Grade 4 - Is it art or science?
Central Idea:
Materials may behave and interact depending on how people use them.
The overall understanding of this Unit is related to the idea that materials have specific properties that can be creatively explored. The Unit starts with an open discussion in small groups using the visual thinking routine Chalk Talk, a routine that I became aware of during a PD held earlier in the year. The purpose of this routine is to facilitate discussion between group members where there is no expectation of coming up with the correct answers. It works like brainstorming where students are encouraged to record the knowledge they have about what a tile is.
The tile is the object of provocation introduced with the question: Is it art or science? It is a provocative question that led to discussions about what a tile is, what its function is and what are the techniques and processes used in its production. It is a discussion that establishes links across different subjects and allows us to observe how this functional object has been used over time by different cultures.
Before focusing on the tile as a product of our learning, students engaged in a series of learning activities that allowed them to connect with previous learning and extend their knowledge. Clay is a material that students feel very motivated to interact with. The learning possibilities are numerous and allow for the establishment of transdisciplinary links with science and social studies.
This project allowed students to explore more effectively one of the essential techniques of clay hand-building techniques – slab building. Along with the inquiry into the slab building process, students interact with the material and tools and become familiar with the plastic stages of clay, specifically the leather-hard stage and the drying process of a tyle in order to avoid warping.
In this Unit, students are introduced to the carving technique as a way of breaking the two-dimensionality of the tile surface. It is a technique that requires some planning. Students are challenged to create designs and define how carving techniques will be used in their designs. Which areas will be subtracted or added to create different levels?
Due to the plastic properties of clay, the tile offers an ideal surface to explore the element of texture. Students were challenged to use organic elements collected from the school playground, such as leaves, flowers and weeds to be printed on tiles. These tiles were later grouped into a panel in one of the school's small gardens. This part of the project was essential for the students to experience one of the practical applications of this art form.
The assessment of this Unit focused on the understanding of two essential points: 1. Material properties and plasticity stages; 2. Understanding of terminology specific to working in clay.
Know, Understand, Do - Unit learning goals.
