Big Ideas

So our theme this week was just learning about art and artists. We read lots of great stories about artists of the past and explored different ways artists express themselves.

Using Big Idea from Kaplan's Depth and Complexity, I simply asked my students why art is important. These are the kinds of tasks that seem simple but actually take a lot of thought. Why should artist continue to make art? Why is that important for our society? For our daily lives?

Here is what they came up with:

It makes life happy and colorful.

art is pretty and beautiful if there was no art the Earth would look ugly

Everyone loves art and to paint

Artists teach us to draw

Inkblot Inspiration

This time of year the students are getting bored with their routine. I really try to spice up their writing assignments when I can. Here we did a lesson on symmetry and combined that (Across Disciplines) with Art. We put blobs of paint in the middle and smushed it. The students then wrote a story inspired by what they saw in the designs. And yes, I was surprised none of them wrote about The Last of Us. :) 

How Will You Use Your Voice

I read my students this book about Barbara Jordan:

Then I asked my students to write about how they would use their voice:

My favorite answer. :)

Invent a New Symbol

I try to use the word "invent" in my lesson plans at least twice a week. It's challenging for my young students because often people don't ask them to think this way. They want to write about something that already exists. You can tell by my students' answers here that the more you do activities like this, the more they start to be able to apply it. I was really impressed by most of their answers and their reasoning.

Invent a new symbol for Valentine's Day:

Unicorn because it's magical like love.

Star because it's easy to make.

Valentine Pencil

Heart Headband

The student said because he loves video games. :)

Valentine's Dress