Protect your Nest s Eggs Understanding balance, weight, and the chemistry of ceramics

Transcription

1 Protect your Nest s Eggs Understanding balance, weight, and the chemistry of ceramics Objective: Students will gain an understanding of volume and balancing weight through the construction of a bird s nest from various found objects. Students will also explore the chemistry of ceramics by sculpting and glazing the accompanying eggs. The students will document their findings by recording and converting weight measurements in addition to testing their nest design on a platform. Materials Needed: For the Nest Shredded Paper Strips String or Yarn Pipe Cleaners Tooth Picks Leaves Twigs Glue Scissors Popsicle Sticks for platform For the Eggs 8 oz of wet clay per student Scale to measure and record weight Assortment of ceramic glaze Paint Brushes for ceramic glaze Kiln to fire clay and glaze Optional: Found Bird s Nest Procedure:

2 Introduce the lifecycle of a bird and discuss how nest building provides a safe place for eggs and hatchlings to grow. Most birds construct their nests from found objects and can be found in trees, on the ground, on cliffs, and even manmade structures. Birds will meticulously build their nest for their eggs. When constructed in a tree, they require detailed attention to balance so that the wind does not disturb the nest. Students will complete this entire project in groups of 4. Step 1: The students will sculpt the eggs for their nest from clay. In order to further understand the chemistry of clay, the instructor will ask the students to observe and record various phases of the process. So that the students can properly document their findings, the instructor will introduce the following video What Chemical Changes Happen When Pottery is Fired in a Kiln? As the students work with clay to sculpt their eggs, they will record the weight of the clay in the following phases: Wet (Saturated), Dry (Atmosphere Dry prior to entering kiln for first firing), and Vitrification (The transformation of a substance to glass as a result of heat). Students are to hypothesize if they believe the clay will become lighter or heavier once it is complete. The students will document the weight in ounces and will convert it to grams. 1 oz = grams therefore the formula for the conversion is x(28.35). First, each student will document and describe the texture of the clay and properties of the clay, then they will record the weight. The students will sculpt the clay into the shape of an egg. The instructor must use a skewer to poke a hole from the base into the center of the egg in order to ensure proper drying. Each egg will undergo atmospheric dehydration, which could take 1-2 weeks depending on the density of the egg. Students will record the weight of the clay egg once it has properly dehydrated. The instructor will fire each egg in the kiln where it will undergo the vitrification process. Once each egg has cooled down and is removed from the kiln, the students will glaze each egg. The instructor will introduce glaze to the students and will discuss that glaze is a coating used on ceramics that contains glass particles that liquefies into a glass coating when fired in the kiln as a result of heat. Students will weigh their egg once it has been removed from the kiln after it has been glazed. It is important to note that in this state, the egg has become a solid. Step 2:

3 Instructor will share videos with students of birds building their nest using found objects. The following PBS video shows a hummingbird building it s nest from objects found in nature such as spider webs, leaves, and twigs The students and instructor will discuss the importance of balance and equilibrium when building a nest on a branch. If available, the instructor will provide the students with an actual bird s nest so that the students may observe and document the texture and structure of the bird s nest. The students will use shredded strips of paper, string, yarn, pipe cleaners, toothpicks, leaves, twigs, and glue to assemble their nest. In addition to the nest, they must assemble a platform that resembles a tree branch using Popsicle sticks. This platform will be used to test the weight of the eggs in order to ensure that the nest is a secure place for the eggs to hatch. Step 3: Each group will carefully place each egg into their nest and platform to test the equilibrium of their nest. They will record their findings as they make adjustments to their nest. Once the nest is complete and successfully balanced, the class will discuss and share their findings. The instructor will encourage the students to share their recordings of the clay s weight throughout the process, as well as what materials they used to create their nest. The students will share why they feel their selection in material made their nest successfully balance on the platform. Any students with unsuccessful nests will also be encouraged to share their results and lessons. The final step of the process will require each student to complete a critique on a post it. The critique will be a TAG critique, which is short for Tell the artist something you like, Ask the artist a question, and Give the artist a suggestion. This form of critique can be adjusted to the project as a whole and does not have to be limited to the art portion of the project. Art Vocabulary: Ceramics Glaze Sculpture Mixed Media Kiln Found Objects Science Vocabulary: Saturation

4 Dehydration Vitirification Life Cycle Semi-solid Solid Mass Equilibrium/Balance Math: Ounces Grams Florida State Standards Big Ideas (Science): SC.5.P.8.1 Compare and contrast the basic properties of solids, liquids, and gases, such as mass, volume, color, texture, and temperature Also Assesses SC.3.P.8.1 Measure and compare temperatures of various samples of solids and liquids. SC.3.P.8.2 Measure and compare the mass and volume of solids and liquids. SC.3.P.8.3 Compare materials and objects according to properties such as size, shape, color, texture, and hardness. SC.4.P.8.1 Measure and compare objects and materials based on their physical properties including: mass, shape, volume, color, hardness, texture, odor, taste, attraction to magnets. Florida State Standards Big Ideas Art: VA.5.S.3.1 Use materials, tools, techniques, and processes to achieve expected results in two- and/or three-dimensional artworks. VA.5.S.2.3 Visualize the end product to justify artistic choices of tools, techniques, and processes. VA.5.F.3.3 Work collaboratively with others to complete a task in art and show leadership skills. VA.5.C.3.3. Critique works of art to understand the content and make connections with other content areas. Florida State Standards Big Ideas (Math):

5 MAFS.5.MD.1.1Convert among different-sized standard measurement units (i.e., km, m, cm; kg, g; lb, oz.; l, ml; hr, min, sec) within a given measurement system (e.g., convert 5 cm to 0.05 m), and use these conversions in solving multi-step, real world problems.

6 STEAM 5.0 Calibration Matrix Planning Guide Classroom Grade-level Department School-wide Standard- Driven Activity STEAM 1.0 (Science) STEAM 2.0 (Technology) STEAM 3.0 (Engineering) STEAM 4.0 (Arts) STEAM 5.0 (Mathematics) Activity Title: Protect Your Nest s Eggs o Standard: SC.5.P.8.1 Research Demonstration Experimenting Analyzing & Critiquing your own experiments o Technology Infusion Smartboard Interactive Presentations Coding o Engineering Process Infusion: Real World Need/Problem Planning Prototyping Testing Redesign/Improve Communicate Findings o Standard: VA.5.S.3.1 Creativity & Innovation Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making Communication and collaboration Describing, analyzing, and critiquing visual and performing artworks Research and report locate, organize, and synthesize information related to visual and performing artworks o Standard: MAFS.5.MD.1.1 Memorization Computation Word Problems Analyzing & Critiquing your own problems Understanding volume and the distribution of solids The life cycle of a bird and it s habitat Smart board activities Videos Platform to test nest design and egg weight distribution Mixed Media Sculptures Clay and Glaze transformation Measurement and analysis of weight of eggs. Weight conversion from ounces to grams Marcia STEAM 5.0 Calibration Matrix Planning Guide