Lesson Plan Information Grade: 1, 2, 3 Subject: Arts (Visual Arts), Science and Tech (Understanding structures and mechanisms) Topic: Grade 1: Materials, objects, and everyday structures Grade 2: Movement Grade 3: Strong and Stable Structures Duration: 2 hours GRADE 1, 2, 3 LESSON PLAN PLAYGROUND ARCHITECT WOODWORKING Lesson Plan Overview and Objectives Students will design and build a playground based on their understanding of structures and mechanisms using sculptural materials. They will discover how structures and mechanisms are connected and how structures and mechanisms will influence the final design. Through their sculpture, they will demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles of design. Students will learn basic woodworking techniques. They will learn about different types of sculptural/building materials and how they can be used to build their structures. AT QUEEN ELIZABETH PARK COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL CENTRE Playground Architect Woodworking inspired by Didier Cornille Materials Drawing tools, 2D planning template (11x17), wooden base panel (11 x17 ), clear plastic, cardboard, wood scraps, dowels, cardboard rolls, cork, hot glue gun, hot glue stick, handsaw, hand drill, sand paper, scissor, yarn, elastic band Introduction Students explore and discuss playground structures and their purposes. Inspiration Show examples from Didier Cornille, Monstrum, Isamu Noguchi, and Tom Otterness. Discuss the design you see varieties, styles, materials used to build structures. Explore playground structures using elements of design and principles of design. Discuss purpose of a playground structure. Personal approaches and reflections. Guiding questions - What kinds of lines or shapes can you find from the structure? - What can you do on the structure? Can you slide, climb, swing, ride or jump? - What makes the structure a good or special structure? Does it depend on safety, size, uniqueness or variety of activities that you can do? - What types of materials are used for the structure? Page 1 of 5
Demonstration Activity Art terms to be covered: - Elements of design - Principles of design (contrast) - Design (composition) - Dimension - Geometric shape Planning Idea Sketch: Students create an idea sketch of a playground using a 2D planning template. The instructor shows them images of various playgrounds by architects, such as Monstrum, Isamu Noguchi, and Tom Otterness. What kind of playground do they want to design? When designing, ask students to think about the purpose of their structures and how it will influence their design and materials. Demonstration: The woodworking instructor explains different types and characteristics of building materials, and how they can be used to build a structure. The instructor demonstrates woodworking techniques (sawing, drilling, sanding, gluing). Building/Woodworking: Based on the instruction and demonstration, students build their playground structures on their wooden base panel based on their idea sketches. FOR TEACHER BACK AT SCHOOL POST-VISIT ACTIVITIES Post-Visit Activity Artist reflection questions, drawing (optional) Materials Pencil, eraser, paper, crayon Artist Reflection Students describe structures they have created for their playground what is special about them? How has the understanding of the structures mechanisms influenced the creation of their playground structures? What do they like best about their finished work and why? Drawing Designing a Town Students create a town drawing based on the playground that they have created. What kind of houses or buildings do they want to design? What s special about their town? Resources Who Built That? Modern Houses by Didier Cornille Who Built That? Bridges by Didier Cornille Who Built That? Skyscrapers by Didier Cornielle Sunrise to Highrise by Lucy Dalzell Monstrum Isamu Noguchi Tom Otterness FOR TEACHER REFERENCE ONLY CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS Cross Curricular and Integrated Learning Science and Technology Page 2 of 5
Science and Technology (Understanding structures and mechanisms) Clay Sculpting Family for your playground Using air-drying modeling clay, create small figurines of children and families. Make them in proportion to your playground. Let them dry for 24 hours and then paint them with acrylic paint. Then play at each others playgrounds to discover and experience what each student has built. Curriculum Expectations GRADE 1-3 The Arts Visual Arts Create two- and three-dimensional works of art that express feelings and ideas inspired by activities in their community or observations of nature. Demonstrate an understanding of composition using selected principles of design to create narrative art works on a theme or topic. Use elements of design to communicate ideas, messages, and understanding. Use a variety of materials, tools, and techniques to determine solutions to design challenges. Identify and describe visual art forms that they see in their home, at school, in their community, and in visual arts experiences. Demonstrate an awareness of a variety of art forms, styles, and traditions, and describe how they reflect the diverse cultures, times, and places. GRADE 1 Science and Technology Understanding structures and mechanisms: Materials, objects, and everyday structures 1.2 Assess objects in their environment that are constructed for similar purposes in terms of the type of materials they are made from, the source of these materials, and what happens to these objects when they are worn out or no longer needed. 2.4 Use technological problem-solving skills and knowledge to design, build, and test a structure for a specific purpose. 3.9 Identify the sources in nature of some common materials that are used in making structures. GRADE 2 Science and Technology Understanding structures and mechanisms: Movement 1.1 Assess the impact on society and the environment of simple machines that allow movement. 2.4 Use technological problem-solving skills and knowledge and skills acquired from previous investigations, to design, build, and test a mechanism that includes one or more simple machines. 2.6 Use a variety of forms (e.g., oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes. GRADE 3 Science and Technology Understanding structures and mechanisms: Strong and Stable Structures 1.1 Assess effects of strong and stable structures on society and the environment. 2.3 Investigate, through experimentation, the effects of pushing, pulling, and other forces on the shape and stability of simple structures. 2.6 Use a variety of forms (e.g., oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes. Page 3 of 5
Fundamental Concepts for Grade 1, 2, 3 GRADE 1 line: jagged, curved, broken, dashed, spiral, straight, wavy, zigzag; lines in art and everyday objects (natural and human-made) shape and form: geometric and organic shapes and forms of familiar objects (e.g., geometric: circles, blocks; organic: clouds, flowers) space: depiction of objects in the distance as smaller and closer to the top of the art paper; shapes and lines closer together or farther apart; horizon line; spaces through, inside, and around shapes or objects colour: mixing of primary colours (red, yellow, blue); identification of warm (e.g., red, orange) and cool (e.g., blue, green) colours texture: textures of familiar objects (e.g., fuzzy, prickly, bumpy, smooth); changes in texture; a pattern of lines to show texture (e.g., the texture of a snake s skin); transfer of texture (e.g., placing a piece of paper over a textured surface and then rubbing the paper with wax crayon) value: light, dark Contrast light/dark; large/small; pure/mixed colour GRADE 2 line: horizontal, vertical, diagonal lines; lines that show motion (e.g., pointy, curvy); lines inside shapes shape and form: symmetrical shapes and forms (e.g., shapes and forms in buildings) space: overlapping of objects to show depth colour: secondary colours (various colours made by mixing equal amounts of primary colours, such as violet, orange, green); mixing of colours with a limited palette texture: textures of familiar objects (e.g., rough tree bark, smooth plastic plate, ridged corduroy fabric); illusion of texture (e.g., a rough texture created by patterns of lines); impasto (thick, textured paint) value: mixing of a tint; identification of light and dark repetition and rhythm: repetition of colour and shape in patterns; random, alternating, and regular patterns in everyday objects (e.g., textiles, ceramics) and in art (e.g., works by M. C. Escher) GRADE 3 line: variety of line (e.g., thick, thin, dotted) shape and form: composite shapes; symmetrical and asymmetrical shapes and forms in both the human-made environment and the natural world (e.g., symmetrical: insects, flowers, skyscrapers; asymmetrical: windblown trees, some contemporary additions to buildings [asymmetrical façade in Daniel Libeskind s design for the Royal Ontario Museum]) space: foreground, middle ground, and background to give illusion of depth colour: colour for expression (e.g., warm and cool colours); colour to indicate emotion; mixing of colours with white to make a range of warm and cool tints Page 4 of 5
texture: real versus visual or illusory texture (e.g., smooth surface of a ceramic work versus drawing of rough tree bark); etching by scratching through surfaces (e.g., crayon etching on a scratchboard) value: mixing a range of light colours and dark colours variety: slight variations on a major theme; strong contrasts (e.g., use of different lines, shapes, values, and colours to create interest [bright or light colour values, dark colour values]) Page 5 of 5