Water is everywhere in nature yet water is a resource many take for granted.
Technology has been designed and developed to help human connections yet it appears that humanity is less connected than ever before. Technology supports science, yet it also appears that our earth needs support, especially our water as a resource that needs attention. I ask is our technology supporting water resource issue? I wonder what is my relationship or friendship with water? I wonder what relationship are other people having with water? This unit of study invites students to consider their own relationship with water through the lens of the S.T.E.A.M disciplines.
The goal of the unit of study is to combine the domains of Science, Technology, Art, and Math to raise both Science awareness as well as overall mindfulness to Water, Flow, and Connection. The other goal of this unit of study is for the heart of many students and Art viewers to get connected. This S.T..E.A.M. unit allows students the opportunity to make their own relationship or friendship with water through their own personal inquiry. I want students to research water independently, with a group, or a partner, only to find their own personal heart connection or friendship with water, that inspires a powerful water google slide show presentation and amazing water composition.
During this unit of study 5th grade middle school students will look locally at Water, Flow, and make a Connection. Students will consider their many uses of water they have daily, consider the water or sound around them near New Haven, and make a “backyard” personal connection. Students will then do deep dive research and create a google water slide show showcasing their selected topic. 5th grade students will have many differing water directions as well as differing water compositions. Students will explore water and will raise environmental awareness questions through their own personal water discoveries. I am hoping this S.T.E.A.m. Water, Flow, Connection unit creates inspiring water art compositions that are in direct response to the 5th grade students water research and water interests.
Students will try to connect themselves with water and within other communities around them. Students will use design thinking to create designs for water art compositions. Students will create individual water compositions using varied materials or mixed media. Students will kick off the water unit with writing fun free flowing fast water shape poems. I would like Students to create another shape poem at the end of the unit. I would softly call this the unit pretest and posttest just to see how their shapes or their words may have shifted, grown, evolved, or changed all together by how their research, other student Water google slideshow “share outs” might have impacted their new “post test” shape poems. The goal of this S.T.E.A.M water unit of study is to connect water to the arts and connect students' hearts to water. Students will use the arts as a vehicle to create inquiry for water around us in New Haven Connecticut and beyond. This innovative unit is a S.T.E.A.M. unit of study.
I am hoping students gain a relationship or friendship with water at the end of this compassionate S.T.E.A.M water unit, as they develop their passionate direction and knowledge of water. I want students to consider a list of possible water topics, then self-select a water topic that most interests them to further explore both visually for their mixed media water composition and for their water google slideshow presentation. Students will present orally together, and some selected students will present in front of the 3rd grade as well. Water topic list includes: water contaminants, water flow, drinking water, fractured water systems, alkaline water, hydrogen water, well water, bottled water, hydrogenated water, ionized water, water conservation, water cycle, water treatments, solid/ liquid/ gas forms of water, water-fall, whirlpool, water impacted by climate changes, water impacted by storms, water around coral reefs, or water where sea creatures live and can be impacted by water changes etc.
This unit of study is a catalyst to create student interest in water learning. This unit might also raise other environmental concerns as well. Students can then share about themselves regarding their own relationship with water, how they individually use water and how they can make a possible water commitment or friendship to do one new thing to better locally and to then make water better on this planet earth. Maybe for some students this unit of Water, Flow, and Connection unit will allow students the time and the space for deep mindful water reflection discoveries. This unit of study possibly creates consideration for maybe taking long showers, while for others considering water for entertainment, say swimming, fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, boating. For other students they can consider how much water they use weekly maybe in the home for boiling water for pasta, watering the lawn, washing the cars, for others it might be about the sea creatures, or eating fish for dinner, etc. I want students to consider their own water inquiry. I wonder how many students toss things outside car windows or dump things down drains? I want students to explore different demographics using google earth and google maps as the technology layer into this S.T.E.A.M Water unit. I want students to encourage or consider another location to compare our water as a resource to somewhere else. I want students to explore all the possible water directions: hydrogen water, alkaline water, water contaminants, water dangers, riptides, water erosion, waterborne diseases and illnesses, water PH, water cycles, and more.
At the completion of the Water, Flow, Connection S.T.E.A.M. unit of study, students will share their google slide shows, and share their art creations. Students will experience design thinking when using critical thinking skills during both the art process and google technology slide show. I want line, shape, color as well as value and tone to be woven into students realistic or abstract water compositions. Students will share to peers their water knowledge in an informal class critique. This share will be good practice for public speaking and sharing their own water passions that they gained from the Water, Flow, and Connection unit of study.
Students will deepen their awareness of both water, flow, and connection.
Students will dive into better understandings of their local waterways, while learning about water elsewhere in the world and making connections to themselves and water spaces. Students will use the arts to make friendly connections, to raise awareness to others on our water as a resource when artwork is completed. Students will use technology, art, math, to learn about water, flow, connection or science concepts pertaining to water.
The link below is the shared google slideshow that hopefully will be copied and shared to students as well as other educators in years to come for more interior and maybe even inspire other interior water awareness art or exterior water awareness environmental art creations:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1WJOtkVsDiBX3UkUGFROf-Cf9nrG28sh7NM6krlF6Axk/edit#slide=id.p
This unit of study is relevant to the Art teaching practices especially for those art teachers who use art as a vehicle to learning other domains. Knowledge is power. This unit is designed to inspire internal water interest and have students gain passion within. The goal is to create internally desires for environmental learning, raise awareness, raise concerns and raise student humanity since they are self-selecting their own area of water focus. Often when knowledge connects to the heart center or soul, concrete learning can occur.
Lastly, when considering the art standards below this unit of study connects with many state of CT art standards
2. Visual Arts: Elements and Principles: Students will understand and apply elements and organizational principles of art.
2.1. Students identify the different ways visual characteristics are used to convey ideas.
2.2. Students describe how different expressive features, and ways of organizing them, cause different responses.
2.3. Students use the elements of art and principles of design to communicate ideas.
3. Visual Arts: Content: Students will consider, select and apply a range of subject matter, symbols and ideas.
3.1. Students discuss a variety of sources for art content.
4.3. Students create artwork that demonstrates understanding of how history (current events) or culture can influence visual art.
To what extent does the unit reflect the development of the student growth? Students who learn about their local water sources and how water flows, and how it is treated and distributed can develop a deeper understanding of the value of water. Water as a natural resource. This unit of study helps to shape students' development of water responsibility, nature of the resource of water. Students develop an understanding of how water changes from one area to another and how the water is a cycle that can impact community and the environment. Students dive into the place of local water and out of state water as well as the place or space in between growing and stretching their brains on demographics and water references.
The scale of this unit of study is appropriate and feasible with the time frame of this school year as it beautifully aligns with April 19th National Poetry month and Earth day April 22 and also the spring warmer weather to get students outside and consider nature and water. Kick off unit of study in mid- March; by mid- April, students can be well into water compositions and water google slide share outs roll out end of May into June. Each student gives a 3-5 min water slide show presentation. Great end of year unit plan when it is time to start wrapping up school year. The last few classes are listening to student presentations.
I most love that this unit of study could be the seeds of growing water awareness through S.T.E.A.M. The hope is this shared google document copied to then “flow” onto other teachers to take on making S.T.E.A.M curriculum connections, at various schools, and make various water awareness inspired art as well. Lastly, I love the idea that this S.T.E.A.M unit of study Water, Flow, Connection could be the catalyst of forever heart centered water awareness or mindfulness surrounding water. The goal is to raise awareness of being mindful of water both locally and beyond. The relationship between friends, heart or soul connections, caring is the relationship that we want to inspire students to care about being friendly and kind to their local water.
Just as art is everywhere, water is everywhere and is changing, so the overall goal of this powerful S.T.E.A.M. A water unit is to get students to become better observers and thinkers, as well as to open student minds to possibilities of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math connections through the consideration of their own relationship or friendship with water. I hope students will come to desire learning when they seek independent knowledge of all the kinds of water in the world. While engaged in critical inquiry, students will come to see how water is a precious resource, one to be seriously respected and considered mindfully. I want students to develop skills in self awareness and students will come to build their self-confidence when identifying water characteristics that they were internally drawn to investigate and research as well as ways others have negatively impacted water and ecosystems to try and stop those bad cycles.
I want my water teacher's google slideshow example to inspire students to do better graphically when they depict the water area of their choosing in an amazing, eye-catching way! I want students to consider font, color, etc. Next, I look forward to students using their hands to create watercolor, pencil, collage, oil pastel, mixed media compositions that depicts the water direction of their choosing. Lastly, if an exterior water awareness project can come from this unit of water study, that would be the cherry on top. Many Schools have dumpsters or electrical boxes or other “eye sores” that are great spots to raise exterior water awareness. I believe both hands-on activities will deepen the meaning for this new obtained water knowledge. In this unit some responsible internet decision making skills will be gained as well. Students will gain some practice in public speaking when sharing water google slideshow. Increased listening skills and self control when respecting other student ideas during class oral presentations will be expanded. Students will have an outcome evaluation or rubric of their water idea creation as well as a personal reflection on water all around us and their google slideshow presentation.
This water flow connection unit will also help middle school students with independent self-motivation, impulse control, self-discipline, time management, organizational skills, peer interactions, and peer communications skills. This unit has an element of teamwork when the students work together to brainstorm possible water ideas and then each student will independently select a direction to research their chosen water direction in one area of focus. Students use social engagement when they “pair share” or “bounce” their ideas together and begin to build peer partner relationships, peer connections, and a flow within the community. After students have selected their water direction to research, students then create a google slideshow and request feedback again from their peers. Lastly students create with watercolor or oil pastel composition and students will again “pair share” their artistic suggestions for student revisions or changes.
On the surface this unit may seem to be solely about art elements, principles, and line creations focused on smudging etc while visually appealing. The reveal is amazing that this art composition is actually inspired by a deep dive STEAM water flow connection unit! I want students to gain an understanding of how professional artists go about their art creations. Students will see other artists who were “moved” by water landscapes in their professional art works as well.
The water flow unit will hopefully be deeper and richer than any Art unit so far this school year due to the multi-content layering S.T.E.A.M. involvement. The goal of this unit is also to allow academic and artistic independence as well as students being able to utilize previous skills taught during this school year and now independently applying them. I am hoping by having the students take control of their own water learning directions, that the students will be internally driven by their own inspirations as well as take their learning to a more concrete place of gaining forever knowledge. I am hoping for this Water Flow Connection unit in S.T.E.A.M. there will be an introspective experience that students remember. This unit will support students into becoming deeper critical thinkers as well as strong observers and more respectful and mindful of water all around them. I want this Water Flow Connection unit to be self guided instruction, thinking, and investigating the learning process to transform student learners.
I wish to review some technology “rules” when searching the internet. I want to remind students that they could accidentally stumble upon inappropriate or “off” topic information and that students are not to be distracted. Students are to redirect themselves or log out and redirect back to appropriate “on” topic water territory.
To inspire art creations I will be providing a list of artists that are associated with water inspiration in their art in case students wish to do a recreation or “in the manner of” that particular artist style: Claude Monet, Hokusai, David Hockney, Georgia O’Keefe, Winslow Homer, Helen Frankenthaler, William Turner, Ansel Adams, Helen Chadwick, Zaria Forman, just a few that I will include to give the students a variety of inspiration.
Each of the above artists use water for varying reasons, for example Zaria Forman deals with a more troubling subject through seascape paintings, her works are often inspired by climate change; while Helen Chadwick is a contemporary British artist works that explore the relationship between the human body and water. I included a few other artists in the teacher google slide show as well.
School Setting
My unit is part of a study of water intended for all grades K-8 Art, at the Worthington Hooker School in New Haven. This is a solid S.T.E.A.M. unit. The seven foundations of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) include: Observation, Creativity, Innovation, Planning, Revision, Collaboration, and Presentation. This Water Flow Connection unit touches on all seven foundations. I am focusing on one middle school class for this unit and that class will go through all seven foundations. Students will learn about Water as an Artist focused area as well as consider how water is used or needed in Nature, Math, and even Psychology. Students will be flowing through water upward and downward gaining knowledge on the power of water. Students will then see the power of a water and hopefully establish a friendship with water. During the S.T.E.A.M Water unit Art will be showcased that will display all the Water possibilities from all the grade levels. I will be having grade 5 as a focus group.
I want the students to have viewed a variety of water compositions before they select what water direction they choose. For the student who can not pick the direction of their choosing I will be happy to assign a water direction for that student in order to have our final share out be more rich or varied in S.T.E.A.M. directions of water, flow, and connection. Students will have a few days from one art class to the next to explore, peer share, and to select their own water direction. I want the students to tell me orally their proposed plan and email me as well so I am fully understanding of their independent direction that each student is heading in. I will be teaching approximately 50 plus 5th grade students in the focus group and over 250 students in the other groups experiencing the spring Water Flow Connection unit.
While I will be presenting Water Flow Connection in nature to the entire Worthington Hooker student body in the spring, by March 21, I designed a focus group for this unit of grade 5. I will do a deep dive into water flow connection for this 5th grade group. Then five to seven willing 5th grade students will present their selected water topic and google slide show to the younger 3 grade level classes. This fifth grade age group I see one day a week, with each class being 45 minutes.
The middle school students range in art abilities as well as have different interest areas, so this Water Flow Connection unit will certainly internally motivate each student differently. This S.T.E.A.M. unit is a step into all Worthington Hooker students gaining skills into making connections between Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. I look forward to seeing the students who might weave in Math and work with the golden ratio or fibonacci cycle into say a wave much like artist Leonardo Da Vinci!
This unit will be taught in the spring after my gaining some student rapport as well as students gaining both some background knowledge in art elements and principles. Students will then apply preexisting art knowledge while making connections all around them. By Spring the students will feel more comfortable with navigating independently around the art studio, for example where the sinks brushes etc are located. The spring is also a time of year that all students have some comfort level with working with many different tools and materials throughout the school year as well as knowing clean up protocols. By spring in any given school year the students can better manage independently working aside peers without projects all being the same. The spring is a great time of year to address water safety and Earth day awareness connected to water.
