CULTURAL ARTS CLASSES - MUSIC, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, ART, AND MEDIA - PROVIDE DIVERSE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS, EXPOSING THEM TO NEW AVENUES FOR LEARNING. ADDITIONALLY, THESE CLASSES INTEGRATE TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM LESSONS, EXPOSING STUDENTS TO FAMILIAR CONCEPTS IN WAYS THEY HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY IMAGINED. CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMS ARE ALSO ALL ABOUT HANDS-ON, ACTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT OPEN THE MINDS OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND PROVIDE A VARIETY OF CONNECTIONS TO THE NATURAL WOLRD.
artists inspired by nature
The natural world has always been a source of inspiration for artists throughout history. Here at Folger McKinsey our art program reflects how students interact with nature and how we can use our first-hand observations of our environment for artwork concepts. Each grade studies a different artist who has used this process in their paintings.
Kindergarten learned about Claude Monet and how he and a group of his peers created the Impressionist movement by focusing on how natural sunlight reflects on the surface of objects. The children went outside in our school garden to discover how Monet gained his inspiration from his gardens at Giverny. Monet was famous for painting landscapes and was also a master gardener, as we discovered how he not only illustrated pictures of plants but he tended the plants himself. First grade studied the images of Georgia O’Keeffe and how she was attracted to the organic shapes that natural objects create. As a group, we looked at real flowers and discussed the forms of petals, stems and leaves. Then the students illustrated large realistic flower blooms in the simple style of Georgia O’Keeffe. Second grade focused on the underwater habitat paintings that contemporary artist Kim Rody creates. We looked at different sea creatures that are found in lakes and oceans and what their surroundings look like. The students then created a series of three images: an illustration of an angelfish, a picture of a sea turtle next to the ocean, and finally a large painting of an octopus under water. Discovering how Kim Rody uses fish in her paintings generated a new avenue for our artwork. Third grade gained insight into farming through the artwork of Grant Wood. The 20th century painter was well known for his images of farms in the American Midwest. We looked at how crops are grown in straight lines and what vegetables are sown here in America, as well as the roles animals play on farms. Fourth grade created paintings of the Earth as seen from space. Observing the artwork of Greg Mort, we discussed how our planet can be used as a symbol of growth and life in art. We looked at how the Earth and planets orbit the sun and how we can show the beauty of our planet in our artwork. Fifth grade showed how sunlight can shine through a forest and create interesting shadow effects in the grass. While reviewing the paintings of Albert Bierstadt we found that forests and lakes were his favorite spaces to paint “en plein air” where he would actually set up his easel and paints outside and illustrate the world around him. The students talked about how the landscape has changed since Albert Bierstadt was alive and that humans have had an impact on nature’s beauty. While painting the shining light through our autumn colored trees we discovered that the elegance of nature still exists and we need to do our part to keep our parks and forests clean for generations to come. |
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Recycled newspaper
animal sculptures
Using recycled materials is a must in any art room. Rather than toss newspaper away, we use it as a medium for sculpture, crumpling it up and taping it all together to create an animal form. The students study Mexican Oxacan sculptures and create a variety of animals out of the paper. Then we add wet plaster on top of the newspaper to harden and solidify the sculpture. Finally comes the decoration, as colors and line patterns are painted on the surface for the finishing touches. When creating the form of the animal we discuss as a class how using recycled materials for our artwork can not only help the earth but give us creative experience with three dimensional sculptures.
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Fish Sculptures
First grade students have a blast while sculpting fish out of clay. The lesson begins with reading The Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen and we discuss what the fish looks like and how we would use clay to create the body, fins and eyes. Earthenware clay is used and the children discover how clay is made from natural dirt and compounds from the earth. The sculptures are then glazed and fired and ready for display!
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P.E. Class in our garden
Of course physical education is part of the foundation of our healthy school environment, instilling good habits for life-long well-being of our students. The concept is heightened with a frequent connection to the natural world, as class is frequently conducted outdoors. This practice reminds children that they don't need much to make exercise a part of their daily lives: step outside and you've got fresh air and plenty of space to move! Our Outdoor Classroom has the perfect variety to set up classes that most would think need to be inside, such as the cup-stacking unit. While this is generally scheduled for the winter months, our climate frequently is mild-enough to be outside and when this happens, to the OC where the platform is in place for this lesson! The school grounds make large scale games, sports and exercise possible, fun and the perfect way to connect to nature.
Additionally, the overall curriculum in PE classes at every grade level is about instilling life-long healthy habits. This is modeled in every lesson and by the PE teacher, Tim Smith, whose primary goal is to promote the importance and ease of incorporating fitness and taking responsibility for good health practices. The article below, which shines a light on Mr. Smith as a candidate for AACPS Teacher of the Year, validates the fact that PE classes at Folger embody the green school philosophy of healthy school environment! |
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http://www.severnaparkvoice.com/school-youth/tim-smith-puts-students-lifelong-path-wellness
Earth friendly songs in music
Music, by its very nature, is inspiring and catchy. When you add nature to the music, well, that's a win-win! And that's done regularly at Folger where songs about the natural world, and specifically the local environment, are a regular part of the mix. Even taking to the stage in the Outdoor Classroom allows for a connection to the environment. There may be a song that says It's Not Easy Being Green, but at Folger, we disagree - And that's something to sing about!
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Earth day in the library
During the week of the Earth Day celebration, all grade levels participate in related lessons when they visit the Media Center. Fiction and non-fiction texts are used that include the topics of recycling, deforestation, living a green lifestyle, etc. Fourth grade even writes Diamante poems turning “Trash” into “Treasure.” In addition to the lessons, a book display encourages students to check out materials that will further their knowledge and curiosity.
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