PAIR

Professional Arts Integration Resource

 

Science

6th Grade: Types of Rocks, Three-Headed Expert

Richards Middle School

Hodge – Jen Weisphal

Learning Objective/Exit Outcomes: 

  • Students will be able to correctly explain the differences in the three types of rocks.
  • Students will be able to use communication skills to listen carefully to their peers.
  • Students will be able to work together to create a cohesive sentence about subject matter.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate effective verbal communication by projecting their voice and using diction when speaking.
  • Students will be able to practice appropriate behavior as an audience member.

Integration Area/Subject:

Science & Theatre

State Standards:

S6E5. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to show how Earth’s surface is formed.

  1. Plan and carry out an investigation of the characteristics of minerals and how minerals contribute to rock composition.
  2. Construct an explanation of how to classify rocks by their formation and how rocks change through geologic processes in the rock cycle.

ELAGSE6SL1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

  1. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
  2. Follow rules for collegial discussions, set specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
  3. Pose and respond to specific questions with elaboration and detail by making comments that contribute to the topic, text, or issue under discussion.

TA6.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

  1. Demonstrate effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills (e.g. rate, pitch, volume, inflection, posture, facial expression, physical movement).

TA6.RE.1 Engage actively and appropriately as an audience member.

  1. Identify the role of the audience in different environments.
  2. Analyze the relationship between an audience and a performer.
  3. Create guidelines for behaviors appropriate to a theatre experience.
  4. Model appropriate audience behaviors.

Materials/Playing Space: 

Open space at the front of the classroom

Description: 

The PAIR Specialist asked the teacher to pick a couple of volunteers to come up to the front of the class with him. The teacher played along for the first round to aid in guiding the students with how to perform Three-Headed Expert. The PAIR Specialist asked the group of three people (the teacher and two students) to tell the class what happens at lunch on any given day, however, they must answer the question as though they are one person, one ‘three-headed’ expert that will only say one word at a time from each ‘head’.

The class had a practice round to understand the flow of the game, both for the people playing and the people participating as audience members: 

Student 1: “We”

Student 2: “walk”

Teacher: “to”

Student 1: “the”

Student 2: “cafeteria”

Teacher: “for”

Student 1: “lunch”, etc…

The PAIR Specialist then asked the class to raise their hand and share a type of rock. A student suggested Sedimentary, so the PAIR Specialist asked the Three-Headed Expert to now explain the identifiers of a Sedimentary rock. The PAIR Specialist then had the teacher choose another set of students for the following rock types.

The teacher then took over and asked a new Three-Headed Expert how a sedimentary rock becomes a metamorphic rock. As the ‘expert’ answered this question, one student in the group of three made a stop to ask what happens if the expert was explaining the wrong thing. This was a great learning moment for working together and fixing the problem. The PAIR Specialist suggested that the student who knew the answer was becoming incorrect should give a sudden exclamation such as “Wait!” or “No!” to clue in the rest of the expert to the problem and try to redirect the answer as best he could. The teacher then asked the audience to raise their hands for the correct information, thus giving the Three-Headed Expert a little extra support. 

Notes:

It’s helpful to talk to the class about what an audience needs to do with respect to the performers. Students generally know from previous experience, but having a reminder before the game starts helps the audience start on the right foot with them.

Making sure students know that projection and diction are part of theatre performance will aid in their success when speaking in a large group. Not only do they need the other two players to hear their word, but the audience needs to be able to hear as well to raise their hands to help should things begin to go off course.

3rd Grade: Temperature, Machine

Brewer Elementary

Thomas – Beth Reeves

Learning Objective/Exit Outcomes: 

  • The students will be able to explain how heat is measured.
  • The students will be able use creative movement as a tool that reflects the operation of a thermometer.
  • The students will be able to show how temperature affects people.
  • The students will be able to work together in small groups to communicate an idea.

Integration Area/Subject:

Science & Dance

State Standards:

S3P1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the ways heat energy is

transferred and measured.

ESD3.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.

  1. Create a sequence of three or more movements utilizing body, space, time, and energy.

Materials/Playing Space: 

Open space around students’ desks

Description: 

This activity began with an intro of what a Machine is: a Machine has 1) a movement and 2) a sound. Students were led to brainstorm about machines that they knew already (washing machine, vending machine, etc.) One of these examples was used to create a class example, while highlighting that machines use SEQUENCE and ORDER. To create this machine, each student had their own movement and sound as an individual part of the machine.

After students were introduced to the activity, the teacher told students they would be building “Temperature Machines.” The teacher sectioned students into groups of 3- 5 stationed throughout the room. After discussing temperature and thermometer, the teacher assigned each group a particular time of day, year, and month. The group must create a machine that shows how a person who is affected by the season (weather), on a person who reflects the particular weather, the remaining students represent how the thermometer is affected. The other students in the room must guess what time of year or season that is taking place based off of the creative movement that is taking place.

Notes:

It is important to specifically assign what student will carry which role in the machine. Students may need to begin sitting at a table with basic sound, while the thought of creating a movement piece might be intimidating to some.

1st Grade: Weather, Paper Chase

Brewer Elementary

Edenfield/Davis – Austin Sargent

Learning Objective/Exit Outcomes: 

  • Students will be able to brainstorm different kinds of precipitation and cloud formations. 
  • Students will be able to discuss with their peers and plan designs for three dimensional sculptures.
  • Students will be able to create a three dimensional sculpture that embodies movement. 
  • Students will be able to explain their artistic choices as they relate to the science of storms and cloud formation.

Integration Area/Subject:

Science & Visual Art

State Standards:

S1E1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate weather data to identify weather patterns.

  1. Represent data in tables and/or graphs to identify and describe different types of weather and the characteristics of each type.
  2. Ask questions to identify forms of precipitation such as rain, snow, sleet, and hailstones as either solid (ice) or liquid (water).

VA1.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.

  1. Create works of art emphasizing one or more elements of art and/or principles of design.
  2. Create works of art that attempt to fill the space in an art composition.

VA1.CR.4 Understand and apply media, techniques, and processes of three-dimensional art.

  1. Create sculpture using a variety of media and techniques.
  2. Create three-dimensional composition using traditional and/or contemporary craft materials and methods (e.g. paper sculpture, found object assemblage, jewelry).

Materials/Playing Space: 

  • Many strips of white paper
  • A half sheet construction paper per student
  • Gluesticks

Description: 

The activity began with students brainstorming about the different kinds of storms and weather that they have experienced. Most students could connect to rain and wind, and a few students had even seen snow. 

PAIR Specialist then introduced the visual art element by showing them a white strip of paper. The PAIR Specialist talked about the artistic principle of Movement, and showed students all the different ways paper could “move” to communicate ideas. Students were then given a piece to experiment with themselves–knowing that the only rule was to not rip or tear the paper. Students practiced making shapes with their strips of paper. 

The PAIR Specialist then introduced the concept of building a storm cloud out of strips of paper. The PAIR Specialist explained that these should be 3D shapes, and that students shouldn’t glue the paper flat to the construction paper matting. Students were imagining what they weather clouds might look like and how they could build them with a paper sculpture. 

The three things students were expected to know was; what kind of weather they were representing, where they noticed movement in their sculpture, and how the movement of their sculpture showed what kind of storm they were imagining. 

Students were given 7-10 minutes to finish their sculpture. The teacher and PAIR Specialist walked around to students that were finishing quickly and asking them critical thinking questions. Instead of students answering verbally, they would answer by adjusting their sculpture in one way or another. 

Notes:

Before you do this activity, brush up on the “Paper Chase” sculpture series by Alice Aycock. You could also use these images as a jumping off point, and have students attribute different weather to different sculptures– how a tornado sculpture looks different from a rainstorm sculpture. 

The big focus word for this activity is ‘Movement!’ You could take this activity further by physicalizing the movement qualities of each weather, or grouping students together to work together to represent the weather.

1st Grade: Seasons, Machine

Brewer Elementary

Hardaway/Brown/Mills – Austin Sargent

Learning Objective/Exit Outcomes: 

  • Students will be able to devise their own movement sequence relating to seasons. 
  • Students will be able to identify changes from one season to another. 
  • Students will work in collaborative teams. 
  • Students will be able to correct mistakes in the seasonal cycle. 

Integration Area/Subject:

Science & Dance

State Standards:

S1E1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate weather data to identify weather patterns.

  1. Analyze data to identify seasonal patterns of change.

(Clarification statement: Examples could include temperature, rainfall/snowfall, and changes to the environment.)

ESD1.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.

  1. Collaborate with others to create and perform movement phrases.
  2. Explore basic partnering skills through guided instruction (e.g. copy, lead, mirror, follow).
  3. Create shapes and levels through movement.
  4. Identify and create a dance sequence with a beginning, middle, and end.
  5. Explore dance elements through improvisation and play (e.g. body, space, time, energy).

ESD1.PR.2 Understand and model dance etiquette as a classroom participant, performer, and observer.

  1. Demonstrate attentiveness, full participation, and cooperation with others in the dance learning environment.
  2. Demonstrate focus and concentration in performance skills.
  3. Apply knowledge of appropriate behaviors and skills as an observer and performer.

Materials/Playing Space: 

Open space at front of classroom

Description: 

This activity began with an intro of what a Machine is: a Machine has 1) a movement and 2) a sound. Students were led to brainstorm about machines that they knew already (washing machine, vending machine, etc.) One of these examples was used to create a class example, while highlighting that machines use SEQUENCE and ORDER. To create this machine, each student had their own movement and sound as an individual part of the machine.

After students were introduced to the activity, PAIR Specialist told students they would be building a “Seasons Machine” and asked students to demonstrate with their bodies what it’s like in Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Teacher and PAIR Specialist helped students identify changes (leaves/no leaves, hot/cold) as the seasons cycled on. 

Then we started to build a machine using volunteers. One student would be chosen as Spring, and they would demonstrate a sound and a motion indicative of Spring. Then Summer was added. Fall. And then Winter. Students that were not selected to volunteer were asked to support the sounds and motions as the volunteers moved through the sequence. 

As students were understanding the concept, the PAIR Specialist would “mix up” the order of the seasons and ask a volunteer to reorder them correctly.

Notes:

Although this was a 2nd grade class, identifying seasons is a 1st grade standard. Therefore, a corresponding 1st grade Fine Arts Standard was used. 

Make sure to keep class involvement! Students that are not selected to volunteer may want to give up and become distracting. Reinforce PBIS strategies when selecting volunteers.

1st Grade: Investigating Light, Relay Drawing

Brewer Elementary

Waters – Addie Newcomer

Learning Objective/Exit Outcomes: 

  • Students will be able to describe the differences between transparent, translucent, and opaque. 
  • Students will be able to identify objects that can be described using one of those terms. 
  • Students will be able to collaborate with classmates about how light can be seen and can travel through transparent, translucent, and opaque objects.
  • Students will be able to show their understanding of the content through visual art.

Integration Area/Subject:

Science & Visual Art

State Standards:

S1P1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to investigate light and sound.

  1. Use observations to construct an explanation of how light is required to make objects visible.
  2. Ask questions to identify and compare sources of light.
  3. Plan and carry out an investigation of shadows by placing objects at various points from a source of light.

VA1.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.

  1. Generate individual and group ideas in response to visual images and personal experiences.
  2. Generate visual images in response to open ended prompts, themes, and narratives.
  3. Produce multiple prototypes in the planning stages for works of art (e.g. sketches, models).

VA1.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.

  1. Create works of art emphasizing one or more elements of art and/or principles of design.
  2. Create works of art that attempt to fill the space in an art composition.

VA1.PR.1 Participate in appropriate exhibition(s) of works of art to develop the identity of self as artist.

  1. Complete works of art.
  2. Sign a finished work of art.

VA1.RE.1 Discuss personal works of art and the artwork of others to enhance visual literacy.

  1. Use a variety of strategies for art criticism.
  2. Explain how selected elements of art are used in works of art to convey meaning.
  3. Demonstrate an appreciation for art and art making processes by communicating thoughts and feelings.

VA1.CN.2 Integrate information from other disciplines to enhance the understanding and production of works of art.

  1. Explore universal concepts (e.g. self, family, community, world) inspired by other subject areas.

VA1.CN.3 Develop life skills through the study and production of art (e.g. collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, communication).

Materials/Playing Space: 

  • Plain computer paper, tri-folded
  • Pencils

Description: 

The teacher pre-folded the computer paper into three boxes, labeling each box 1, 2, or 3 from top to bottom. For Relay Drawing, the paper is passed around the class, so, at the end, a single piece of paper has the work of three artists on it. The paper can be passed a final time, so that a student who had no hand in the creation of the art can assess it and explain what they see in the artwork created by their peers.

Using the Relay Drawing strategy, students first drew a transparent object in box 1. The students then passed their paper to the student to their right, who then drew a translucent object in box 2. Again, the paper was passed to the student to the right, who drew an opaque object in box 3. 

At the end of this strategy, help students to freely discuss similar items different students had drawn, new objects they may not have thought of, and their favorite complete Relay Drawing pieces, describing the reasons why it was their favorite. A good challenge is to have them pick a drawing they did contribute to.

Notes:

If your class is ready to move deeper into visual art theory, they can each create a gray scale of three boxes to match up with transparent, translucent, and opaque. The transparent portion of the grayscale would be completely white paper, the translucent portion would be partially colored gray with pencil, and the opaque portion would be colored with pencil as dark as possible. Art vocabulary words like shading, light, value, saturation, and grayscale can be incorporated.

3rd Grade: Geographic Regions, Conducted Story

Blanchard Elementary, Year One

Martin/Stafford – Beth Reeves

Learning Objective/Exit Outcomes:

  • Students will be able to compare/contrast the different geographic locations.
  • Students will be able to recall information about various geographic regions and use that information to tell a story.
  • Students will collaborate with peers in order to achieve a cohesive story.
  • Students will build soft skills such as teamwork, adaptability, and creativity.

State Standards:  

S3L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the similarities and differences between plants, animals, and habitats found within geographic regions (Blue Ridge Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal Plains, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau) of Georgia.

  1. Ask questions to differentiate between plants, animals, and habitats found within Georgia’s geographic regions.

TA3.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments.

  1. Collaborate and perform with an ensemble to present theatre to an audience. 
  2. Create and perform characters based on imagination.

TA3.RE.1 Engage actively and appropriately as an audience member. 

  1. Participate as an audience. 
  2. Demonstrate appropriate theatre etiquette.

Integration Area/Subject:  

Science & Theatre

Materials/Playing Space:

Open classroom space

Description: 

The PAIR Specialist asked students to share what they knew about Improv. The goal answer to the question is that improv is a form of theatre arts where the content is completely made up on the spot. The improv game, Conducted Story, is a game where a group of students creates a story beginning as any good story does with “Once Upon A Time.” The ‘conductor’ of the story is the teacher.  The teacher controls how long a student will add onto the story by pointing to them and when the teacher pulls her hand back, the student must stop telling their story, even if it is in the middle of a sentence! 

Pointing to another student, the story continues on where the last student left off. Student 1: “Once upon a time there was a lion who was walking down” Student 2: “the street to the circus. Then he ran into a girl lion and he” Student 3:, etc, etc. The PAIR Specialist emphasized that this story would be unique and exceptionally creative because it was not being created by a single storyteller, but by many, which means that the story would be something even greater because of the collaboration.  The PAIR Specialist also emphasized the importance of listening to make sure that the story stays connected and makes sense from beginning to end.

The PAIR Specialist chose five students to create a story that had never been told before and would never be told again. This story had no boundaries and was a completely improved creation. 

The teacher then chose five more students to play Conducted Story, but this time added a layer of information to the story being told. This layer was to create a story using the facts students remembered about different geographic regions. If the students had trouble remembering things, the teacher gave leading questions to help them continue with the story.

Notes: 

It is important when using Conducted Story to continue to encourage creative ideas around the core subject matter being used within the story. Keeping creativity within the story allows for a fully arts integrated lesson. 

For example, instead of a the story about the facts of the Blue Ridge Mountains, encourage students to create a story where they are a hiker in the Blue Ridge Mountains, experiencing the region for the first time.