I will be teaching PreK-8th graders, including a self contained special education classroom, and all students will all have a spring spiral experience. Students' eyes will begin to observe the natural world around them from another perspective, maybe even a snail's perspective. I will adapt the study of spirals through art for the PreK-8th grade students I teach at the Nathan Hale School and can be used to teach high school students as well.
Students will see spirals in: DNA double helix, sunflowers, the path of draining water, weather patterns (including hurricanes, tornadoes, etc), vine tendrils, phyllotaxis (the arrangement of leaves on a plant stem), galaxies, the horns and tails of various animals, mollusc shells, the nautilus shell, snail shells, whirlpools, and more.
Students will all create one spiral work of art to display on the bulletin walls of the various spirals everywhere! Students in all grades will participate in a “sit spot”. I am excited to share “sit spot” as a tool to help students learn to stop and pause for either an outdoor experience, or an indoor experience to deepen their natural observational skills. Students will make connections as well as develop their five sense observational skills during this “sit spot” experience.
Spiral Study Grades PreK-1st
PreK-1st students will begin to gain knowledge that spirals are everywhere. Students will create spirals with shaving cream for a spiral sensory experience. Students will use fine motor skills and sensory experience when making shaving cream spirals. PreK-1 will also create Snail compositions and Iguana compositions. Spirals will be introduced to all students by briefly viewing interactive teacher created Google Slide Show and videos embedded within the spiral slideshow. Spiral picture books and Swirl by Swirl Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman will be shown. Students in lower grades will use tempera and watercolor paint only to make spiral creations.
Spiral Study Grades 2-4
Students in grades 2-4 will view teacher- guided google slideshow to see some teacher-led information on spirals to help students easily navigate later on as a sneak peak of spiral information. If the students can bring chrome books to class then students will have part of a class to navigate my google slide show in pairs. All internet surfing guidelines will be disussed. The 2nd-4th grade group will have “choice” with pencil, crayon, and or tempera paint for their spiral art composition and or direction as well. Students in grades 2-4 will choose where they wish to spiral down or up with their spiral creation! After receiving some language arts spiral inspirations, 2-4 grade students will create black out poems, shape poems, or short illustrated spiral stories.
Students will read Swirl by Swirl Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman for inspiration to see an example of how to write a spiral poem. Students will write a creative writing spiral piece. Students will write or give an oral artist statement to respond to their spiral creation.The students will have “choice” again as to which project they wish to work on in class. Some students might wish to create a poem or spiral inspired shape poem and illustrate the poem on the same paper, which is workable as well. I find 2–4 grade students do even better when they have two assignments as it allows students to be on task while waiting for something to dry or when stamina or focus becomes a challenge.
Spiral Study Grades 5-8
This age group is my focus group and I give an in-depth step by step explanation of the spiral S.T.E.A.M. unit in my overview section below. The focus group will be a deep dive learning experience in spirals. Students in the middle school grade levels will use technology and art to articulate their spiral unit both visually with technology and in oil pastel. The students in this age group will gain skills socially and emotionally as well with collaborations and technology independence.
Spiral Study Grades 9-12
For High School students, this spiral unit of study would make a great fall opening assignment to immerse students in S.T.E.A.M connections. Beginning the school year with having students work independently to select the direction in spirals of their choosing will enlighten where the students are. After teaching high school students for over five years I know this unit would make a great opening learning opportunity for students in grades 9-12 and a great way of learning about the new class makeup of students. Teachers can take all focused group plans and modify them accordingly.
