Curriculum Project

Grade Two Visual Arts:

Ideas and Inspirations

Kathryn Kohli

200276761

February 12, 2009

EPS 100
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Ken Goulet

This is a grade two level unit in the subject of Visual Art. The unit is called Ideas and

Inspiration with the subject being “Under the Sea”. This unit was found from the Evergreen

Curriculum on the website: http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/artsed/g2arts_ed/index.html.

Foundational Objectives:

• Begin to understand the variety of sources for visual art ideas.

• Begin to develop own ideas into visual art expressions, using the processes and materials

of visual art.

• Begin to think and talk about own visual art ideas and expressions.

Lesson 1: 45 minutes

This lesson is intended to introduce students to the world under the sea. The students will

be able to look through books and worksheets to learn about different sea creatures and the

environment under the water. The students will do this in pairs or small groups. They will be

asked to pick their favourite sea creature for the next lesson.

Lesson 2: 60 minutes

This lesson is to introduce the artsy side of this unit. The lesson will begin with a short

instruction of how to work with clay. Then the students will start to mold the sea creature they

were asked to pick out from the previous lesson. The rest of the lesson will be for the children to

complete their clay moldings. If they finish early they can go through more handouts and books

about the sea.

Lesson 3: 45 minutes

This lesson is to include the First Nations and Métis content into the unit. I would create

some handouts showing the students the different colours and symbols the First Nations and
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Métis people use in their art. We would talk about the colours and symbols and their meanings.

Then the students would be asked to create an under the sea scene using the symbols and colours

they learned about that day. Students would learn about other artists and could become inspired

by their work. It would also be their choice of medium to use on paper.

Lesson 4: 45 minutes

This lesson is to get the students to really use their personal creativity in their art projects.

The whole idea of this project is to create a big class under the sea mural. And each student

would be able to add to this mural. Each student would be asked to design their own type of sea

creature. They would use paint and could use other materials on the paper. Each student’s

picture would be glued onto the giant mural. They would name their creature and say a couple

facts about it. The student’s inspiration would come from everything they have learned this

week, plus their imagination.

Lesson 5: 45 minutes

This lesson would wrap up the unit. The student’s would have 25 to 30 minutes to

complete any of the projects they haven’t completed yet. And if they were finished they could

colour under the sea pictures or read some books. Then the last 15 to 20 minutes would be spent

sharing with the rest of the class. The students would pick their favourite project they did and

present it to the class.

Instructional Objectives:

• To be able to use their creativity and imagination in the work they do.

• To learn about the ocean and the different types of creatures that live there.
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• To learn about different art techniques and how to use different mediums in their

artworks.

• To learn about the art the First Nations and Métis people do.

• To learn about the First Nations and Métis peoples symbolic meanings and the meaning

of the art they do.

• To be able to sort of research and learn independently.

Instructional Strategies:

• Group work

• Reading

• Class discussions

• Doing a variety of art projects

• Handouts and worksheets

• “Hands on Learning”

• Trips to the library

• Public speaking/sharing

Activities:

• Research and reading.

• Creating a clay mold of a sea creature.

• A drawing or colouring of an under the sea scene.

• Create your own sea creature.

• Presentation to the class.

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Common Essential Learnings:

• Communication

1. Introduce students to doing other types of art and learning about the sea while

doing it.

2. Provide opportunities for students to reflect to their own and other students’ work.

3. Create opportunities for students to express their ideas in a variety of ways,

allowing students to learn from each other's thinking and to demonstrate their

present understanding.

• Critical and Creative Thinking

1. Guide students' analysis of various arts experiences in order to deepen

understanding of the concepts being explored.

2. Allow for differing expression and interpretation of assignments, and encourage

imaginative responses.

3. Plan opportunities for students to think in images and to manipulate visual

images.

4. Encourage students to use different mediums and create different pieces of art.

• Independent Learning

1. Guide students in the development of their own art works.

2. Encourage use of resources both inside and outside the school.

3. Encourage students to talk about arts expressions experienced outside of school.

4. Plan experiences that lead to independent exploration.

• Numeracy

1. Use mathematical vocabulary (e.g., square, cone, binary form).

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2. Have students experience and demonstrate quantitative differences as well as

qualitative differences (e.g., smooth versus rough textures).

3. Help students develop spatial concepts, such as proportion, symmetry, and

distance. Learn spatial relationships; for example, looking at art works that have a

foreground, middle ground, and background, and discovering that overlapping is a

way to show distance.

4. Have students look for and create patterns.

• Personal and Social Development

1. Explore varied cultural content.

2. Explore the themes, colours, and symbols of arts expressions to foster greater

understanding of various cultures, of people, and of discrimination or bias when

present.

3. Model and encourage sensitive responses to the ideas, comments, and creative

expressions of others.

4. Have students work co-operatively in paired or small group activities.

• Technological Literacy

1. Help students understand how technology shapes and is shaped by society; for

example, examine how artists in each strand use technology.

2. Enhance students' perceptual abilities and awareness.

3. Help students see how the constructed environment influences, and is influenced

by, the natural environment.

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Adaptive Dimension:

• Visually Impaired

1. The student could use more three dimensional materials to create their art

projects.

2. They could also use electronic or specialty books.

3. They could also do a different form of art that isn’t visual. Such as a physical

form of art, a musical form or an electronic form.

• Physically Impaired

1. They could do the art projects to the best of their ability (depending on the type of

disability).

2. They could get help from other students with the parts they aren’t able to

accomplish.

3. They could do a different form of the project if they weren’t able to complete it.

• Hearing Impaired

1. They could use visual aids rather than through a speaking discussion.

2. Research using picture books or a different visual source.

• More Challenging

1. Have the student use a different medium that is harder to use.

2. Give the student an extra art project to complete if they are too far ahead.

3. Have the student do a more difficult version of the art project.

• Easier

1. Allow the student to use different mediums such as colouring rather than building.
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2. Make the art project easier by allowing the child to draw or colour an easier

image.

3. Have the student learn through listening books rather than reading books.

First Nations and Métis Content:

The students will receive handouts that show pictures of different First Nations and Métis

art. In their art, they use a lot of different specific symbols and colours. The students will learn

what these symbols and colours mean. There will be a class discussion about what they mean

and why they are used in the art. The students will be able to understand some First Nations and

Métis art and will be able to relate it to their own art. Using what they learned about this type of

art, they will create their own picture of a sea scene. They will try to incorporate the symbolic

colours and symbols and maybe come up with some of their own. This allows the students to

relate different cultures to their own. It will also allow them to use their imaginations in creating

their own symbols and meanings in their artwork. It will help to teach that there is meaning to art

rather than just the art alone.

Assessment Processes:

The students will be evaluated on each of their art projects. Along with evaluating the

actual art project, they will be evaluated on their effort, time used and if they were doing the

right assignment. For example, they drew a picture of a fish and not a dinosaur, or if they drew a

picture rather then doing the clay model like they were supposed to. I would use a rubric similar

to the one used on this website,

http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/artsed/pdf/checklists/evaluating_creative.pdf. However, I

would simplify this rubric a bit because it is a bit too complex for a grade two’s art project.

Also, I would hand out papers and ask the students to write what they thought about their work.
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I would ask them to write their favourite part about their project and use these self evaluations in

my evaluation of the project.

Learning Outcomes:

After completing this unit the students will have a much broader view on different types

of artwork and different mediums to use. They will be able to understand the different ways of

doing art projects; molding, drawing, painting, etc. They will also be able to know how to use

different types of art materials. They will have the opportunity to discover what works and what

doesn’t. So, this will open their mind to so much more in the art world for the next time they are

doing art or some other activity.

In this unit, the students are asked to use their imaginations in many different ways.

Though they had a main topic, they were able to use it in different ways and express their

imagination through visual art. They have the opportunity to make decisions about what they

like and what they want to do for their projects. This unit left a lot of open space for students to

discover art. Because the purpose of this unit was to get students thinking about different kinds

of art and different ways to do it. As well, they are able to learn about a whole different world,

the sea. They will learn a great variety of different topics basically at their choice.

Though this was an art unit, they will be able to practice their reading and writing skills.

Since they were doing research in the library and spending their spare time reading, they will be

able to strengthen their skills. They also have to fill out worksheets and write certain facts down.

This helps them to practice their printing and writing skills. They will be able to use what they

learned in this art unit and apply it to other subjects in school. They can write about the ocean or

can better express their imagination in writing class. So now, they are able to better collaborate

their imagination and school skills together.

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And finally, they will be able to learn about First Nations and Métis art and artists. They

will be able to identify certain colours and symbols First Nations and Métis use in their art. And

they will be able to connect themselves to First Nations and Métis through their artwork. It will

also allow them to better understand the importance of symbolism in art. They have the

opportunity to create their own symbolism in one of the projects. Overall this art unit is a blend

of different school subjects in one for the students to learn.

Questions and Answers:

A. My visual arts unit does satisfy the three main types of learning styles. It satisfies the

visual learners obviously because it is a visual arts class. The visual learners also learn about the

sea through the books which have many pictures in them. They also easily learn about the First

Nations and Métis art because they are viewing photos of it. Then they can connect it to their

own art. It also nicely satisfies the auditory learners because part of the learning takes place in

class discussions, library trips and reading. The students will also be working in small groups so

they can communicate and share ideas with other students in the classroom. The last lesson of

presentations will be most beneficial to the auditory learners. And finally the tactile-kinesthetic

learners will definitely be satisfied as well because all of the projects are hands on. They will

especially benefit from the clay molding project. And in an art class they aren’t sitting in desks

all class listening to the teacher, they are moving around the classroom.

This unit will address many different intelligences because the unit includes a variety of

different instructional strategies and activities. However, a visual arts class might not benefit the

logical student as it would a visual student. There is a lot of reading and writing involved in the

unit that will benefit the verbal intellect student. So, throughout this unit a little bit of each of the

intelligences will be able to be benefited from. But the goal of this unit is to get students using
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their imagination and expressing it through art. So, this unit may not satisfy each of the

intelligences completely, but can allow each student to express their emotional aspects through

art.

I can determine if students are learning cooperatively if while they are in their groups

focused and on task. As long as they are doing this, they will be discussing with each other what

facts they think are most important, sharing what their favourite creature is, etc. Also, during the

class discussions if students are commenting on others’ comments, they are taking part in

cooperative learning. I can determine if students are learning experientially if I can recognize the

connection they are making with themselves and the art they are doing. People sometimes add

parts of themselves in their artwork, so maybe the students will too. Also, if they are finding

inspiration by looking at what other students are doing in the class, I think they are learning in an

experiential way. And finally I will be able to recognize that students are engaging in

independent learning if they are using their own imagination in their art. And if they are able to

make decisions on their own about what they want to create and how to create it. If they are able

to work independently like this I think it will determine that independent learning is taking place

in the classroom.

B. I originally chose to do a visual arts unit because I think art is one of the best

subjects in school. I think this because it allows students to work in a relaxed, calm environment

but still be able to be on task. There isn’t pressure to get the right answer like in math or put the

correct punctuation on a sentence. It allows students to be creative where no one’s project is

going to be wrong.

I chose to do the unit called ideas and inspirations because I think a lot of students

struggle in this area. With all the technology and new inventions, children are forgetting what it
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is like to use their imaginations. And I personally know that art class is one of the few subjects I

actually use my imagination in. I think it is good for children to experience and pretend what it’s

like in another world. I personally think that some teachers and school subjects lack creativity

and imagination. So, I think that teachers should try to involve more creativity into the students’

schoolwork. I chose to do this unit to try and create more sparks of imagination and creativity

into the students’ schoolwork and life.

As I was thinking about a main topic to follow for the unit, I was trying to think of a

theme that was both imaginative but also something one would learn in school. I came up with

the under the sea theme because the ocean is a place that students learn about in schools. But

also the sea is such an imaginative place because no one knows everything about it. There are so

many different interpretations of ocean life. I think it would be a good idea for children to really

use their imaginations in this situation.

For the art assignments I chose for the unit, I tried to create a variety of different projects.

I wanted the students to use what they learned mixed with their imaginations and express it

through their art. For deciding what activities and instructional strategies to use, I thought about

making a variety so it would benefit all the different kinds of learners in the classroom. I wanted

to have a project that at least each student in the classroom would enjoy doing. Also, I wanted to

show students the variety of ways there are to do art. For example, to use different mediums,

make different designs and pictures and explore within their imaginations. This way they were

open minded to do anything they wanted to do.

C. The students will be creating a few products during this unit but the two main ones

are the clay molding and the final painting. The first product, the clay molding, is supposed to

be a mold of their favourite sea creature. From the first lesson when the students were
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researching, they were to pick out their favourite sea creature. Then they would take clay, play

dough, plasticine or some other clay form medium and build their creature. Then after they

would mold their creature they could add anything to it, such as paint, sparkles, buttons or any

other material. The point of this project is to put what they learned to a certain type of art form.

I would mark this piece of artwork using a rubric like the one on the curriculum website.

The sections would include; effort, time well spent in class, having a creature picked out ahead

of time, the mold looking like the creature, and the overall product. The rubric would also

include little detail sections including if the student used the art techniques taught at the

beginning of class. But the marking of this project would be more strongly based on the

student’s effort and how they worked on it rather then how well it turned out. I would also

handout a little self evaluation sheet that just asks the students to describe what they did and

what they like about their piece. I would look over these and compare them to my thoughts

while marking the student on the rubric.

The other art project is a class collaboration project. Each student must design their own

sea creature, plant, or any ocean related object. The student could use a variety of different

mediums but their main picture would be focused on using paint. After they painted their picture

they could add materials to it or draw something else on it, anything they wanted to. Then

everyone’s picture would be pasted onto the giant sea mural in the classroom.

The assessment of this project would be the same format as the assessment for the clay

project with only a few slight obvious modifications, such as using the paint properly rather than

the clay. I would especially be looking for if the student really used his or her imagination and

let him or she be completely creative.

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D. A curriculum is obviously a very important tool and resource for every teacher. And

so it’s good to be following along with it because it is what the teacher needs to know. I think

when learning to be a teacher it is important to look at some curriculums and get a feel for them.

It is important to understand how to work with them because a teacher will need them for the rest

of her career. It allows us to understand and learn about what teachers are teaching in schools

right now. So, looking at curriculums right now will give us a broader view on different

teaching styles and objectives. And it can prepare us future teachers for what we will need to

know when we become teachers.

I think the Evergreen Curriculum is significant because it is very resourceful and helpful

to almost every subject and grade to be taught. I think it is well organized and is easy to look

through and find information. It has a lot of very useful information, not just random

information about different units. It includes almost everything that a teacher would need to be

able to teach the lesson or unit. I would find it very easy and useful to use the Evergreen

Curriculum for any more of my projects or teaching a class.

I think the Evergreen Curriculum is also beneficial because teachers can compare other

curriculums to this one. They can see other ways of teaching a certain class or subject. It also

provides many new ideas that the future provincial curriculums may not include. It is basically

beneficial to future teachers because it gives them another source to refer to when first starting

out or doing projects for Education classes. It is also significant because teachers can compare

what was being taught to what is being taught now. And can discover how schools are teaching

students and can decide how to teach their own class. Each kind of curriculum a teacher faces

throughout her career will be significant to her in some manner. It gives her a chance to compare

and contrast different learning styles and techniques.

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