Ok fellow art teachers. I know that teaching across the curriculum is not always what you desire to do. "Art for art's sake" has long vanished from our schools due to teaching core concepts along with the specials and the influx of standardized testing. In my school, each specials teacher is required to have one area in Math that they will help to instruct along with their usual standards and requirements. Exactly HOW we do is left up to us. I once knew a PE teacher who used a cool target tossing game to teach state capitals. I should've played because I still don't know all of mine! But anywho....
I wanted to share with you the lesson that I just finished with fourth and fifth grade students to reinforce symmetry, pattern and repetition in preparation for the MCAS, as those are areas that needed to be enforced in our student population.
In a matter of two weeks, we completed four projects that teach and explore those three concepts. Each with different products. Some with different materials. But all with the use of imagination and cultural connection. ((So did I cross THREE curricula??!! Even better!)) The two projects that taught symmetry, were the African mask drawings and the 2D design kente cloth. The two projects that taught pattern were the Adire Eleko and the 2D design mosaic pottery.
This year I have a smartboard, so I was able to show images of authentic African art! I also used power point and my smart document camera to make their lesson plans in a step by step fashion,
so the children would know what to do next! There was just enough room for creativity and expression paired with just enough " teaching" and clear expectations. After clean up time we played interactive games on the smartboard that taught symmetry and pattern to reinforce the ideas in a different aspect! Next year I will have to come up with more innovative projects where the kids can actually use the technology to create the work and not just as a reference!
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