USING TEXTURE TO CREATE PHYSICAL FEATURES 6-7

USING TEXTURE TO CREATE PHYSICAL FEATURES

 

USING TEXTURE TO CREATE PHYSICAL FEATURES

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will use the Element of Art, Texture, to create an artwork that shows thephysical and political features of a region that they are studying. Students will be able to predictwhere people live and why based on their knowledge of physical and political features.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 6-7
CONTENT FOCUS: VISUAL ARTS & SOCIAL STUDIES
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can identify important physical features, landforms, and political features in an area that I am studying.
  • I can use texture to visually communicate the various physical features I am studying.
  • I can work collaboratively with a group to create a mixed media artwork that shows the various physical and political features I am studying.
  • I can use what I know about physical features to predict where people choose to live and wh

Essential Questions

  • How can I identify important physical and political features in an area that I am studying?
  • How can I use texture to visually communicate characteristics of various physical features that I am studying?
  • How can I work collaboratively with a group to create a mixed media artwork that shows the various physical features, landforms, and political features I am studying?
  • How can I use what I know about physical features to predict where people choose to live and why?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 6

SS6G1 Locate selected features of Latin America.

SS6G3 Explain the impact of location, climate, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Latin America.

SS6G4 Locate selected features of Canada.

SS6G5 Explain the impact of location, climate, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Canada.

SS6G7 Locate selected features of Europe.

SS6G9 Explain the impact of location, climate, natural resources, and population distribution on Europe. 

SS6G11 Locate selected features of Australia.

SS6G12 Explain the impact of location, climate, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Australia.

 

Grade 7

SS7G1 Locate selected features of Africa.

SS7G3 Explain the impact of location, climate, and physical characteristics on population distribution in Africa.

SS7G5 Locate selected features in Southwest Asia (Middle East).

SS7G7 Explain the impact of location, climate, physical characteristics, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Southwest Asia (Middle East).

SS7G9 Locate selected features in Southern and Eastern Asia.

SS7G11 Explain the impact of location, climate, physical characteristics, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Southern and Eastern Asia.

 

 

 

Arts Standards

Grade 6

VA6.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art. 

VA6.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.

VA6.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence.

VA6.CR.4 Incorporate formal and informal components to create works of art.

 

Grade 7

VA7.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art. 

VA7.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.

VA7.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence. 

VA7.CR.4 Incorporate formal and informal components to create works of art.

 

 

 

 

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 7

Standard 1: Analyze the cultural, economic, environmental, physical, political, and population geographies of contemporary Africa.

Standard 2: Analyze the cultural, economic, environmental, physical, political, and population geographies of contemporary Asia.

Standard 3: Analyze the cultural, economic, environmental, physical, political, and population geographies of contemporary Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica.

Standard 4: Analyze the cultural, economic, environmental, physical, political, and population geographies of contemporary Europe.

Standard 5: Analyze the cultural, economic, environmental, physical, political, and population geographies of contemporary North America.

 

 

 

Arts Standards

Artistic Processes: Creating- I can make artwork using a variety of materials, techniques, and processes.

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.

Artistic Processes: Responding- I can evaluate and communicate about the meaning in my artwork and the artwork of others.

Anchor Standard 5: I can interpret (read) and evaluate the meaning of an artwork.

Artistic Processes: Connecting- I can relate artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context.

Anchor Standard 7: I can relate visual arts ideas to other arts disciplines, content areas, and careers.

 

 

 

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Physical feature - Natural features on the surface of the earth such as mountains and valleys

  • Political feature - A feature on a map that represents human-made boundaries like countries or cities

  • Population distribution - How population is spread throughout a region

 

Arts Vocabulary

  • Actual texture - How something actually feels (like a sculpture)
  • Implied texture - How something looks like it would feel/how an artist wants the viewer to imagine something might feel if the viewer was there in person (example: textures portrayed in a landscape drawing or painting)
  • Actual texture - How something feels
  • Mixed media - Using different materials in one artwork

 

 

Materials

    • White butcher paper
    • Markers
    • Pencils
    • Various materials such as aluminum foil, leaves, sticks, napkins, tissue paper, construction paper, plastic wrap, string, cotton balls, plastic bags, sand paper, etc.
    • Teacher tip: Introduce texture in art with students–ask students to bring in scrap/recyclable materials that have a variety of textures; don’t tell students what they will be doing with the materials!
        • Liquid glue
        • Teacher tip: Pour a small amount of liquid glue on a disposable plate; cut up basic kitchen sponges for students to use to apply glue to art
          • Scissors

           

          Instructional Design

          Opening/Activating Strategy

          • Show students the artwork Sphinx’s Atelier by Robert Rauschenberg. Conduct the Harvard Project Zero Artful Thinking Strategy: See, Think, Wonder with students. First, students will identify what they see in the image. Emphasize that they should make objective observations about the artwork (i.e. physical features, colors, textures, etc.). Next, ask students to identify what they think about the image. Emphasize that students should be creating inferences using visual evidence from the artwork. Finally, ask students what they wonder about the image. 
          • Facilitate a class-wide discussion around students’ observations, inferences, and questions.
          • Ask students what they think the artwork would feel like if they could touch it. After students have shared, explain that how something feels or looks like it feels in art is called Texture. Actual texture is when someone can actually feel the texture the artist wants the viewer to see, as in a sculpture. However, actual texture can also be used on artwork like Sphinx’s Atelier because the artist intended the artwork to have a texture that could be felt. Ask students why they think an artist might make this choice.

           

           

          Work Session

            • Show students images of physical features from the regions that they are studying in class. Ask students to identify the textures that they see in the images. Ask students what types of everyday materials could they use to communicate these textures (for example, students might say aluminum foil for the Andes Mountains in South America).
            • Next, explain to students that they will be creating an artwork about a region they are studying. Students will need to have an understanding of the physical and political features present in that region before beginning.
            • Organize students into collaborative groups. Assign each student in the group a different region of the continent, country, or state they are studying. Together, students should label a map of the continent, country or state with the physical features and any important political features such as cities that they are required to know from the standards.
            • Then, students should make notes on their map of what types of textures they would see at each of the physical features. 
            • Next, students should re-draw and label their continent, country, or state on white butcher paper. 
            • Students should then look through the materials available to them and gather materials that they could use to create each of the physical features using glue and scissors.
            • Each student in the group should choose a section of the region about which they will make their artwork. For example, if the students are learning about South America, one student would be responsible for physical and political features in the western region of the continent, such as the Andes Mountains. Another student would be responsible for the eastern region including the Amazon Rainforest. 
            • Each student will create the physical and political features on the portion of the map artwork they chose to represent through in their region

            Closing Reflection

            • Students should write an “artist statement” that includes the following information:  
            • Allow students to conduct a gallery walk comparing and contrasting the way students communicated the physical features in the same region and in different regions. 

            Assessments

            Formative

            • Teacher will assess understanding of learning by determining:

              • Are students able to identify the important physical and political features in the regions they are studying?
              • Are students able to explain what actual texture is and connect it to physical features?

               

              Summative

              • CHECKLIST

                • Does students’ artwork: 
                  • Include the important physical and political features in the standards?
                  • Include a range of textures to communicate the various physical features?
                • Does students’ artist statement explain: 
                  • What they showed in their assigned area of the region and why they used the materials that they chose to represent the physical features
                  • How they used texture to communicate what the region’s physical features are like
                  • Predictions about where most people live and why

              Differentiation

              Acceleration: Students should make a corresponding population density map artwork. Students can choose what they want to use to represent population density–color, shape, line, symbol, etc. Students should then compare the population density map artwork to the physical and political features map artwork and make inferences about why the population is dense in some areas and sparse in others.

              Remediation: 

              • Provide students with a graphic organizer that states the physical feature and guided notes on the description. Add a column on the left for students to write words that describe the textures and colors that they would see.
              • Allow students to work with partners to create their section of the artwork.
              • Provide photos of the region for students to use as a guide as they create their artwork.
              • Allow students to share their artist statement orally.

               

               ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

               

              *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.

              Ideas contributed by:  Katy Betts

              Revised and copyright:  2023 @ ArtsNOW
              Back to Modules

              WATER CYCLE ACTIVATION 4-5

              WATER CYCLE ACTIVATION

               

              WATER CYCLE ACTIVATION

              Learning Description

              Students will examine the parts of the water cycle through theatre. After a group of students demonstrates a tableau of the water cycle, the class will break up into groups to enact each part of the cycle and attach vocabulary inherent to each section. The room will be flowing with the water cycle coming to life!

               

              Learning Targets

              GRADE BAND: 4-5
              CONTENT FOCUS: THEATRE & SCIENCE
              LESSON DOWNLOADS:

              Download PDF of this Lesson

              "I Can" Statements

              “I Can…”

              • I can work with others to enact the parts of the water cycle.
              • I can demonstrate my understanding of water conservation methods using pantomime.

              Essential Questions

              • How can acting deepen understanding of the water cycle?
              • How can I demonstrate my understanding of water conservation practices using pantomime?

               

              Georgia Standards

              Curriculum Standards

              Grade 4

              S4E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to demonstrate the water cycle.

              1. b. Develop models to illustrate multiple pathways water may take during thewater cycle (evaporation, condensation, and precipitation)

                 

                 

                Arts Standards

                Grade 4

                TAES4.3: Acting by developing, communicating, and sustaining roles within a variety of situationsand environments.

                 

                 

                 

                 

                South Carolina Standards

                Curriculum Standards

                EARTH AND HUMAN ACTIVITY (ESS3)

                5-ESS3-1. Evaluate potential solutions to problems that individual communities face in protecting the Earth’s resources and environment.

                 

                Arts Standards

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

                 

                 

                Key Vocabulary

                Content Vocabulary

                  • Clouds – Accumulations of particles of water or ice suspended in the air that are visible above the earth’s surface 

                   

                  • Collection – The process by which water that returns to the earth’s surface as precipitation gathers in bodies of water; collection happens in oceans, lakes, rivers, and in accumulations of groundwater.

                   

                  • Condensation – The process by which a gas turns into a liquid; when vapor in the atmosphere gets cold it changes from gas back into liquid in clouds.

                   

                  • Conservation – Responsible and judicious use of a resource in a way that avoids waste.

                   

                  • Cycle – Something that happens over and over again in the same way
                  • Evaporation – The process by which a liquid becomes a gas; in the water cycle, liquid water evaporates and turns into water vapor. 

                   

                  • Gas – A substance that is able to expand freely to fill the whole of a container, having no fixed shape and no fixed volume; water in gas form is water vapor.

                   

                  • Groundwater – Water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock.

                   

                  • Liquid – A substance that flows freely without a firm or consistent shape, but of constant volume: water in liquid form is water.
                  • Precipitation – The process by which water returns to the surface of the earth in liquid or solid form; precipitation takes the form of rain, snow, sleet or hail.

                   

                  • Solid – A substance that is firm and stable in shape; not liquid or fluid; water in solid form is ice.
                  • States of Matter – The forms in which matter can exist: solid, liquid, and gas 

                   

                  • Transpiration – The passage of water vapor from a living body into the atmosphere; plants transpire through their leaves; people transpire through sweat.

                 

                Arts Vocabulary

                  • Act – To pretend; to play a role

                   

                  • Collaboration – Working together, teamwork

                   

                  • Pantomime – Pretending to hold, use or touch something that you are not really holding, using, or touching; a form of silent theatre

                  Tableau – A frozen picture created by actors (plural: Tableaux)

                 

                 

                Materials

                • 10 sets of photos of the four stages in the water cycle (Condensation, Evaporation, Precipitation, Collection). These should each have two holes punched in top corners and a string through them so that students can wear each photo around their neck to allow their hands and body to move freely.  The photos should have Velcro to attach the words below.
                • 10 sets of paper strips with the following words: Condensation, Evaporation, Precipitation, Rain, Snow, Sleet, Hail, Groundwater, Transpiration, Vapor, Clouds. Each strip should have Velcro on the back so that they can be attached to the pictures above.

                Index cards with the conservation methods written on them. One method for each card.

                 

                Instructional Design

                Opening/Activating Strategy

                WATER CYCLE MOVEMENTS

                • Have students stand up in place.  Teach and lead them through movement sequences for four stages of the water cycle, coordinated with articulating the words.  Describe what each movement signifies:
                  • Evaporation – 

                “E” – arms out like a body of water circled in front of belly (water)

                “vap” – fingers intertwined and rolling like a body of water (liquid)

                “or” – palms flat out like the sun’s rays (sun)

                “a” - fingers wiggles up in front of face (vapors) 

                “tion” – fingers wiggle up above head to disappear (gas)

                • Condensation  – 

                “Con” – wiggly fingers above head (gas)

                “den” – shiver and hands above heads shake (cold)

                “sa” – hands wave fluidly above head (water)

                “tion” – hands grasp together above head (cloud) 

                • Precipitation –

                “Pre” – arms circled above head like a cloud

                “ci” – wiggles fingers down like rain in front of face (rain)

                “pi” – hands blink open, closed like snowflakes (snow)

                “ta” – punch right fist down (sleet)

                “tion” – punch left fist down then left fist (hail) 

                • Collection – 

                “Col” – arms rounded out in front (lake)

                “lec” – hands out like waves (ocean)

                “tion” – hands moving down low (groundwater)

                 

                 

                Work Session

                    • ACTIVATING THE WATER CYCLE
                      • Introduce the concept of tableau – a frozen picture created by actors.  Explain that the class will be creating tableaux of the water cycle.
                      • Invite four students to the front of the class.  Work with the students, with suggestions from the rest of the class, to create a tableau that portrays the water cycle.  
                        • Remind the class that the water cycle is not linear, so the students should not be standing in a line. 
                        • Remind them that there is no proper beginning or end – it’s a continuous cycle.
                        • Encourage the students to be creative in determining how they can use their bodies to convey the cyclical nature of the processes.  As appropriate to the class rules and culture, allow students to take positions up on chairs or down on the floor.
                      • Have students wear the photo that correlates with their part of the cycle.
                      • Ask other students to come up and velcro the appropriate vocabulary word to the appropriate part of the cycle where it belongs.
                      • Activate the cycle by having students adopt movements – heads, hands, arms, legs, full bodies – that convey what is happening in their part of the water cycle, and add in any appropriate sounds. Remind students of the motions they used at the beginning of class.

                       

                      GROUP TABLEAUX

                      • Divide the class into groups of four.  Have each group create and then activate their own tableau of the water cycle.  Encourage them to find different ways, from what was modeled for the class, to position themselves and move for their parts of the water cycle, and to interact with others in their group as well.
                      • Give each group the photo visuals and ask each person to wear one part of the cycle.  Then have them attach the appropriate vocabulary to their part.
                      • Have groups show their cycles to the rest of the class.
                      • Reflect on the different interpretations of the different groups, and how each conveyed concepts about the water cycle.

                       

                      WATER CONSERVATION

                      • Ask the class: “Do you think that we will have water forever?”  Explain: “Water does keep cycling but we can misuse and overuse water and some places are in danger of drought.”
                      • Remind students that, “Water is one of our most important resources.”  Ask students: 
                        • “Why is it so important?  What do we use water for?  Is it important to other organisms as well?”  
                        • Be sure to discuss that we use water to produce and prepare food, clean our bodies, wash our dishes and clothes, process our waste, and manufacture and transport goods; we use it for recreation, and to produce hydroelectric power.  
                        • As individuals, we use large amounts of water:  it is estimated that the average American uses around 180 gallons of water a day.
                      • Discuss Conservation – the responsible and judicious use of a resource in a way that avoids waste.
                      • Introduce and discuss the following list of water conservation practices: 
                      1. Avoid watering the lawn or garden between 10 am and 6 pm.
                      2. Take shorter showers.
                      3. Wash the car over the lawn instead of the driveway.
                      4. Turn off the water when brushing teeth. 
                      5. Use wastewater from cooking to water plants.
                      6. Run the dishwasher and clothes washer only when full.
                      7. Keep water in the refrigerator for cold water.
                      8. Fix leaky faucets and hoses.
                      9. Do not use the toilet as a garbage can.

                      Brainstorm other ideas that the students might have.  Put those on additional cards.

                       

                      WATER CONSERVATION PANTOMIMES

                      • Introduce Pantomime - pretending to hold, use or touch something that you are not really holding, using, or touching; a form of silent theatre.
                      • Model and practice a simple pantomime activity (e.g., sweeping the floor, eating a sandwich, swinging a baseball bat, etc.).  
                        • Encourage students to think about the size, weight and shape of the objects in their pantomimes; to be specific with their movements; and to include facial expressions.
                      • Have students come up one at a time, or in small groups, and pick a card with a water conservation practice on it.  
                        • Have the individual or small group pantomime the action on their card. They should not speak during the pantomimes.
                      • Have other students guess which water conservation practice they are showing.  After guessing, have the class describe the specific aspects of the pantomime that conveyed the water conservation practice.

                     

                     

                    Closing Reflection

                    • Review the words and movements for the parts of the water cycle.
                    • Review the drama strategies used – Movement, Tableau, and Pantomime.
                    • Ask students to reflect on how their thinking about water and the water cycle has changed through the lesson.
                    • Ask students to discuss steps they might take in their lives to use water responsibly.

                     

                     

                    Assessments

                    Formative

                    Teacher will assess understanding of the water cycle and methods of water conservation through the opening activity, class discussion, and observation.

                       

                      Summative

                      • CHECKLIST: 
                        • Students can accurately identify the key components of the water cycle and match vocabulary words with steps of the water cycle.
                        • Students can work together cooperatively to create tableaux.
                        • Students can use their bodies expressively, and create tableaus with a variety of angles, shapes, levels, and facial expressions.
                        • Students can pantomime water conservation practices silently and with detailed movements and facial expressions

                         

                        • Have students draw a diagram of the water cycle, with each part labeled accurately.
                        • Have students draw a picture, using stick figures in particular poses, to portray their group’s water cycle tableau.
                        • Have students write a paragraph about their own water use and how they plan to incorporate water conservation practices into their daily lives.

                       

                      Differentiation

                       

                      Acceleration: 

                      • Rather than using predetermined movements for the activator, have students collectively come up with the movements for each syllable.
                      • When adding movement to the tableaux, have students speak a sentence as their part of the water cycle (e.g., “I am precipitation – I love raining down on the mountains and plains, and on cities and towns and making everyone have indoor recess!”)

                       

                      Remediation: 

                      • Encourage groups to come up with alternate ideas for the water cycle tableaux, but allow them to replicate what was done in the model tableau.
                      • Rather than have students guess each other’s pantomimes, work together as a class to develop a short pantomime sequence for each water conservation practice card.

                       

                       ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

                       

                      *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.

                       

                      Ideas contributed by:  Barry Stewart Mann and Susie Spear Purcell

                       

                      Revised and copyright:  January 2024 @ ArtsNOW
                      Back to Modules

                      WATER CYCLE ACTIVATION 6

                      WATER CYCLE ACTIVATION

                       

                      WATER CYCLE ACTIVATION

                      Learning Description

                      Students will examine the parts of the water cycle through theatre. After a group of students demonstrates a tableau of the water cycle, the class will break up into groups to enact each part of the cycle and attach vocabulary inherent to each section. The room will be flowing with the water cycle coming to life!

                       

                      Learning Targets

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

                      Download PDF of this Lesson

                      "I Can" Statements

                      “I Can…”

                      • I can work with others to enact the parts of the water cycle.
                      • I can demonstrate my understanding of water conservation methods using pantomime.

                      Essential Questions

                      • How can acting deepen understanding of the water cycle?
                      • How can I demonstrate my understanding of water conservation practices using pantomime?

                       

                      Georgia Standards

                      Curriculum Standards

                      Grade 6

                      S6E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to recognize the significant role of water in Earth processes.

                      1. Plan and carry out an investigation to illustrate the role of the sun’s energy in atmospheric conditions that lead to the cycling of water. (Clarification statement: The water cycle should include evaporation, condensation, precipitation, transpiration, infiltration, groundwater, and runoff.)

                      S6E6. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the uses and conservation of various natural resources and how they impact the Earth.

                      1. Design and evaluate solutions for sustaining the quality and supply of natural resources such as water, soil, and air.

                       

                       

                       

                      Arts Standards

                      TA6.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

                       

                       

                       

                       

                      South Carolina Standards

                      Curriculum Standards

                      6-ESS2-4. Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.

                       

                      Arts Standards

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

                       

                       

                      Key Vocabulary

                      Content Vocabulary

                        • Clouds – Accumulations of particles of water or ice suspended in the air that are visible above the earth’s surface 

                         

                        • Collection – The process by which water that returns to the earth’s surface as precipitation gathers in bodies of water; collection happens in oceans, lakes, rivers, and in accumulations of groundwater.

                         

                        • Condensation – The process by which a gas turns into a liquid; when vapor in the atmosphere gets cold it changes from gas back into liquid in clouds.

                         

                        • Conservation – Responsible and judicious use of a resource in a way that avoids waste.

                         

                        • Cycle – Something that happens over and over again in the same way
                        • Evaporation – The process by which a liquid becomes a gas; in the water cycle, liquid water evaporates and turns into water vapor. 

                         

                        • Gas – A substance that is able to expand freely to fill the whole of a container, having no fixed shape and no fixed volume; water in gas form is water vapor.

                         

                        • Groundwater – Water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock.

                         

                        • Liquid – A substance that flows freely without a firm or consistent shape, but of constant volume: water in liquid form is water.
                        • Precipitation – The process by which water returns to the surface of the earth in liquid or solid form; precipitation takes the form of rain, snow, sleet or hail.

                         

                        • Solid – A substance that is firm and stable in shape; not liquid or fluid; water in solid form is ice.
                        • States of Matter – The forms in which matter can exist: solid, liquid, and gas 

                         

                        • Transpiration – The passage of water vapor from a living body into the atmosphere; plants transpire through their leaves; people transpire through sweat.

                       

                      Arts Vocabulary

                        • Act – To pretend; to play a role

                         

                        • Collaboration – Working together, teamwork

                         

                        • Pantomime – Pretending to hold, use or touch something that you are not really holding, using, or touching; a form of silent theatre

                        Tableau – A frozen picture created by actors (plural: Tableaux)

                       

                       

                      Materials

                      • 10 sets of photos of the four stages in the water cycle (Condensation, Evaporation, Precipitation, Collection). These should each have two holes punched in top corners and a string through them so that students can wear each photo around their neck to allow their hands and body to move freely.  The photos should have Velcro to attach the words below.
                      • 10 sets of paper strips with the following words: Condensation, Evaporation, Precipitation, Rain, Snow, Sleet, Hail, Groundwater, Transpiration, Vapor, Clouds. Each strip should have Velcro on the back so that they can be attached to the pictures above.

                      Index cards with the conservation methods written on them. One method for each card.

                       

                      Instructional Design

                      Opening/Activating Strategy

                      WATER CYCLE MOVEMENTS

                      • Have students stand up in place.  Teach and lead them through movement sequences for four stages of the water cycle, coordinated with articulating the words.  Describe what each movement signifies:
                        • Evaporation – 

                      “E” – arms out like a body of water circled in front of belly (water)

                      “vap” – fingers intertwined and rolling like a body of water (liquid)

                      “or” – palms flat out like the sun’s rays (sun)

                      “a” - fingers wiggles up in front of face (vapors) 

                      “tion” – fingers wiggle up above head to disappear (gas)

                      • Condensation  – 

                      “Con” – wiggly fingers above head (gas)

                      “den” – shiver and hands above heads shake (cold)

                      “sa” – hands wave fluidly above head (water)

                      “tion” – hands grasp together above head (cloud) 

                      • Precipitation –

                      “Pre” – arms circled above head like a cloud

                      “ci” – wiggles fingers down like rain in front of face (rain)

                      “pi” – hands blink open, closed like snowflakes (snow)

                      “ta” – punch right fist down (sleet)

                      “tion” – punch left fist down then left fist (hail) 

                      • Collection – 

                      “Col” – arms rounded out in front (lake)

                      “lec” – hands out like waves (ocean)

                      “tion” – hands moving down low (groundwater)

                       

                       

                      Work Session

                          • ACTIVATING THE WATER CYCLE
                            • Introduce the concept of tableau – a frozen picture created by actors.  Explain that the class will be creating tableaux of the water cycle.
                            • Invite four students to the front of the class.  Work with the students, with suggestions from the rest of the class, to create a tableau that portrays the water cycle.  
                              • Remind the class that the water cycle is not linear, so the students should not be standing in a line. 
                              • Remind them that there is no proper beginning or end – it’s a continuous cycle.
                              • Encourage the students to be creative in determining how they can use their bodies to convey the cyclical nature of the processes.  As appropriate to the class rules and culture, allow students to take positions up on chairs or down on the floor.
                            • Have students wear the photo that correlates with their part of the cycle.
                            • Ask other students to come up and velcro the appropriate vocabulary word to the appropriate part of the cycle where it belongs.
                            • Activate the cycle by having students adopt movements – heads, hands, arms, legs, full bodies – that convey what is happening in their part of the water cycle, and add in any appropriate sounds. Remind students of the motions they used at the beginning of class.

                             

                            GROUP TABLEAUX

                            • Divide the class into groups of four.  Have each group create and then activate their own tableau of the water cycle.  Encourage them to find different ways, from what was modeled for the class, to position themselves and move for their parts of the water cycle, and to interact with others in their group as well.
                            • Give each group the photo visuals and ask each person to wear one part of the cycle.  Then have them attach the appropriate vocabulary to their part.
                            • Have groups show their cycles to the rest of the class.
                            • Reflect on the different interpretations of the different groups, and how each conveyed concepts about the water cycle.

                             

                            WATER CONSERVATION

                            • Ask the class: “Do you think that we will have water forever?”  Explain: “Water does keep cycling but we can misuse and overuse water and some places are in danger of drought.”
                            • Remind students that, “Water is one of our most important resources.”  Ask students: 
                              • “Why is it so important?  What do we use water for?  Is it important to other organisms as well?”  
                              • Be sure to discuss that we use water to produce and prepare food, clean our bodies, wash our dishes and clothes, process our waste, and manufacture and transport goods; we use it for recreation, and to produce hydroelectric power.  
                              • As individuals, we use large amounts of water:  it is estimated that the average American uses around 180 gallons of water a day.
                            • Discuss Conservation – the responsible and judicious use of a resource in a way that avoids waste.
                            • Introduce and discuss the following list of water conservation practices: 
                            1. Avoid watering the lawn or garden between 10 am and 6 pm.
                            2. Take shorter showers.
                            3. Wash the car over the lawn instead of the driveway.
                            4. Turn off the water when brushing teeth. 
                            5. Use wastewater from cooking to water plants.
                            6. Run the dishwasher and clothes washer only when full.
                            7. Keep water in the refrigerator for cold water.
                            8. Fix leaky faucets and hoses.
                            9. Do not use the toilet as a garbage can.

                            Brainstorm other ideas that the students might have.  Put those on additional cards.

                             

                            WATER CONSERVATION PANTOMIMES

                            • Introduce Pantomime - pretending to hold, use or touch something that you are not really holding, using, or touching; a form of silent theatre.
                            • Model and practice a simple pantomime activity (e.g., sweeping the floor, eating a sandwich, swinging a baseball bat, etc.).  
                              • Encourage students to think about the size, weight and shape of the objects in their pantomimes; to be specific with their movements; and to include facial expressions.
                            • Have students come up one at a time, or in small groups, and pick a card with a water conservation practice on it.  
                              • Have the individual or small group pantomime the action on their card. They should not speak during the pantomimes.
                            • Have other students guess which water conservation practice they are showing.  After guessing, have the class describe the specific aspects of the pantomime that conveyed the water conservation practice.

                           

                           

                          Closing Reflection

                          • Review the words and movements for the parts of the water cycle.
                          • Review the drama strategies used – Movement, Tableau, and Pantomime.
                          • Ask students to reflect on how their thinking about water and the water cycle has changed through the lesson.
                          • Ask students to discuss steps they might take in their lives to use water responsibly.

                           

                           

                          Assessments

                          Formative

                          Teacher will assess understanding of the water cycle and methods of water conservation through the opening activity, class discussion, and observation.

                             

                            Summative

                            • CHECKLIST: 
                              • Students can accurately identify the key components of the water cycle and match vocabulary words with steps of the water cycle.
                              • Students can work together cooperatively to create tableaux.
                              • Students can use their bodies expressively, and create tableaus with a variety of angles, shapes, levels, and facial expressions.
                              • Students can pantomime water conservation practices silently and with detailed movements and facial expressions

                               

                              • Have students draw a diagram of the water cycle, with each part labeled accurately.
                              • Have students draw a picture, using stick figures in particular poses, to portray their group’s water cycle tableau.
                              • Have students write a paragraph about their own water use and how they plan to incorporate water conservation practices into their daily lives.

                             

                            Differentiation

                             

                            Acceleration: 

                            • Rather than using predetermined movements for the activator, have students collectively come up with the movements for each syllable.
                            • When adding movement to the tableaux, have students speak a sentence as their part of the water cycle (e.g., “I am precipitation – I love raining down on the mountains and plains, and on cities and towns and making everyone have indoor recess!”)

                             

                            Remediation: 

                            • Encourage groups to come up with alternate ideas for the water cycle tableaux, but allow them to replicate what was done in the model tableau.
                            • Rather than have students guess each other’s pantomimes, work together as a class to develop a short pantomime sequence for each water conservation practice card.

                             

                             ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

                             

                            *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.

                             

                            Ideas contributed by:  Barry Stewart Mann and Susie Spear Purcell

                             

                            Revised and copyright:  January 2024 @ ArtsNOW
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                            Storytelling through Mosaics 4-5

                            STORYTELLING THROUGH MOSAICS

                            STORYTELLING THROUGH MOSAICS

                            Learning Description

                            In this lesson, students will use literacy strategies to interpret works of art and to create a mosaic using watercolor that illustrates a key detail from a literary passage. Students will use their finished mosaics to create a retelling of the passage.

                             

                            Learning Targets

                            GRADE BAND: 4-5
                            CONTENT FOCUS: VISUAL ARTS& ELA
                            LESSON DOWNLOADS:

                            Download PDF of this Lesson

                            "I Can" Statements

                            “I Can…”

                            • I can use shape and color to create a mosaic that demonstrates a key detail of a passage.

                            • I can describe the process I used to create my mosaic

                            • I can draw conclusions about images and use visual evidence to support my reasoning.

                            Essential Questions

                            • How can I use the elements of shape and color to create a mosaic that demonstrates a key detail of a passage?

                            • How can I describe the process I used to create my artwork?

                            • How can I use visual evidence to explain my reasoning?

                             

                            Georgia Standards

                            Curriculum Standards

                            Grade 4:

                            ELAGSE4RL1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

                             

                            ELAGSE4RL3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).

                             

                            ELAGSE4RL7 Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation of the text identifying similarities and differences.

                             

                            ELAGSE4RI1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. 

                             

                            ELAGSE4SL1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

                             

                            Grade 5:

                            ELAGSE5RI1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. 

                             

                            ELAGSE5RI2 Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.

                             

                            ELAGSE5SL1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

                             

                            ELAGSE5SL2 Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

                             

                             

                            Arts Standards

                            Grade 4:

                            VA4.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.

                             

                            VA4.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes. 

                             

                            VA4.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, processes, and concepts of two dimensional art. 

                             

                            VA4.RE.1 Use a variety of approaches for art criticism and to critique personal works of art and the artwork of others to enhance visual literacy.

                             

                            VA4.CN.2 Integrate information from other disciplines to enhance the understanding and production of works of art.

                             

                            VA4.CN.3 Develop life skills through the study and production of art (e.g. collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, communication).

                             

                            Grade 5:

                            VA5.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.

                             

                            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.

                             

                            VA5.RE.1 Use a variety of approaches for art criticism and to critique personal works of art and the artwork of others to enhance visual literacy.

                             

                            VA5.CN.2 Integrate information from other disciplines to enhance the understanding and production of works of art.

                             

                            VA5.CN.3 Develop life skills through the study and production of art (e.g. collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, communication).

                             

                             

                             

                             

                            South Carolina Standards

                            Curriculum Standards

                            Grade 4:

                            4.RL.MC.5.1 Ask and answer inferential questions to analyze meaning beyond the text; refer to details and examples within a text to support inferences and conclusions. 

                             

                            4.RL.MC.7.1 Explore similarities and differences among textual, dramatic, visual, or oral presentations. 

                             

                            4.C.MC.1.2 Participate in discussions; ask and respond to questions to acquire information concerning a topic, text, or issue.  

                             

                            4.C.MC.2.1 Articulate ideas, perspectives and information with details and supporting evidence in a logical sequence with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. 

                             

                            4.C.MC.3.2 Create presentations using videos, photos, and other multimedia elements to support communication and clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings. 

                             

                            Grade 5:

                            5.RL.MC.7.1 Compare and contrast textual, dramatic, visual, or oral presentations to identify similarities and differences.  

                             

                            5.C.MC.1.2 Participate in discussions; ask and respond to probing questions to acquire and confirm information concerning a topic, text, or issue. 

                            5.C.MC.3.2 Create presentations that integrate visual displays and other multimedia to enrich the presentation. 

                             

                             

                             

                            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.

                             

                            Anchor Standard 3: I can improve and complete artistic work using elements and principles.

                            Anchor Standard 4: I can organize work for presentation and documentation to reflect specific content, ideas, skills, and or media.

                             

                             

                             

                             

                            Key Vocabulary

                            Content Vocabulary

                            • Detail - Information from the passage that supports the main idea.

                            • Setting - When and where a story takes place.

                            • Character - A person, figure, or animal depicted in literature.

                            • Summary - A brief description of a passage that captures the main idea.

                             

                            Arts Vocabulary

                            • Shape - One of the seven Elements of Art; it is a flat, enclosed area that has two dimensions, length and width. Artists use both geometric and organic shapes.

                            • Watercolor wash - A layer of watercolor that completely covers a surface and is translucent.

                            • Mosaic - An art form that is a picture or pattern produced by arranging small colored pieces of hard material, such as stone, tile, or glass.

                            • Composition - The way the elements of art are arranged in an artwork.

                            • Warm colors - Red, orange, yellow.

                            • Cool colors - Green, blue, violet.

                            • Complementary colors - Colors across from each other on the color wheel (Example: Orange and blue).

                            • Analogous colors - Colors next to each other on the color wheel (Example: red, orange, yellow).

                             

                             

                            Materials

                            • 9x12-inch black construction paper
                            • 9x12-inch white multi-media or watercolor paper
                            • Watercolor set
                            • Paintbrushes (preferably flat brush)
                            • Water cups with water
                            • Pencil
                            • Scissors
                            • Liquid glue or glue sticks

                             

                            Instructional Design

                            Opening/Activating Strategy

                            Settings

                            • Show students an image of an ancient Roman mosaic.
                            • Ask students to go through the “See, Think, Wonder” strategy.
                            • Have students compare their findings with a partner. Have groups share their findings. 
                            • Students should be able to use visual evidence to support any “think” statements.
                            • Explain that mosaics are made up of tiny pieces of material to create an image or design. Mosaics use the element of art, shape.

                             

                            Work Session

                                • Explain that students will be focusing on shape, space, and color in their mosaic. Go over the different types of shapes (organic, free-form, and geometric - see link in Resources).
                                • Read a descriptive passage to students such as an excerpt from the book, Tiger, Tiger by Dee Lillegard. Ask students to close their eyes as they listen to the passage and listen for details that tell about the characters and the setting.
                                • Discuss the setting and the characters after reading the passage.
                                • Ask students to do a “quick draw” of one of the things that stood out to them from the passage. Students’ quick draw should demonstrate a key detail from a character or setting. 
                                • Students should share their quick draw with a partner and explain why they chose that detail from the passage.
                                • Explain that students will be making the tiles for their mosaic out of watercolor paper. 
                                • Show students a color wheel. Discuss the different ways we can organize colors into color schemes: warm, cool, complementary, and analogous.
                                • Students will paint their paper the colors that they need for their mosaic.
                                • Once the watercolor wash is mostly dry, students should cut out shapes for their mosaic.
                                • Students should draw their “quick draw” on their black paper and then glue their shapes down onto the black paper. Tell students that it is alright if their composition changes from their quick draw to their mosaic. This is part of the design thinking process!

                                 

                                 

                                Closing Reflection

                                • Students should respond to the following prompts in written form - How did you make your artwork (procedural writing)? What details from the text did you show and why? What are you most proud of in your artwork?
                                • Students should then organize themselves in the order of the story that their mosaic shows (beginning, middle, end) to retell the story.

                                 

                                 

                                Assessments

                                Formative

                                • Student discussion around ancient Roman mosaic - See, Think, Wonder strategy using visual evidence to support reasoning
                                • Students’ quick draw and pair share to demonstrate whether students comprehend the text

                                   

                                  Summative

                                  • Mosaic should demonstrate students’ understanding of text.
                                  • Writing responses should demonstrate that students can explain the process that they used to create their artwork.
                                  • Students should be able to arrange their mosaics in the order of story to demonstrate comprehension.

                                   

                                  Differentiation

                                   

                                  Acceleration: 

                                  • Read the passage until a “cliff-hanger”. Have students who have finished mosaic write and illustrate what they think will happen at the end of the story.

                                  Remediation: 

                                  • Point out key details in the text that students could illustrate. Facilitate discussion around why these are key details. Write the detail on the board along with an image that students could illustrate. 
                                  • Instead of having students write the process they used to create their art, ask students to write a sentence stating what detail they showed from the text and why they chose that detail.

                                   

                                   ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

                                  Color wheel

                                  Examples of ancient Roman mosaics

                                  Mosaics and Literacy presentation

                                  *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.

                                   Ideas contributed by: Katy Betts 

                                  Revised and copyright:  September 2023 @ ArtsNOW
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                                  DRAMATIC WRITING WITH ANSEL ADAMS 2-3

                                  DRAMATIC WRITING WITH ANSEL ADAMS

                                  DRAMATIC WRITING WITH ANSEL ADAMS

                                  Learning Description

                                  Using Ansel Adams photographs for inspiration, students will explore creative writing, directing, and acting.

                                   

                                  Learning Targets

                                  GRADE BAND: 2-3
                                  CONTENT FOCUS: THEATRE & ELA
                                  LESSON DOWNLOADS:

                                  Download PDF of this Lesson

                                  "I Can" Statements

                                  “I Can…”

                                  • I can use a photograph as inspiration for creative writing and acting based in a particular setting.
                                  • I can work with a group to bring to life a scene inspired by a photograph.

                                  Essential Questions

                                  • How can visual art be a catalyst for writing and acting? 

                                   

                                  Georgia Standards

                                  Curriculum Standards

                                  Grade 2:

                                  ELACC2W3  Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure. 

                                   

                                  ELACC2SL4  Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences.  

                                   

                                  Grade 3:

                                  ELAGSE3W3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

                                   

                                  ELAGSE3SL4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details,

                                  speaking clearly at an understandable pace.

                                   

                                  Arts Standards

                                  Grade 2: 

                                  TAES2.2 Developing scripts through improvisation and other theatrical methods.

                                    

                                  TAES2.3 Acting by developing, communicating, and sustaining roles within a variety of situations and environments.

                                   

                                  VA2.RE.1 Discuss personal works of art and the artwork of others to enhance visual literacy.

                                   

                                  VA2.CN.1 Investigate and discover the personal relationships of artists to community, culture, and the world through making and studying art.

                                   

                                  Grade 3:

                                  TAES3.2 Developing scripts through improvisation and other theatrical methods.

                                    

                                  TAES3.3 Acting by developing, communicating, and sustaining roles within a variety of situations and environments.

                                   

                                  VA3.RE.1 Use a variety of approaches for art criticism and to critique personal works of

                                  art and the artwork of others to enhance visual literacy.

                                   

                                  VA3.CN.1 Investigate and discover the personal relationships of artists to community, culture, and the world through making and studying art.

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                  South Carolina Standards

                                  Curriculum Standards

                                  Grade 2:

                                  ELA.2.C.3.1 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences. When writing: 

                                  1. establish and describe character(s) and setting; 
                                  2. sequence events and use temporal words to signal event order (e.g., before, after).

                                   

                                  Grade 3:

                                  ELA.3.C.3.1 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences. When writing: 

                                  1. establish a setting and introduce a narrator or characters; 
                                  2. use temporal words and phrases to sequence a plot structure; 
                                  3. use descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop characters.

                                   

                                   

                                  Arts Standards

                                  THEATRE

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

                                   

                                  VISUAL ARTS

                                  Anchor Standard 5: I can interpret and evaluate the meaning of an artwork.

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                  Key Vocabulary

                                  Content Vocabulary

                                  • Character - Actor or actress in a specified role.
                                  • Setting - Environment or place of action. 
                                  • Plot - List, timetable, or scheme dealing with any of the various arrangements of a story or play.

                                   

                                  Arts Vocabulary

                                  • Theater - Dramatic literature or its performance; drama.
                                  • Photography - the process of capturing an image – a photograph – with a camera, either on paper or through a digital medium.

                                   

                                   

                                  Materials

                                  • Index cards and lined paper 
                                  • Pencils 
                                  • Copies of Ansel Adams photographs (old calendars are great sources for these)

                                   

                                  Instructional Design

                                  Opening/Activating Strategy

                                  Settings

                                  • Have students stand by their desks, or in open space.
                                  • Call out a setting (e.g., desert, baseball stadium, birthday party, or under the ocean), and have students enact a person or thing in the environment.  As appropriate, allow students to use voices and make sounds, or instruct them to be in the setting in silence.
                                  • Use observational language to comment on student choices (e.g., “I see Sara has her arms to be a cactus” or “Dylan is wiggling his body as a snake on the rug.”)
                                  • Continue to call out a variety of settings.  Alternate between natural settings and human settings.  Allow students to be objects or natural forces in the settings, or people interacting with the settings.

                                   

                                  Work Session

                                      Process 

                                      • Pass out Ansel Adams photos to the students. Explain that Ansel Adams was a famous American photographer known for his photos of American outdoor landscapes including Yosemite, Big Sur, the Sierras.  
                                      • Ask the students to study their photo and examine the visual details:  “What is the first thing your eye is drawn to?  What lines and shapes do you see in the photo?  Did Adams take it from near or far?  How do the light and dark areas work together?  Where is the light source in the image, and which areas are in shadow?  Why do you think Adams chose to take this photograph?”
                                      • Have students imagine/visualize details about the setting in the photo, saying:  “Where is this place?  You can make it up. It can be anywhere in the world. What season is it--winter, early spring, etc.?  What time of day is it - early morning, high noon, sunset? What sounds and smells are there? Is the wind blowing? Are birds chirping or other animals making sounds even though you can’t see them? Can you smell pine trees, flowers, or the ocean? If you could place yourself in this picture, where would you be?” 
                                      • Tell the students:  “Place the picture in front of you and stand or sit as you imagine you would be in the picture. Now, close your eyes and take a deep breath of the clean air in this place. Listen to the sounds in your environment. Take another deep breath and smell the beautiful aromas.”
                                      • One at a time, ask each student to make a sound that they hear in their environment. 
                                      • Ask students to think of 3 descriptive phrases about their environment. For example, instead of saying, “the wind,” describe “the loud blowing wind”, “the fierce cry of an eagle,” or the “steep, snowy mountainside.”   Even though the pictures are black and white, encourage students to feel free to use color in their descriptive phrases.  Have the students write down their phrases on a card or piece of paper.  Ask them how they can expand or add to their phrases to make them more descriptive – suggest including texture, color, size, shape, temperature, or other qualities or details.
                                      • Have students practice using their descriptive phrases in sentences to describe their settings.  Instruct them to speak as if they are in the setting (e.g., “I am standing with my feet on the edge of the babbling stream.  The water is as cold as ice and shiny like a mirror.  I see silvery fish swimming by with lightning speed.”)  Coach and assist students as needed.
                                      • Ask student volunteers to come up and present, imagining themselves in the setting in the photograph.  They should use their voices and bodies to express the feelings and elements in their writing.

                                       

                                      Bringing the Photograph to Life 

                                      • Select a student and guide them to cast three classmates as elements in their setting. The student should announce the element and then choose a classmate to portray it. (E.g., “Someone will be the grass blowing in the wind.”)  Once chosen, the classmate should come to the front and view the photograph.  
                                      • Guide the student to direct the elements, telling each classmate where they will be in the live picture, how they will stand or move, and what sounds they will make.  
                                      • Once the setting is established, have the student walk/hike/swim into their environment, take their place, use their body and voice to inhabit the setting (e.g., shivering for a cold setting, speaking loud for a distant setting, walking carefully over sharp stones, using a hand to block out the bright sun) and then describe their setting using their descriptive phrases.  
                                      • Show the photograph around the room, and solicit comments from the class on how the students brought the setting to life.
                                      • Have additional students volunteer to cast, enter, and describe.

                                      Possibly:  once the process is established, allow the students to work in groups in different areas of the room, taking turns to use their group-mates to create their settings.

                                       

                                      Closing Reflection

                                      Ask:  “How did we get ideas of what to act from the photos?  How did we use our voices and bodies to become elements of the different settings in the photos?  Also:  How would you describe Ansel Adams’s photos to someone who hasn’t seen any of them?”

                                       

                                      Assessments

                                      Formative

                                      • Students created and used three descriptive phrases.. 
                                      • Students effectively communicated their ideas.
                                      • Students responded appropriately to the Adams images.

                                         

                                        Summative

                                        • Students cast and directed their scenes effectively
                                        • Students enacted their roles in the scenes effectively.
                                        • Students’ written phrases show awareness of the senses and evocative details.

                                         

                                        Differentiation

                                        Acceleration:

                                        • Have students write out their ideas in full paragraph format.
                                        • Allow students who are playing elements of the setting to speak from the viewpoints of those elements:  “How does the tree feel?  What is the lake thinking?”

                                         

                                        Remediation:

                                        Use a single photograph with the entire class, and model the process all together.  Cast a small group as elements in the setting, and then model being the person entering and inhabiting the setting.  Repeat the process with a second photo, drafting a student to be the person entering the setting.  You may want to use a photo and have the entire class become elements in the photo, allowing multiple students to be the same thing:  mountains, rocks, trees, clouds.

                                         

                                         ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

                                        • http://www.anseladams.com 
                                        • http://www.archives.gov/research/anseladams/ 
                                        • “Ansel Adams Original Photograph - Black & White Photography.” The Ansel Adams Gallery, shop.anseladams.com/collections/original-photographs-by-ansel-adams. Accessed 28 June 2023. 

                                        *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.

                                        Ideas contributed and updated by: Susie Spear Purcell and Barry Stewart Mann

                                        Revised and copyright:  June 2023 @ ArtsNOW
                                        Back to Modules