Each lesson is designed for a forty five minute studio art class. For some lessons, you may find forty five minutes is not enough time due to student engagement and cleaning up delays, or various other reasons. For other lessons, you might find your students ready to move on; so always consider back-up plans. There are two possible virtual field trips that I have included links for in the resource section. If teaching in New Haven I encourage two place based educational field trips. The Peabody Museum and the Cushing Center are both places having much information that can inspire topics of study. Visiting either of these places could make for a great introduction to the S.T.E.A.M. unit of study before lesson one and the other field trip could make for a closure or wrap up lesson. If field trips are not in the budget I recommend the virtual field trips.
Lesson one
Students will create art they will start drawing a neurographic art creation. Students start with a scribble and students will keep coloring their art creation while the teacher is reviewing teacher google slideshow. This neurographic art will be an art kick off as well as sharing that this unit of study was inspired by a Yale teachers seminar on eugenics. The teacher will share a google slideshow and the goal is to hook students into finding an area of their interest for students to research and share out.
Lesson two
Students will learn how to make a google slideshow (insert, photos, links, colors, etc.). Students will research online. Students then begin to create their own google slideshows of their own research findings. Students will place topic idea into a shared document in the google classroom or link that has been emailed, to be certain all topic directions are different. Students will work in small groups of two. Students will discuss their own findings or interests either inspired from teacher google slideshow examples, peers, family connection, or from something else. Students will use their self direction for their own created slideshow. Students peer share 5-10 minutes about academic assessments, measuring IQ, considering genes, how do brains work, sorting, data, classifying, or seeing academic overlaps in the domains of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. Students will peer share their possible brainstormed ideas that they are considering.
Lesson three
Students will either be finishing up google slideshows or creating google slideshows. Some students might begin creating an art creation today that demonstrates or depicts their selected topic. Students will be allowed to use varied art supplies. Supply expectations must be reviewed to avoid unnecessary incidents. Colored pencils, markers, water colors will be the encouraged materials to use. Students may create 3D art creations as well. Students will be respectful of art materials and cleaning up of any mess the student might have done. Independence is occurring in the studio or classroom by lesson three.
Lesson four
Students will carry on working with studio art projects or technology slideshow to create their own informative and entertaining mini TEDx talks on their chosen topic.
Lesson five
Students will begin this class with peer shares for about 5to10 minutes of class. Students can ask questions and hopefully this will help students with revisions or edits of their google slideshow. Students then begin finishing up any art or technology details.
Lesson six
Final day to get all together and some students might begin Mini TEDx talk presentations if they are fully done with art creation. Students can create title cards or artist statements or complete personal self assessment.
Lesson seven
Mini TEDx talks will begin by lesson seven unless by lesson five students seem eager and ready to begin. Teachers may select to invite other people to listen to talks (principal, parents, science teacher, etc.)
Lesson eight
Mini TEDx talks continue. If any student is still finishing up art creation they can upload an in process image into google slideshow. Students are encouraged to finish art afterschool or during another possible time.
Lesson nine
Mini TEDx talk and possible reflections on S.T.E.A.M. unit of study
Lesson ten
Mini TEDx talk and possible reflections on unit of study
Other Possible Differentiation/Modification: Flexibility with timelines, flexibility of speaking to teacher rather than in front of entire class, students could also at home or afterschool have someone video them and talk could be uploaded to google slideshow and played in front of peers. Students have open ended artistic choices, some students might need a directed assignment like the kick off assignment, teachers can suggest an artist direction if support is needed. Teachers can offer google slideshow support. The teacher needs to be mindful of the assessment of the whole student, especially student active listening skills. Active listening supports might be offered to students to keep student engagements during peer shares/collaborations mini TEDx talks, a doodle neurographic art piece could be encouraged.
Formative Assessments:
It is very important when assessing the students that the whole child is considered, not just the final S.T.E.A.M. art product or final google slideshow. The teacher observes all the students throughout all lessons. I encourage the teacher to consider student class participation, student responsibility, student research skills, student peer shares, student clean up skills, student individual oral assessments be considered, student peer support, student research skills, student respect, student active listening skills, and other ways to consider the whole student. It is very important to listen to student responses of their topics as well as how all the students actively listens to other presentations, especially after viewing google slideshows. I encourage students to create another neurographic art piece while mini TEDx Talks are given or complete the one they started from the first lesson. Students who doodle can have improved memory recall, and working on neurographic arts help prevent the brain from wandering off of presentations become dull at any point.
