I'm not a fan of the Elements of Art. They are overused and over emphasized, and in many cases falsely separated. Of course, they are also art-specific vocabulary that is valuable for students to know. I wondered - could I teach the Elements in a valuable and meaningful way? The unit, Artists Understand Elements, started with a group activity to build broad knowledge quickly. Each group created a presentation about one Element using Google Slides for easy sharing. In planning presentations they discussed each element in depth and selected examples that were meaningful for them. As students watched the presentations they wrote down ideas for their independent projects. It was nice to listen instead of speak - something all teachers should do. Sometimes our own ideas fill our classrooms and shape the direction of learning without leaving room for student's thoughts. In part 2 of this unit students will select an Element and use it as the inspiration for a work of art. The media is open choice. Some great ideas are brewing!
2 Comments
Celeste
4/9/2016 05:13:41 am
I really like what you are doing and how you think. I teach middle school and really can see doing this, changing my elements unit completely. My program is modified choice, not full TAB. This fits perfectly! You have inspired me!
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Brenda Jalaie
4/9/2016 09:44:19 am
I DO think students need to understand Elements and Principles of art in order to talk to others about composition. I LOVE hoe you have broken it down into groups teaching groups. That is a great activity, won't take much time, and the choice based project allows students to demonstrate what they have learned. As I try to finish my transitition to TAB this fall in HS, I am sooo lifting this from you! THANKS for sharing!
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Mrs. PurteeI'm interested in creating a student student centered space for my high school students through choice and abundant opportunity for self expression. I'm also a writer for SchoolArts co-author of The Open Art Room. Archives
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