Elementary Classroom
Following your elementary classroom observation, describe how art materials, visual forms, images, or activities were used in the classroom by answering the following three questions (200 words total):
1. What form of arts integration or interdisciplinary learning units have you observed? In what ways were the visual forms investigated, learned, discussed, or produced in the classroom?
1. What form of arts integration or interdisciplinary learning units have you observed? In what ways were the visual forms investigated, learned, discussed, or produced in the classroom?
- There aren't many forms of art integration in my host classroom. However, I am not in there during times where they could potentially be incorporating art. I have seen bits and pieces around the classroom but have not personally been there. A few examples that I have observed in the classroom would be when the different groups created their "colony poster" for the colonization unit. Each group created a name, a logo and a slogan and then designed a flag that hung over their group for the rest of the unit. Also, for literacy week, they created a poster that said "18 ways to become a better reader" and each had to create a notecard that said "read" in a way that described them. They got to design it anyway they wanted. Additionally, there is a chalkboard designated for artwork or any school work that the students can post. When they hang their work on the board, their peers write positive comments/feedback. They can add to the chalkboard anytime they want. Most of the work that is posted is some sort of artwork. I am unsure if they retrieve this particular work from art class or if they create it in the general education classroom.
- I think the big idea or theme used in these scenarios are imagination. My host teacher really encourages the student to become their own, she really encourages them to use their imagination and bring out themselves in everything that they do. When it came to designing the "read" notecard, I found the big idea to be describing who you are through creating your notecard by reflecting on who you are. For the colony posters, I found the big idea hard to find. The students had complete control on what the name, logo and slogan was. It did not reflect anything related to their topic at hand, it was completely free reign. As for the artwork board, that is left to interpretation and dealt with observations and reflecting on the different work posted.
- Suggestions that I would have for integration would have a purpose. I think that it is important for the students to understand why they are creating what they are creating, everything in the classroom has a purpose. I think for these different art pieces described above, the students had no connection and just colored their flag, or "read" notecard. I noticed that all the notecards had the same look and feel to them. I don't think that any of the students took into account the directions for having the notecards reflect who they were. For the flags, I think that the names, logos and slogans should reflect the topic at hand. I think that they could have "remade" the flags that were dealt with during those times and somehow twist it into their own. I think this would make deeper meaning and have the students more engaged.
Art Classroom
Following your art room observations describe (200 words total):
1. The content of the lesson: written and spoken objectives, and resources used
1. The content of the lesson: written and spoken objectives, and resources used
- The lesson that I was observing was for first graders. There task was building a lunch plate. This consisted of a the place mat, plate, plastic forks, napkins, sandwich, and watermelon. They used glue, scissors, art stick, tissue paper, and construction paper. They weaved/or quilted together their place mat. They glued on their plate, napkin, and utensils on their quilt as if they were sitting at the dinner table. They were to use the construction paper to make the bread and proceed to use the tissue paper as the ingredients on the sandwich. They used red and green construction paper and used a sharpie to draw the seeds. At the end of the project, they used sharpies to draw ants like if they were at a real picnic.
- It was hard to tell her teaching strategies. The class was loud and out of control. As she presents to the class, she demonstrates on the overhead screen. She models each piece of the project, then turns it over to the students, she does this for each part. As she is trying to give instructions, the students were talking and she proceeded to just talk over them. She gives the students like five minutes to create each piece and then counts down from 20 seconds and expects them to be done.
- As stated earlier, the class was out of control. The students would be talking as she is trying to demonstrate but proceeds to talk over them. Also, the students would be throwing around materials to each other and she would allow it to happen. They were very loud. They did not listen to instruction, probably because they were talking while she gave directions.
- The classroom is very colorful. The students sit at tables in groups of 4 to 5. Posters around the room with descriptive words, such as, rhythm, line, movement, color, etc. Many popular art pieces on display. She has a bulletin board that has the finish product (she created) of what each grade level is working on at the moment.