Heat Dance 2-3

HEAT DANCE

HEAT DANCE

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will choreograph and perform dances to demonstrate their understanding of the different ways that heat energy can be transferred. Students will be able to explain which changes can be reversed and which cannot and why.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 2-3
CONTENT FOCUS: DANCE & SCIENCE
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can create choreography that demonstrates examples of heat transfer using the Elements of Dance.
  • I can explain the sources of heat energy.
  • I can explain why some changes caused by heat transfer can be reversed and why some cannot.

Essential Questions

  • How can choreography be used to demonstrate heat transfer?
  • How is heat transferred?
  • Which changes due to heat transfer can be reversed and which cannot?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 3:

S3P1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the ways heat energy is transferred and measured.

  1. Ask questions to identify sources of heat energy. (Clarification statement: Examples could include sunlight, friction, and burning.)

Arts Standards

Grade 3:

ESD3.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.

 

ESD3.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

 

ESD3.PR.1 Identify and demonstrate movement elements, skills, and terminology in dance

 

ESD3.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in dance.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 2:

2-PS1-4. Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or cooling can be reversed and some cannot.

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.

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

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Heat transfer - The movement of thermal energy from one object or substance to another due to a temperature difference
  • Friction - A force that opposes the relative motion or tendency of such motion of two surfaces in contact
  • Burning - A chemical process that produces heat and light

Arts Vocabulary

  • Energy/Force - Force propels or initiates movement, or causes changes in movement of body position
  • Space - An element of movement involving direction, level, size, focus, and pathway
  • Movement phrase - A series of movements linked together to make a distinctive pattern
  • Choreography - The art of composing dances and planning and arranging the movements, steps, and patterns of dancers
  • Choreographer - A person who creates dances
  • Elements of Dance - Body, action, space, time and energy

 

Materials

  • Sound source and music with a steady beat
  • Anchor chart/poster paper
  • Markers

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Classroom Tips: Set up chairs and tables in a circular format to maximize students’ engagement and ability to see their peers during the activity and performance. Also establish parameters for acceptable movement choices and discuss audience behavior/etiquette with students.

 

  • Begin with teacher-led mirror exercises to get students focused and warm-up for dance activities.
  • Explain to students that as you perform a movement, they should “mirror” the movement as though they were looking at their reflection in a mirror.
  • These exercises may lead into the “Name Game” or “Pass the Movement”. Or, move directly into the lesson teaching students about the Elements of Dance.
  • Name Game:
    • Have students stand in a circle.
    • Demonstrate the Name Game by stating your name while making a movement or gesture to accompany your name.
    • The circle then collectively repeats your name and gesture. Continue with the next person stating his/her name and making a gesture. The circle repeats the new person's name and gesture. Then, starting with the person of origin, repeat all the names and gestures shared to that point. Continue until everyone in the circle is included.
  • Pass the Movement:
    • Begin by having students stand in a circle.
    • The objective of the game is to create a sequence of movements by passing a dance move around the circle or group, with each student adding their unique twist.
    • Each student will create a simple movement and "pass" it to the next student, who will then repeat the movement and add their own.
    • Choose one student to start the game. This student will perform a simple movement, such as a clap, a jump, a spin, or a wave. Encourage students to focus on creating shapes and angles with their bodies.
    • The starting student then "passes" this movement to the next student by making eye contact and gesturing towards them.
    • The next student repeats the initial movement and then adds their own unique movement.
    • This student then "passes" the combined movements to the next student.
    • Each subsequent student repeats the previous movements in the correct order and adds their own new movement.
    • Continue passing the movement around the circle or along the line until all students have had a turn.
    • Once the movement has gone all the way around, have the group perform the entire sequence together from start to finish.

 

Work Session

  • Begin by engaging students in movement that introduces students to the Elements of Dance: Body, action, space, time and energy.
    • Have students arrange themselves in the classroom with enough personal space to move freely without touching a neighbor.
    • Turn on instrumental music with a steady beat.
    • Element of Body: First, have students bring awareness to their bodies by leading them through gentle stretches starting from the head and moving to the toes (e.g., head circles, shoulder shrugs, toe touches, etc.). Then, ask them to make different shapes with their bodies.
    • Element of Time: Next, bring students’ awareness to the rhythm of the music by having them march in place to the beat, gently swinging their arms by their sides.
    • Element of Energy: Now, direct students to explore energy variations with different movement qualities such as sharp movements–quick, precise actions like punches or snaps, and smooth movements–slow, flowing actions like waves or circles with arms.
    • Element of Space - Levels: Bring students’ attention to levels (high, middle, low) with movements such as stretching up high and moving on tiptoes, crouching in a small ball close to the floor, and bouncing in place at a middle level.
    • Element of Action - Locomotor/non-locomotor: Tell students that these movements they just performed were non-locomotor, meaning that they didn’t move to a new location. Direct students to perform a movement that requires moving from one place to another, such as step-together, step-together moving side to side.
    • Have students practice what they just learned by saying words such as “locomotor” and have students create a spontaneous locomotor movement.
    • Have students return to their seats.
  • Tell students that they will be using movement to explore some of the ways that heat energy is transferred: Burning, friction, sunlight and any others you would like to include.
  • Divide students into small groups. Pass out large chart paper or poster paper and markers.
  • Have students divide paper (or pre-divide paper for students) into three sections. Students should label each section burning, friction, and sunlight.
  • Assign each group one type of heat transfer. Students will complete their section of their chart describing the type of heat transfer using words and drawings. Students should add examples of each type of heat transfer.
  • Allow groups to share. If you have a document camera, this is a great way for students to share their work.
  • Groups should add responses to the two types of heat transfer that they did not include to their charts.
    • After each group shares, discuss which changes can be reversed and which cannot. For example, sunlight causing water to evaporate can be reversed but a forest fire burning down trees cannot.
  • Tell groups that they will receive an example of heat transfer, such as a forest fire or evaporation. In their groups, students will create a “Heat Dance” to demonstrate the way heat energy is transferred in their example.
    • Students will need to be able to determine which form of heat energy transfer is used and whether the change can be reversed.
    • Set requirements for choreography, such as it must have at least four movements and use at least two of the following elements of dance: Energy, space, body and action.
    • Turn on music in the background.
    • Allow time for students to choreograph and practice their dances. Circulate to assist groups during this process.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Students will perform their dances for their classmates. Discuss appropriate audience participation and etiquette prior to performances.
  • Turn up the volume of the music and help students find the steady beat by tapping their toes on the floor.
  • After each performance, the audience will identify which type of heat transfer was demonstrated, whether the change can be reversed, and which elements of dance were used.

 

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess students’ understanding of the content throughout the lesson by observing students’ participation in the activator, ability to identify and perform the elements of dance, responses to discussion of each type of heat transfer, small group discussion of examples of heat transfer, and collaboration with groups to choreograph a dance demonstrating their example.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Students can identify and explain the different types of heat transfer, which can be reversed and which cannot, and why.
  • Students can create choreography using the Elements of Dance to accurately demonstrate their example of heat transfer.
  • Students can identify and perform using the Elements of Dance.

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Acceleration: Challenge students to create their own examples of heat transfer and choreograph a dance to demonstrate their examples.

Remediation: 

  • Reduce the number of movements students are required to include in their choreography.
  • Scaffold the lesson by choreographing an example of heat transfer as a class. Then, allow groups to create their own choreography using their own example.

*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: Melissa Dittmar-Joy. Updated by Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright: June 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

Back to Modules

Legends of Day and Night 4-5

LEGENDS OF DAY AND NIGHT

LEGENDS OF DAY AND NIGHT

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will merge their scientific knowledge of why we experience day and night with their exploration of Inuit literature. This will be achieved by first examining a Inuit legend that depicts the story of how day and night came to be. Students will integrate theatre techniques into the retelling of the Inuit legend. Finally, students will apply their knowledge of day and night to craft their own original legend of day and night.

 

Learning Targets

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

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can scientifically explain why we experience day and night.
  • I can write a legend about the origin of day and night.
  • I can communicate a story through tableau.

Essential Questions

  • How can theatrical techniques be tools to communicate ideas?
  • Why do we experience day and night?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 4:

S4E2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to model the effects of the position and motion of the Earth and the moon in relation to the sun as observed from the Earth. a. Develop a model to support an explanation of why the length of day and night change throughout the year. b. Develop a model based on observations to describe the repeating pattern of the phases of the moon (new, crescent, quarter, gibbous, and full). c. Construct an explanation of how the Earth’s orbit, with its consistent tilt, affects seasonal changes.

Arts Standards

Grade 4:

TA4.CR.1 Organize, design, and refine theatrical work.

TA4.CR.2 Develop scripts through theatrical techniques.

TA4.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

 

Grade 5

TA5.CR.1 Organize, design, and refine theatrical work.

TA5.CR.2 Develop scripts through theatrical techniques.

TA5.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 5: 

5-ESS1-2. Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 1: I can create scenes and write scripts using story elements and structure. 

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

Anchor Standard 8: I can relate theatre to other content areas, arts disciplines, and careers.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Narration - The act of telling a story
  • Storytelling - Conveying events in words and images, often by improvisation or embellishment
  • Legend - A traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but unauthenticated
  • Sun - Center of the solar system; a star; a hot ball of glowing gasses
  • Moon - An object that revolves around a planet
  • Earth’s axis - The imaginary line around which the Earth rotates
  • Rotation - Spinning motion of an object on its axis
  • Revolution - The action of going around in an orbit
  • Waxing Moon - After a new moon and before a full moon; the illuminated area increases
  • Waning Moon - After a full moon and before a new moon; the illuminated area decreases

Arts Vocabulary

  • Tableau - A “living picture” in which actors pose and freeze in the manner of a picture or photograph
  • Actor’s Neutral - A neutral position which includes a good center of balance, aligned posture, and no unconscious areas of tension in your neck, shoulders, or spine
  • Theater - Dramatic literature or its performance; drama
  • Character - A person, an animal or other figure assuming human qualities, in a story
  • Body – An actor’s tool, which we shape and change to portray the way a character looks, walks, or moves
  • Dialogue – Conversation between characters
  • Ensemble - All the parts of a thing taken together, so that each part is considered

 

Materials

  • Anchor chart paper
  • Paper
  • Pencils

The Origins of Day and Night by Paula Ikuutaq Rumbolt (Author), Lenny Lishchenko (Illustrator)

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Classroom Tips:  Use cueing methods when directing tableau in your classroom: “3-2-1- Freeze” and “Actor’s Neutral”. Make your expectations for when students work together to craft their legends explicit and go over these before the group work begins. Write them up so that students can refer back to them if they need to during their group working time.

 

  • Start with a general physical warm-up to get the students' bodies ready. Use exercises such as:
    • Stretching: Stretch all major muscle groups.
    • Shaking Out Limbs: Shake out arms, legs, and the whole body to release tension.
    • Energy Passes: Stand in a circle and pass a clap or a simple motion around to build group focus and energy.
  • Introduce the art forms of storytelling and tableau with a warm-up: Character Statues.
    • Students will spread out in the room standing in a neutral position called “Actor’s Neutral”.
    • Students will form character statues when prompted.
      • Examples of prompts: An actor surrounded by fans wanting autographs, an upset principal, a clown juggling, etc.
      • Encourage students to pair up and create tableaux of the following relationships:  A parent and child, a doctor and patient, two friends who haven’t seen each other in years, etc.
        • Be sure that students understand that a tableau is a frozen picture.

 

Work Session

  • Story Whoosh: Form a class circle. Tell students that they will be reading a legend about the origin of day and night as told by the Inuit people. Review what a “legend” is as a class and show students where the Inuit people live (scroll down for map).
  • Read The Origins of Day and Night by Paula Ikuutaq Rumbolt (Author), Lenny Lishchenko (Illustrator).
    • As you read, pause and allow students to come into the center of the circle to form a tableau that dramatizes that section of the legend. Say “Whoosh!” to indicate the actors in the middle returning to their places in the circle and allow other actors to come to the center.
    • Continue this activity until the entire legend is finished being shared.
  • Review the concept of how day and night are created by the Earth’s rotation on its axis so that it’s facing towards or away from the Sun.
    • Divide students into small groups. Provide each group a piece of anchor chart/poster paper and markers. On it, they should write down everything that they know about the scientific concepts behind day and night.
    • Bring the class back together to create a “master list” of facts that students know about why we experience day and night, such as:
      • The earth orbits the sun in 365 days. The earth rotates on its axis in a full circle taking 24 hours. The moon orbits the earth, taking about 28 days to orbit Earth. The position of the earth, sun and moon affect the phases of the moon and which parts of the moon we can see. The moon does not produce any light, it reflects light from the sun.
  • Tell students that each group will be creating their own original legend explaining the origins of day and night, much like the Inuit one they explored earlier.
    • Students will be merging fact and fiction in their legends.
    • Go over the group guidelines:
      • Include at least two scientific facts about day and night in your legend.
      • Include a clear problem and solution that explains why we have day and night.
      • Include a tableau performance with expressive narration of the legend.
    • Provide time for students to write and practice. Circulate the room to work with students and check for understanding.

 

Closing Reflection

  • After writing and practicing their legends and tableaux, students will perform for the class. Discuss appropriate audience participation and etiquette prior to performances.
  • After group performances, reflect using the following questions as prompts:
    • What did you like or notice about this group’s performance?
    • What did you notice was different about your legend from the Inuit legend we read today?
    • What did you notice was similar about your legend from the Inuit legend we read today?
    • How did the scientific background knowledge you had about the Sun and Moon help you in developing your legend? Did understanding science make it more challenging to be creative?

 

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess students’ understanding of the content throughout the lesson by observing students’ participation in the activator, discussion of scientifically why we experience day and night, and collaboration with groups to write their own legend and create a tableau to accompany it.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Students can scientifically explain why we experience day and night.
  • Students can write a legend about the origin of day and night that meets criteria.
  • Students can demonstrate key parts of their legend through tableaux.

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Acceleration: 

  • Students can turn their legend into a play with dialogue, practicing the different parts and presenting for the class.
  • Have students do additional research on how other groups of people throughout time have sought to explain day and night.
  • Optional technology extensions:
    • ThingLink.com:
      • Demonstrate how to use the website ThingLink.com, a website that allows students to hyperlink different websites and student-created captions to an image.
      • Each student will find an image or a diagram of the placement of the Earth and the moon during a 24 hour period and attach various captions and hyperlinks that explain the science behind night and day.
      • Coordinating these images with their legends, students will demonstrate sound understanding of presented science concepts.
    • Using apps:
      • Demonstrate how to use Puppet Pals app which allows students to choose characters and backdrops and record their voices to create a show.
      • Demonstrate the Toontastic app, which uses a 'story arc' with characters, setting, plot, and a conclusion. Coordinating with the study of elements of fiction, this app gives students the ability to create and move characters while recording their own voices to tell their stories.  Students can practice retelling the legend they created in small groups by creating dialogue for the major events in the story.

Remediation: 

  • Write a legend as a class. Then, have groups create tableaux depicting different important parts of the story. Have students present their tableaux in sequential order as the class legend is read aloud.
  • Provide sentence starters and/or graphic organizers to structure writing.

 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: Jessica Rosa Espinoza. Updated by Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright: July 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

Back to Modules

Magnetic Moving 3, 5

MAGNETIC MOVING

MAGNETIC MOVING

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will use movement to illustrate their understanding of magnetic poles.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 3, 5
CONTENT FOCUS: DANCE & SCIENCE
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can create choreography that appropriately demonstrates my assigned magnetic poles.
  • I can accurately match choreography and magnetic poles.

Essential Questions

  • How can dance/movement help us demonstrate the relationship between magnetic poles?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 5:

S5P3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about magnetism and its relationship to electricity.

Arts Standards

Grade 5:

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

 

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

 

ESD5.PR.1 Identify and demonstrate movement elements, skills, and terminology in dance

 

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

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 3:

3-PS2-3. Ask questions to determine cause-and-effect relationships of electric interactions and magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other.

3-PS2-4. Develop possible solutions to a simple design problem by applying scientific ideas about magnets.

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.

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

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Magnet - An object or material that generates a magnetic field. This magnetic field exerts a force that attracts ferromagnetic materials like iron, nickel, and cobalt, and can attract or repel other magnets.
  • Magnetic Poles - Every magnet has two poles: a north pole and a south pole. Opposite poles attract each other, while like poles repel.
  • Magnetic Field - The region around a magnet where magnetic forces are exerted. This field is invisible but can be visualized with iron filings or by its effects on other magnets and ferromagnetic materials.

Arts Vocabulary

  • Energy/Force - Force propels or initiates movement, or causes changes in movement of body position
  • Mirror - To copy the movements of another while facing that individual
  • Pathway - The designs traced on the floor as a dancer travels across space; the designs traced in the air as a dancer moves various body parts
  • Space - An element of movement involving direction, level, size, focus, and pathway
  • Formation - The placement of dancers in a performance space

 

Materials

  • Magnets
  • Paper and pencils
  • Sound source and music

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Classroom Tips: Set up chairs and tables in a circular format to maximize students’ engagement and ability to see their peers during the activity and performance. Also establish parameters for acceptable movement choices and discuss audience behavior/etiquette with students.

  • Begin with teacher-led mirror exercises to get students focused and warm-up for dance activities.
    • Have students arrange themselves in the classroom with enough personal space to move freely without touching a neighbor.
    • Turn on instrumental music with a steady beat.
    • First, have students bring awareness to their bodies by leading them through gentle stretches starting from the head and moving to the toes (e.g., head circles, shoulder shrugs, toe touches, etc.).
    • Next, bring students’ awareness to the rhythm of the music by having them march in place to the beat with high knees, swinging their arms side to side.
    • Now, direct students to follow your movements with energy variations using different movement qualities such as sharp movements–quick, precise actions like punches or snaps, and smooth movements–slow, flowing actions like waves or circles with arms.
    • Finally, bring students’ attention to levels (high, middle, low) and directions (forward, backward, sideways) with movements such as stretching up high and moving on tiptoes, moving low to the ground and crawling forwards and backwards, and bouncing in place at a medium level.

 

Work Session

  • Challenge students to work with a partner and practice mirroring. Students will begin seated, then explore mirror activities that travel through space.
    • Pair Up: Divide the class into pairs, with each pair facing each other.
    • Leader and Follower: Designate one person as the leader and the other as the follower.
    • Slow Movements: The leader starts with slow and simple movements, such as raising an arm, tilting the head, or taking a step to the side.
    • Mirroring: The follower mirrors the leader’s movements as precisely as possible, as if they are the leader’s reflection in a mirror.
    • Switch Roles: After a few minutes, have the pairs switch roles so that the follower becomes the leader and vice versa.
    • Increase Complexity: Gradually increase the complexity and speed of the movements as students become more comfortable with the exercise.
    • Explore Creativity: Encourage the leader to incorporate different levels, directions, and dynamics into their movements, challenging the follower to stay in sync.
  • Tell students that they will be using dance to communicate the properties of magnets.
  • First, discuss or review properties of magnets, including the response of same and opposite poles.
    • Pass out magnets to students and allow them to experiment with how the magnetics move depending on whether two like poles are facing each other or whether opposite poles are facing each other.
    • Students should record findings.
  • Return to the mirror activity. Ask students to now engage in the mirror activity responding to your prompts.
    • Prompt the leader to move in a way that shows magnets facing opposite poles.
    • Prompt the leader to move in a way that shows magnets facing like poles.
    • Debrief the activity with students. Discussing how these concepts would influence choreographic decisions in a dance.
  • Divide into groups (having an equal number of students per group, if possible). Assign each group opposite or like poles.
  • Within groups, have students create short choreographic phrases (eight count phrases with four movements of two counts each) to demonstrate their assigned concept.
  • Provide time for students to choreograph and practice; circulate the room to work with students and check for understanding.
  • When student compositions are complete, students will present their choreography to their classmates.

 

Closing Reflection

  • The students will perform their choreography for their classmates. Discuss appropriate audience participation and etiquette prior to performances.
  • Turn up the volume of the music and help students find the steady beat by tapping their toe on the floor.
  • Invite the first group up to perform their dance.
  • After each performance, the audience should analyze the different choreographic creations, comparing and contrasting them. Students should identify whether the group demonstrated like or opposite poles.
  • Have students write about the choreographic decisions their group made and why those decisions best supported their concept.

 

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess students’ understanding of the content throughout the lesson by observing students’ participation in the activator, participation in partner mirroring, discussion of magnetism, notes about observations of magnetic behavior, and contributions to choreography.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Students can create choreography appropriately demonstrating assigned magnetic poles.
  • Students can accurately match choreography and magnetic poles.

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Acceleration: 

  • Have students write a paragraph comparing and contrasting two student choreographic compositions. Identify the magnetic poles about which the piece was created. Discuss the similarities and differences evident between pieces. Did one composition convey ideas better than others? If so, why?
  • Have students portray what they learned about poles through a visual art piece that focuses on the use of color and space to convey the relationship between types of poles.

Remediation: 

  • Scaffold the lesson by creating a whole-class choreography together to demonstrate either like poles or opposite poles. Debrief the process and choreography as a class. Then, assign groups the task of choreographing a dance to demonstrate whichever types of poles was not choreographed as a class.
  • Reduce the number of movements required in choreography.

*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: Melissa Dittmar-Joy. Updated by Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright: July 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

Back to Modules

Magnetic Pollack 3, 5

MAGNETIC POLLOCK

MAGNETIC POLLOCK

Learning Description

Students will create a painting based on the action paintings of Jackson Pollock. Instead of dripping and splattering like Pollock, students will move the paint using a metal object, such as a paper clip, and a magnet.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 3, 5
CONTENT FOCUS: VISUAL ARTS & SCIENCE
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can use magnetism to create an action painting.
  • I can describe the effects a magnet has on a metal object.
  • I can explain why a magnet causes a metal object to move.

Essential Questions

  • What effect does a magnet have on metal objects?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 5: 

S5P3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about magnetism and its relationship to electricity.

  1. Construct an argument based on experimental evidence to communicate the differences in function and purpose of an electromagnet and a magnet. (Clarification statement: Function is limited to understanding temporary and permanent magnetism.)
  2. Plan and carry out an investigation to observe the interaction between a magnetic field and a magnetic object. (Clarification statement: The interaction should include placing materials of various types (wood, paper, glass, metal, and rocks) and thickness between the magnet and the magnetic object.)

Arts Standards

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, and processes of two-dimensional art.

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

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 3: 

3-PS2-3. Ask questions to determine cause-and-effect relationships of electric interactions and magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other.

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

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Attraction - The force by which one object attracts another
  • Magnet - Material or object that produces a magnetic field

Arts Vocabulary

  • Action painting - A style of painting in which paint is spontaneously dribbled, splashed or smeared onto the canvas, rather than being carefully applied

 

Materials

  • Images of work by Jackson Pollock (see “Additional Resources”)
  • Disposable rectangular aluminum pans
  • Metal objects (Ex: small paper clips)
  • Magnets
  • 6in. x 9in. colored construction paper
  • Colored tempera paint in squeeze bottles
  • Paper towels and a drying area
  • Tape

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Classroom Tips: Pair up the students to share one pan and magnet.

 

  • Show students an image of one of Jackson Pollock’s paintings, such as “Autumn Rhythm”.
  • Ask students to work collaboratively to engage in the See, Think, Wonder Artful Thinking Routine.
    • First, students will identify what they see in the image. Emphasize that they should make objective observations about the image (i.e. lines, colors, textures, etc.).
    • Next, ask students to identify what they think about the image. Direct students towards how they think Pollock made the painting.
    • Finally, ask students what they wonder about the image. (Be sure to show the title of the painting.)
  • Facilitate a class-wide discussion around students’ observations, inferences, and questions.
  • Tell students that Jackson Pollock was an “action painter”. Action painting is a style of painting in which paint is spontaneously dribbled, splashed or smeared onto the canvas, rather than being carefully applied.

Show students this brief video so that students can see Pollock in action and listen to him talk about his process.

 

Work Session

  • Tell students that they will be using a magnet and a small metal object to create their own Pollock inspired action painting.
  • Discuss the properties of magnets with students.
  • Place a 6in. x 9in. colored piece of construction paper into an aluminum lasagna pan. Have students tape down each side so that it won’t move around the pan.
  • Place the small metal object onto paper along with a few (spread out) small drops of paint. Try to limit the students to three colors total.
  • While holding up the lasagna pan, students will place a magnet underneath and against the pan. The attraction of the magnet will pull the metal object around through the paint and around the paper as students move the magnet.
  • Students will continue to move the metal object around with the magnet until they achieve their desired look and use each color of paint.
  • Have students write a title for their paintings on the bottom of the paintings and place them in the designated area to dry.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Have students reflect on the process by explaining through writing how they used the properties of magnetic fields to create an action painting.
  • Allow students to conduct a gallery walk to view each other’s art.

 

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess students’ understanding of the content throughout the lesson by observing students’ participation in the activator, discussion of the properties of magnets, artmaking process, and reflection.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Students can use magnetism to create an action painting.
  • Students can describe the effects the magnet had on the metal object.
  • Students can explain why the magnet caused the metal object to move.

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Acceleration: Allow students to create multiple paintings using different shapes of metal objects, making observations about how the shape of the metal object changes the designs on the painting.

Remediation: 

  • Have students work with a partner to create their paintings.
  • Allow students to dictate their reflection rather than write it.

 

 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: Amanda Quay. Updated by: Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright: August 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

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