Individual Lesson Winter 2016

Student Name: Tawnie Speaker

Target Grade: 5th
Subjects Addressed: Visual Arts, Science (Chemistry)
National Core Art Standard(s):
Visual Arts/Creating
#VA:Cr2.2
Process Component: Investigate
Anchor Standard: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
Enduring Understanding: Artists and designers balance experimentation and safety,
freedom and responsibility while developing and creating artworks.
Essential Question: How do artists and designers care for & maintain materials, tools, &
equipment? Why is it important for safety & health to understand & follow correct
procedures in handling materials & tools? What responsibilities come with the freedom to
create?
VA:Cr2.1.5
Experiment and develop skills in multiple art-making techniques and approaches through
practice.
Visual Arts/Creating
#VA:Cr2.3
Process Component: Investigate
Anchor Standard: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
Enduring Understanding: People create and interact with objects, places,
and design that define, shape, enhance, and empower their lives.
Essential Question: How do objects, places, and design shape lives and communities?
How do artists and designers determine goals for designing or redesigning objects,
places, or systems? How do artists and designers create works of art or design that
effectively communicate?
VA:Cr2.2.5
Demonstrate quality craftsmanship through care for and use of materials, tools, and
equipment.
Visual Arts/Creating
#VA:Cr3.1
Process Component: Reflect, Refine, Continue
Anchor Standard: Refine and complete artistic work.
Enduring Understanding: Artist and designers develop excellence through practice and
constructive critique, reflecting on, revising, and refining work over time.
Essential Question: What role does persistence play in revising, refining, and
developing work? How do artists grow and become accomplished in art forms? How
does collaboratively reflecting on a work help us experience it more completely?
VA:Cr2.3.5
Identify, describe, and visually document places and/or objects of personal significance.

Individual Lesson Winter 2016

Core Content Subject Standard(s) (Next Generation Science):

Disciplinary Core Ideas
PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter

Matter of any type can be subdivided into particles that are too small to see, but
even then the matter still exists and can be detected by other means. A model
showing that gases are made from matter particles that are too small to see and are
moving freely around in space can explain many observations, including the
inflation and shape of a balloon and the effects of air on larger particles or objects.
(5-PS1-1)

Developing and Using Models

Modeling in 35 builds on K2 experiences and progresses to building and revising
simple models and using models to represent events and design solutions.

Use models to describe phenomena. (5-PS1-1)

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

Planning and carrying out investigations to answer questions or test solutions to problems
in 35 builds on K2 experiences and progresses to include investigations that control
variables and provide evidence to support explanations or design solutions.

Make observations and measurements to produce data to serve as the basis for
evidence for an explanation of a phenomenon. (5-PS1-3)

Scale, Proportion, and Quantity

Natural objects exist from the very small to the immensely large. (5-PS1-1)

Connections to Nature of Science

Scientific Knowledge Assumes an Order and Consistency in Natural Systems

Science assumes consistent patterns in natural systems. (5-PS1-2)

Individual Lesson Winter 2016

Part 1
How could you combine these subject areas in a lesson or series of lessons?
The central question is around the different states of matter and what molecules look like
within each state. As a class, we would discuss examples of each state of matter and
allow students to brainstorm how molecules might look across those examples. As their
engineering sketch design of how the molecules would look in each state, students will
use the art technique of pointillism to create images of different objects knowing that
each point represents a molecule. The students will do so using small paint dabbers in
which they will be told how to use them and care for the materials. After creating their
pointillism sketches, the students will then build models based on their sketch using paper
plates, glue, and cotton balls. Students will be told that the paper plates represent a
zoomed in section of each of their pointillism images and the cotton balls have now
become their molecules. Students will have the freedom to make their models as they
see fit to their sketches. At the end of the engineering process, students will be allowed
to have a gallery walk in which they observe other students sketch and design process
and encourage others in what they did well and possible modifications they could make.
What would students DO or PRODUCE in the lesson(s)?

Engineering Design Process:

Ask

What are some examples of each state of matter? (List items together on
whiteboard with the class)
o Solid?
o Liquid?
o Gas?
How do molecules look in different states of matter?
Imagine
How do you think they look?

Individual Lesson Winter 2016

o Are they close together?
o Are they far apart?
Plan

Sketch:
o Pointillism
Tri-fold hamburger style a piece of construction paper
Label each section as follows:
Solid Section 1
Liquid Section 2
Gas Section 3
Choose one item from each state that was listed together
Use pointillism technique to create an image of each item noting
that the points should be closer together for solid, far apart for gas,
and somewhere in between for liquid

Create
Model:
o Paper Plates with cotton balls
Students will be given three small dessert paper plates that they
will be told is a zoomed in section of the sketches they made for
each state of matter.
A Ziploc bag full of cotton balls will be provided toe each student
which they can then glue onto each plate to show the molecules
and their spacing according to each state of matter.
Improve
Gallery walk
o When students have completed the planning and creating process, they
will be allowed to have their pointillism trifold and each paper plate model
on their desk and will go around the room and view other students
processes and ideas which they can comment and converse about further
ideas, applications, and/or modifications that could be relevant to the
overall concept of states of matter.

Individual Lesson Winter 2016

Part 2
How would combining these subject areas enhance student learning MORE than
teaching the subjects independently?
This lesson of combining visual art with science would be more beneficial than the
independent teaching of each subject for a few reasons. The interactive nature of the art
itself will potentially be more engaging for the understanding of the chemistry topic they
will be learning. In an essay titled Upper Elementary Students Creatively Learn
Scientific Features of Animal Skulls by Making Movable Books from the Journal for
Learning through the arts, Klein et al. (2015) found that Objects that are handled provide
an additional learning resource through the tactile modality; connect practical, real-world
knowledge to more abstract concepts; and improve memory through physical actions.
(p. 1). For this particular project, I believe that the hands on process (i.e. creating the
model form of the states of matter) will also help make connections for understanding
and improve the students memory of the chemistry information. Additionally, in the
results of a study on implementing theme based courses, Tessier, L. and Tessier, J.
conclude that A significant increase was found with respect to perceptions of how the
subject connected to the theme in all of the classes, in which the themes were reported
statistically as well integrated. (p. 8). Since this could be a two day lesson and can even
be built upon for further understanding, the states of matter/ chemistry theme along with
the integration of art could allow for students to feel both excited and comfortable with
their learning process. Lastly, in an essay titled Learning Through The Arts In Denmark:
A Positive Psychology Qualitative Approach. Chemi explains that In flow terms, one
can say that individuals experience cognitive intensity when they move further out of
their comfort zone and toward engaging challenges, but still feel safe. (p. 11). As the
teacher of this lesson, I would hope to achieve flow for the children but engage them in
a positive way so that their learning experience is more memorable and beneficial to
them. Since chemistry is a fairly scary and challenging subject for children, including
something that children are familiar with since pre-K such as art can anchor their fears
and transform them into interest and excitement about the subject.

Individual Lesson Winter 2016

Citations
Chemi, T. (2015). Learning Through The Arts In Denmark: A Positive Psychology
Qualitative Approach. Journal for Learning Through the Arts, 11(1). Retrieved from
http://escholarship.org/uc/item/84q9717f
Klein, J. L. et al. (2015). Upper Elementary Students Creatively Learn Scientific Features
of Animal Skulls by Making Movable Books. Journal for Learning Through the Arts,
11(1). Retrieved from http://escholarship.org/uc/item/1mp8h0sj
Tessier, L., & Tessier, J. (2015). Theme-based courses foster student learning and
promote comfort with learning new material. Journal for Learning Through the Arts,
11(1). Retrieved from http://escholarship.org/uc/item/5028t6zm