Key Elementary Year One
Brown/James- Austin Sargent
Learning Objective/Exit Outcomes:
- Students will understand the meaning of Thanksgiving.
- Students will relate that holiday to their own life.
- Students will brainstorm different things to be thankful for.
- Students will use visual art to represent their feelings about Thanksgiving.
Standards:
SSKH1 The student will identify the purpose of national holidays and describe the people or events celebrated.
- Thanksgiving Day
VAK.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.
- Generate individual and group ideas in response to visual images and personal experiences.
- Produce visual images using observation, experience, and imagination using a variety of art materials.
VAK.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.
- Create works of art emphasizing one or more elements of art and/or principles of design.
- Use pictures to tell a story.
Integration Area/Subject:
Science and Theatre
Materials/Playing Space:
Students stayed at their desks and Teachers aided with the passing of papers.
Description:
This activity began with a very specific example of what a Relay Race is. PAIR Specialist demonstrated that a Relay Race is something that cannot be completed by just one person. It takes the work of lots of people! The PAIR Specialist then explained that today’s project was going to have you working together and not just by yourself.
Students were sent to their desks and papers were handed out. Students were guided to find Box #1 and in Box #1 to draw a picture of a person in their house they were thankful for. The teacher then provided some examples; your mom, your dad, your brothers or sisters, your grandparents… Students were then given about 5 minutes to complete their drawings.
As drawing is happening, it’s important that the teacher walk around and talk to students about their drawings. Asking questions like “Who is that? How do you know? What are they wearing? What are they doing?” will help students make the visual art/ content connection.
After the alloted time, teacher would announce something like “Your turn is over!” or “It’s time to switch” as a reminder to students that they have only completed one piece. Teachers/classroom aids facilitated the switching of papers.
The steps were then repeated for Boxes #2 and #3 just with different drawing prompts.
Box #1– someone in your house you are thankful for
Box #2– someone in your school you are thankful for
Box #3 — something you are thankful for
Notes:
- After switching papers, take some time to ask students about the drawings of their peers. “What do you think that is a picture of? Why do you think that?” With kindergarten, it can be a lot of “I don’t know…” but encouraging them just to think a little deeper.