Samantha Reyes 1

Art Integration Unit Plan Habitats

LTC 4240: Art for Children Unit Title & Big Idea: Habitats Grade Level: 4

Unit Overview/Summary:
I will be teaching the students about habitats and the animals that live there through three subjects: science, art, and writing. During the science part of this lesson we will discuss the process of predators, prey, camouflage, food chain, carnivore, herbivore, and adaptation. All things that are a part of the scientific process of habitats. In the art section the students will be picking one habitat and one animal in this particular habitat and creating a Faith Ringgold inspired quilt. In the writing part of this lesson we will be creating imagined narratives about our life in this habitat that each student chooses. Key Concepts (3-4) Essential Questions (3-4)

Class Periods Required:

6, 45 minute class period

Science: Science: 1. A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a 1. What makes a habitat? particular species of animal, plant, or other type of organism. 2. What is a habitat and how many different ones are there in our 2. The habitats of many animals are different due to the needs of world? specific animals. 3. What different animals are in each habitat? Art: Writing: 3. Faith Ringgold is an African-American artist, best known for her 4. What are the elements of a narrative story? Explain. painted story quilts. 5. How can we include narrative characteristics into a story? 4. Art is a great way to show where animals live and what is in their 6. How can you tell stories? environment. Through art the understanding of habitats will be Art: reached. 7. What are ways that art can be helpful in a story? Explain. Writing: 8. What are some ways we can track what we know about habitats in 5. A narrative story is any account of connected events, presented to a science and show it in art? reader or listener in a sequence of written or spoken words, or in a 9. How can you use an artist as a mentor in many different subjects? sequence of pictures. 6. Stories can include animals as the main characters to create a narrative story. Also stories can be imagined and elaborated to create a narrative piece. Unit Objectives: (Excellent resource at http://www.teachervision.fen.com/curriculum-planning/new-teacher/48345.html?for_printing=1&detoured=1) 1. Students will learn what a habitat is through the use of the internet and scientific research. They will work in groups to create their own definition of a habitat. 2. Students will assess the habitat of one specific animal that they choose and focus on this animal for their scientific research. They will record their findings into their scientific notebooks.

Samantha Reyes 2 3. Students will construct a Faith Ringgold inspired quilt with the animal and habitat of their choosing. 4. Students will create a narrative story that involves their animal and their habitat using descriptive details and a plot line.

Grade Level Expectations (GLEs)

(3-4) (http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/GLE/)

Core Academic Standards (Common Core State Standards) (3-4)

(http://www.corestandards.org/)

Science: 1. Organisms are interdependent with one another and with their environment A. All populations living together within a community interact with one another and with their environment in order to survive and maintain a balanced ecosystem b. Identify and describe different environments (i.e. pond, forest, prairie) support the life of different types of plants and animals Art: 3. Communicate ideas about subject matter and themes in artworks created for various purposes C. Theme Create an original artwork that communicates ideas about the following themes: The Environment Writing: 3. Write effectively in various forms and types of writing A. Forms/Types/Modes of Writing Compose a. narrative, descriptive, expository, and/or persuasive texts, using appropriate text features

Science: none Art: none Writing: W.4.3: Write narrative to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Content Areas Integrated:

1. Science 2. Visual Art 3. Writing

Identify & define common vocabulary/concepts that connect the art form with the other identified subject area(s): Habitat Narrative Pattern Desert Temperate forest Rain forest Wetlands Grasslands Polar ice

Samantha Reyes 3 Lesson Titles in Sequence/Order 1. Animals and their habitat (Science) 2. Faith Ringgold quilt of habitats 3. Our lives in the jungle Brief Lesson Descriptions (2-3 sentences each) 1. Students will be learning about habitats and environments in class. Then they will learn about the habitats of many animals and choosing one to do an art and writing project on in class. They will learn about the habitats through research on the computers and through books in the library. Such as Animal Habitats! By Judy Press. As they choose their animal they will start writing down notes in their science notebook. 2. Once the students have picked an animal and a habitat they will watch a short clip on Faith Ringgold, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=794M-mcOJY4 , and then create a quilt with this artist in mind. We will have a class discussion on how we think this type of project will benefit our habitat project. They will have their animal in the center of the quilt as the main feature. Then along the edges of the piece the students will create a border with images of the habitat the animal lives in. The students must include five iconic images of their habitat for the border. 3. Finally the students will write a short story or poem about their artwork. This will tie the big final project together by using the facts from research and the habitat art as the cover. The students can write the narrative either in the perspective of the animal and their life or it can be in the perspective of the student in the habitat of the animal. They will create this story to be presented with the artwork for a gallery viewing by another class and/or parents.

What student prior knowledge will this unit require/draw upon? Students will need to know what an animal is, where animals live, and common facts about different environments. The students will need to know how to write a narrative and the elements to writing a story. The students will need to know some basic art skills such as cutting, gluing and painting. What activities will you use to engage students in imagining, exploring, and/or experimenting in this unit? The students are given multiple animals to choose from, this will allow the student to research something that they like. When writing the story the students have many options on how to go about writing it. They will be encouraged to reach outside of their comfort zones to create the best habitat projects they can. When given all of the animals to choose from they have the capability of imagining many different scenarios for their stories. How will this unit permit/encourage students to solve problems in divergent ways?

Samantha Reyes 4 The writing part of this lesson is pretty free for their imagination so this will cause them to solve the problem of how to decide what to write about and how to format it. Also, giving the students a choice on what their project will be about creates decision making skills to develop. How will you engage students in routinely reflecting on their learning/learning processes? While the students are researching about habitats and animals I will be constantly asking them questions to assess what they have learned about their animal and others. While learning about others animals they will have to jot down one fact from every habitat, this will create learning about more than just their research. How will this unit engage students in assessing their own work and the work of peers? Once the class has finished with the projects we will share out individual work. This will include facts we found when researching, the art element, and the story they wrote. The class will then ask questions to the presenters to gain more information on their animal and habitat. What opportunities/activities will the students be given to revise and improve their understandings and their work? With the students story writing assignment they will be given a time to revise and conference with me, as the teacher. They have two class periods for al elements of this project therefore they can go back and finish or revise what they have. What opportunities/activities will you provide for students to share their learning/understanding/work in this unit? The students will be sharing with the class what they have learned from their research, what they have in their art piece, and also their stories about their animals and habitats. Then the class will get to ask questions to the student about their habitat and their animal. How will you adapt the various aspects of this lesson to differently-abled students? It depends on the students needs. If the student is comfortable with doing certain parts then I will let them but if I see them struggling with a part I will ask if they want help. In the research part I can help by finding certain books on their animal to create an easier way to find facts. If the art part if hard for the student then we can print out pictures instead of coloring, cutting, or pasting. If the writing is the difficult part then I will give more structure to help the student.

References Silverstein, L. B. & Layne, S. (n.d.). Defining arts integration. Retrieved from http://www.americansforthearts.org/networks/arts_education/publications/special_publications/Defining%20Arts%20Integration.pdf http://popplet.com/app/#/1448179
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/rain-forest-ecology/lesson-plan/3508.html#ixzz2kMe7Em7g

Samantha Reyes 5 http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Habitats-Williamson-Little-Series/dp/0824967569 https://www.google.com/search?q=Faith+Ringgold&rlz=1C1SFXN_enUS498US499&espv=210&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=LVSKUvGyFo2Fy QHQ4G4Bw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=642#es_sm=93&espv=210&q=Faith+Ringgold+quilt&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=MKAbj7TX3HZCjM%3A%3B8tXgeYbTp7M2M%3BMKAbj7TX3HZCjM%3A&imgrc=MKAbj7TX3HZCjM%3A%3BKxIrpcjcGubTjM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ndoylefineart.com%252Ffiles %252Fringgoldsunflowers.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ndoylefineart.com%252Fringgold.html%3B378%3B352