introduce props, such as scarves, dance ribbons, pom poms and leaf branches, to students and allow them to choose which ones will enhance their dance.
      • Provide time for students to rehearse their dances.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Tell students that they will perform their dances. Review appropriate audience participation and etiquette prior to performances.
  • After each performance, ask the audience to identify how the group showed weathering, erosion and deposition through movement. Students should use specific dance vocabulary in their explanations: Levels, locomotor/non-locomotor, and energy.
  • Have students explain in a brief reflection how they used levels, locomotor/non-locomotor, and energy to model each concept.
  • Have students reflect on what they would change about their choreography if they were able to go back and do it again.

 

Assessments

Formative

  • Students will improvise movements to demonstrate weathering, erosion, and deposition in teacher led small groups.
  • The teacher will check-in with students while they are choreographing to determine understanding of content vocabulary and how they are using dance concepts to express that content vocabulary.

 

Summative

  • Students are able to choreograph an original dance using locomotor and nonlocomotor movements, levels, and energy that demonstrates their understanding of weathering, erosion, and deposition.
  • Student audience will identify the various forces (weathering, erosion, and deposition) in the dance of the presentation groups.
  • Students can explain through their reflections how their choreographic choices demonstrated weathering, erosion, and deposition.

 

Differentiation 

Accelerated: 

  • Students will independently choose two pieces of music that demonstrate weathering, erosion, and deposition and then choreograph an original dance demonstrating the corresponding forces.
  • Have students fully engage in the Engineering Design Process by brainstorming movements for their choreography, planning their choreography through visuals or in writing, performing their dances for a partner group, receiving feedback from the partner group, and revising their choreography before performing their final pieces.

Remedial:

  • Have students watch a recorded dance, and orally identify which movements could represent constructive and destructive forces.
  • Brainstorm how different movements could represent weathering, erosion, and deposition as a class before having groups choreograph on their own.
  • Have students focus on one or two concepts rather than all three in their choreography.
  • Reduce the requirements in the choreography.

 

Credits 

U.S. Department of Education- STEM + the Art of Integrated Learning

Ideas contributed by: SAIL Grant Teacher Leaders

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Revised and copyright:  June 2025 @ ArtsNOW

 

Back to Modules

EARTH’S CHANGING SURFACE DRAMA CHARACTERIZATION–MASS LAND MOVEMENT 5-6

DRAMA CHARACTERIZATION–MASS LAND MOVEMENT

DRAMA CHARACTERIZATION–MASS LAND MOVEMENT

Learning Description

Students will use a written script to demonstrate the impact upon various surfaces (i.e. rock, soil, etc.) caused by destructive and constructive forces through dramatic characterization.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 5,6
CONTENT FOCUS: THEATRE & SCIENCE
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can demonstrate destructive forces caused by glaciers, rivers, and streams using body movement and role play.
  • I can demonstrate the geological processes of landslides, rock falls, and other mass movement through movement and role play.
  • I can use my body and movement to communicate the effects of destructive forces on our Earth.

Essential Questions

  • Which destructive forces create mass land movement?
  • What impact does mass land movement have on Earth’s surface?
  • How can I use my body and movement to communicate the effects of destructive forces on our Earth?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 5:

S5E1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to identify surface features on the Earth caused by constructive and/or destructive processes.
a. Construct an argument supported by scientific evidence to identify surface features (examples could include deltas, sand dunes, mountains, volcanoes) as being caused by constructive and/or destructive processes (examples could include deposition, weathering, erosion, and impact of organisms).
b. Develop simple interactive models to collect data that illustrate how changes in surface features are/were caused by constructive and/or destructive processes.

Arts Standards

Grade 5:

TA5.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.
b. Use body and movement to communicate thoughts, ideas, and emotions of a character. c. Collaborate and perform with an ensemble to present theater to an audience.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 6:

6-ESS2-2. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales.

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 3: I can act in improvised scenes and written scripts.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Constructive force - A natural process that builds up the Earth's surface, creating new landforms and adding to existing ones
  • Destructive force - A natural process that breaks down or wears away the Earth's surface, destroying or altering landforms
  • Weathering - The breakdown of rocks into smaller fragments without changing their chemical composition; it can be caused by wind, rain, hail, snow, water
  • Erosion - The natural process by which soil, rock, or other surface materials are worn away and transported from one location to another by agents such as water, wind, ice, or gravity
  • Deposition - The geological process by which sediments, soil, and rocks that are transported by wind, water, ice, or gravity are dropped or settled in a new location

Arts Vocabulary

  • Body - Actors use their body to become a character through body posture and movement. What your mind thinks, what your emotions feel, all of this is supposed to show up in your body.
  • Voice - Actors use their voice to be heard by the audience clearly. Actors must also apply vocal choices such as pitch, tempo, and volume to the character they are dramatizing.
  • Audience - The group of spectators, listeners and viewers collectively, in attendance at a theater.
  • Collaborate - To work together with others to achieve a common goal or complete a task
  • Role play - The practice of actors assuming and portraying a character's behaviors, emotions, and responses in a given situation, typically based on a script or improvisation
  • Character - An actor or actress in a specified role

 

Materials

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Teacher Note: In order to be successful in this unit students should be able to define constructive and destructive forces prior to beginning this lesson. Students should understand that landforms can change quickly or slowly over time. Students should be able to identify surface features caused by constructive and destructive forces.

  • Review science vocabulary words.
  • Think-pair-share ideas of how wind and water causes specific land mass movement.

Present visuals of different landforms. Ask students to discuss with a partner which destructive force would best move the landform to a different location.

 

Work Session

  • Tell students that they will be demonstrating landform movement caused by wind or water through role play. Tell students that role play is when actors portray a character's behaviors, emotions, and responses in a given situation, typically based on a script or improvisation.
  • Go over the rubric with students.
  • Divide students into partner groups.
  • Students will brainstorm how they can demonstrate landform movement caused by wind or water through role play.
    • Students will personify each type of force by creating a unique voice for the character (force), determining how the character would move using their bodies, and what facial expression(s) the character would have.
  • Students will be given pictures of landforms. Students will select from the given pictures and determine which force(s) are at work.
  • Students will write a script that explains how they, as the force(s), will move the landform using wind or water.
  • Students will use the dramatic script as a guide, and then create two additional examples of how the landforms in their selected pictures could be moved. Remind students that they should write in first person.
  • Provide time for the students to practice their scripts.
  • Students will share their role play with class to be guided and scored by the rubric for lesson.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Students will reflect by discussing or writing about how the characters they created and the script that they wrote demonstrated their forces.

 

Assessments

Formative

  • Question and answer review of constructive and destructive forces
  • Students’ creation of constructive and destructive force characters
  • Students’ collaboration with partners to create their scripts

 

Summative

  • Student script and performance rubric


Differentiation

Accelerated: 

  • Students can summarize their understanding by utilizing technology to create a Powerpoint or Google slide presentation showing various causes of selected mass land movement.
  • Students will display their drama presentation to other grade levels, to enhance visual learning and literacy for students who may have limited understanding on the topic.
  • Students can create props and costumes for their performances.

Remedial:

  • Students will read simple sentences explaining how a constructive or destructive force  creates weathering, erosion and/or deposition to other grade levels to enhance visual and literacy instruction for students in Grades 1 and 2.


Credits 

U.S. Department of Education- STEM + the Art of Integrated Learning

Ideas contributed by: SAIL Grant Teacher Leaders

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Revised and copyright:  June 2025 @ ArtsNOW

 

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EARTH’S CHANGING SURFACE EXPLORING LANDFORMS THROUGH TEXTURE AND COLLAGE 5-6

EXPLORING LANDFORMS THROUGH TEXTURE AND COLLAGE

EXPLORING LANDFORMS THROUGH TEXTURE AND COLLAGE

Learning Description

Students will demonstrate their understanding of the constructive and destructive forces that create landforms by using additive and subtractive techniques in collage art. Students will incorporate the element of texture to demonstrate how these forces impact the surface of landforms.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 5,6
CONTENT FOCUS: VISUAL ARTS & SCIENCE
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can explain how constructive and destructive forces change and shape Earth’s surface.
  • I can create a collage to demonstrate the effects of constructive or destructive processes.

Essential Questions

  • How do constructive forces change or shape Earth’s surface?
  • How can I use collage to demonstrate the forces that create landforms?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 5:

S5E1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to identify surface features on the Earth caused by constructive and/or destructive processes.

a. Construct an argument supported by scientific evidence to identify surface features (examples could include deltas, sand dunes, mountains, volcanoes) as being caused by constructive and/or destructive processes (examples could include deposition, weathering, erosion, and impact of organisms).

b. Develop simple interactive models to collect data that illustrate how changes in surface features are/were caused by constructive and/or destructive processes.

Arts Standards

Grade 5:

VA5.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.

VA5.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, processes, and concepts of two-dimensional art.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 6:

6-ESS2-2. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales.

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 1: I can use the elements and principles of art to create artwork.

Anchor Standard 2: I can use different materials, techniques, and processes to make art.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Constructive force - A natural process that builds up the Earth's surface, creating new landforms and adding to existing ones
  • Destructive force - A natural process that breaks down or wears away the Earth's surface, destroying or altering landforms
  • Weathering - The breakdown of rocks into smaller fragments without changing their chemical composition; it can be caused by wind, rain, hail, snow, water
  • Erosion - The natural process by which soil, rock, or other surface materials are worn away and transported from one location to another by agents such as water, wind, ice, or gravity
  • Deposition - The geological process by which sediments, soil, and rocks that are transported by wind, water, ice, or gravity are dropped or settled in a new location

Arts Vocabulary

  • Texture - The surface quality, or "feel" of an object, such as roughness, smoothness, or softness. Actual texture can be felt while simulated textures are implied by the way the artist renders areas of the picture.
  • Shape - A flat, enclosed line that is always two-dimensional and can be either geometric or organic
  • Form - An object that is three-dimensional and encloses volume (cubes, spheres, and cylinders are examples of various forms) 
  • Collage - A composition developed by gluing colored paper, photographs, magazine pictures, fabric, and other two-dimensional materials onto a flat surface
  • Color - An element of art with three properties: 1) Hue: the name of the color, e.g. red, yellow, etc.; 2) Intensity: the purity and strength of the color (brightness or dullness); 3) Value: the lightness or darkness of the color (shades and tints)
  • Depth - How near or far something appears
  • Space - The distance or area between, around, above or within things. Positive space refers to the subject or areas of interest in an artwork, while negative space is the area around the subject of an artwork. It can be a description for both two and three-dimensional portrayals.
  • Additive techniques - Adding materials together to build up texture
  • Subtractive techniques - Removing material using techniques such as tearing or carving

 

Materials

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Teacher Note: In order to be successful in this unit students should be able to define constructive and destructive forces. Students should understand that landforms can change quickly or slowly over time. Students should be able to identify surface features caused by constructive and destructive forces.

  • Review science vocabulary.
  • Show students an example of a landform collage (slide two on landform collages slides).
  • Using this artwork, engage students in the See, Think, Wonder Artful Thinking Routine.
    • Tell students: Look at the artwork for a moment.
    • Ask students:
      • What do you see?
      • What do you think about what you see?
      • What do you wonder about?
      • Why would the artist display these landforms?
      • What material do you think the artist used?
      • Does this artwork show a constructive or destructive force?
      • How is the space being used in this artwork?

 

Work Session

  • Discuss the elements of art using the Elements of Art handout.
  • The teacher will display another example of a collage that shows a landform (slide three on landform collages slides).
    • Divide students into small groups. Assign each group a different element of art. Have each group identify where they see the element in the artwork. Share out as a class.
  • The teacher will display two pieces of artwork (waterfall and volcano–slide four on landform collages slides) and have students compare and contrast the art elements of texture, shape, and form found within.
    • Discuss how these pieces show different attributes: Constructive and destructive forces.
  • Display all types of landforms (slide one on landform collages slides) and discuss with students how they are formed. Allow students to share their understanding.
  • Show students an example of an additive relief sculpture and a subtractive relief sculpture. Ask students to think about how they could use subtractive techniques (like tearing away the top of corrugated cardboard) and additive techniques (layering materials to build up texture and form) to show constructive and destructive forces.
    • Ask students which technique would show constructive (additive) and which technique would show subtractive (destructive).
  • Explain to students that they will pick a landform and create their own collage using a variety of materials such as colored paper, construction paper, scrapbook paper, textured paper, sand paper, (corrugated cardboard can be good for destructive forces–tearing off the top surface), etc.
    • Tell students that they will be tearing materials rather than cutting them using scissors.
    • Students will focus on how they will use texture to show destructive and constructive forces.
    • Students will focus on how they can use additive and subtractive techniques (like layering and tearing) to correspond to destructive and constructive forces.
  • Label one side of the classroom “Constructive Forces” and the other side of the room “Destructive Forces”. Have students display their artwork on the correct wall.
  • Provide time for students to conduct a gallery walk to observe both constructive and destructive force collages.
  • Have students share their artwork with a partner and explain how their collage shows either a constructive or destructive force using texture and additive and subtractive techniques.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Have students complete a brief artist statement describing how they showed a constructive or destructive force using additive or subtractive techniques and texture. Students should explain why they chose the materials they did for their collage.

 

Assessments

Formative

  • Teacher observation of student discussion
  • Student planning for collage

 

Summative

  • Student collage with artist statement

DIFFERENTIATION 

Accelerated: 

  • Students will create a Flipgrid to explain the art method and the scientific process that is portrayed in their artwork.
  • Students can create two collages–one to show a destructive force and one to show a constructive force.

Remedial:

  • Partner students together to create the collage.
  • Allow students to orally present their artist statement rather than writing it.

 

CREDITS 

U.S. Department of Education- STEM + the Art of Integrated Learning

Ideas contributed by: SAIL grant teacher leaders; Shannon Greene

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Revised and copyright:  June 2025 @ ArtsNOW

 

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EARTH’S CHANGING SURFACE THAT’S A RAP: CONSTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE FORCES 5-6

THAT'S A RAP: CONSTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE FORCES

THAT'S A RAP: CONSTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE FORCES

Learning Description

Students will demonstrate their understanding of rhyme schemes to create a rap on constructive and destructive forces using stanzas, verses, and a chorus. Students will perform their raps for other students to identify rhyming words/vocabulary words.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 5,6
CONTENT FOCUS: MUSIC & SCIENCE
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

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"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can explain how constructive and destructive forces change or shape Earth’s surface.
  • I can understand and create lyrics using a simple rhyme scheme (AABB).
  • I can understand music has different sections and that some repeat (chorus) and some change (verse).
  • I can create a rap incorporating constructive/destructive vocabulary.

Essential Questions

  • How do constructive forces change or shape Earth’s surface?
  • How can music be used to represent constructive/destructive forces?
  • How can levels in dance be used to represent place value?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 5:

S5E1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to identify surface features on the Earth caused by constructive and/or destructive processes.

a. Construct an argument supported by scientific evidence to identify surface features (examples could include deltas, sand dunes, mountains, volcanoes) as being caused by constructive and/or destructive processes (examples could include deposition, weathering, erosion, and impact of organisms).

b. Develop simple interactive models to collect data that illustrate how changes in surface features are/were caused by constructive and/or destructive processes.

Arts Standards

Grade 5:

M5GM.1 Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

M5GM.5 Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.

M5GM.8 Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 6:

6-ESS2-2. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales.

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 1: I can arrange and compose music.

Anchor Standard 3: I can sing alone and with others.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Constructive force - A natural process that builds up the Earth's surface, creating new landforms and adding to existing ones
  • Destructive force - A natural process that breaks down or wears away the Earth's surface, destroying or altering landforms
  • Weathering - The breakdown of rocks into smaller fragments without changing their chemical composition; it can be caused by wind, rain, hail, snow, water
  • Erosion - The natural process by which soil, rock, or other surface materials are worn away and transported from one location to another by agents such as water, wind, ice, or gravity
  • Deposition - The geological process by which sediments, soil, and rocks that are transported by wind, water, ice, or gravity are dropped or settled in a new location

Arts Vocabulary

  • Form/Composition - The organization of a piece (how the music is put together)
  • Rondo - A musical form in which one section (A) repeats between two or more contrasting sections
  • Tempo - The speed of the beat
  • Beat - The pulse underlying music
  • Rhythm - Long and short sounds and silences
  • Dynamics - Loud and soft sounds; volume

 

Materials

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

In order to be successful in this unit students should be able to define constructive and destructive forces.  Students should understand that landforms can change quickly or slowly over time. Students should be able to identify surface features caused by constructive and destructive forces.

  • Review science vocabulary with students.
  • Discuss the following musical terms:
    • Beat - The pulse underlying music
    • Tempo - The speed of the beat
    • Rhythm - Long and short sounds and silences
    • Dynamics - Loud and soft sounds; volume
  • Have students join in with you creating a steady beat with claps. Continue with an eight count of snaps, taps, and stomps. Vary the tempo and the dynamics. Ask students what you are doing as you make these changes.
    • Tell students that body percussion is using your body to make sounds, such as clapping, snapping, stomping, etc.
  • Model for students how to use a simple sentence to form an eight count beat (My name is Chloe, and I like to play disc golf). It may help to write 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 on the board and point to each beat as you say the sentence rhythmically.
  • Have students work with a partner to create their own sentence spoken to an eight count.

 

Work Session

  • Show students a section of a Flocabulary on forces.
  • Discuss with students how the rap is delivered to the audience.
    • Ask students to make observations about the rhythm, beat, tempo, and dynamics.
  • Play the Flocabulary again and have students write down examples of rhyming words found throughout.
  • Review with students how a stanza rhyme scheme is formated (AABB).
    • Remind students of soft rhyming words (taste and place).
  • Work collaboratively as a class to write a chorus for the class song about constructive and destructive forces.
    • The chorus must:
      • Have four lines of eight beats each.
      • Follow the rhyme scheme AABB.
    • Next, tell students that they will work in small groups to create a verse about either a constructive or destructive force.
      • The verse must:
        • Have four lines of eight beats each.
        • Follow the rhyme scheme AABB.
        • Include relevant vocabulary words correctly.
      • Circulate to work with students as they compose their verses.
    • Explain to students that rondo form in music is a form in which one section (A) repeats between two or more contrasting sections.
      • For example, the chorus is Section A, verse one is Section B, verse two is Section C, and so on. The chorus, or section A, repeats between each verse, so the form looks like this: Section A, Section B, Section A, Section C, Section A, Section D…
    • Tell students that they will perform their class song in rondo form.
      • Together as a whole class, the class should perform the chorus (Section A) then take turns performing the verses.
      • Have the class keep a steady beat using body percussion throughout the performance.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Ask students to complete a 3-2-1 ticket out the door:
    • Three things they learned about constructive and destructive forces
    • Two musical terms they used and how they used them
    • One question they still have (about the musical or scientific terms)

 

Assessments

Formative

  • Teacher observation of students’ discussion and ability to identify musical elements in the Flocabulary rap
  • Teacher observation and “check-ins” throughout students’ composition time
  • 3-2-1 ticket out the door

 

Summative

  • Students will be assessed by the teacher using a rubric to identify the elements of their rap

 

Differentiation 

Accelerated: 

  • Students will use Incredibox to compose a beat to accompany their rap.
  • Two groups will create a new choreographic sequence that compares their numbers to each other, digit by digit.

Remedial:

  • Allow students access to sentence stems if needed.

 

Credits 

U.S. Department of Education- STEM + the Art of Integrated Learning

Ideas contributed by: SAIL grant teacher leaders

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Revised and copyright:  June 2025 @ ArtsNOW

 

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