Learning Activity

Recycled Landforms

Subject Area

Science
Arts Education

Grade(s)

2

Overview

Students will collect recyclable materials from around the school's campus and create artwork depicting a landform. The students will create a model of a physical feature of Earth such as mountains, valleys, plains, deserts, lakes, rivers, or oceans. This learning activity should be used at the end of a unit on Earth's systems.

This activity was created as a result of the Arts COS Resource Development Summit.

Science (2015) Grade(s): 2

SC15.2.9

Create models to identify physical features of Earth (e.g., mountains, valleys, plains, deserts, lakes, rivers, oceans).

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.2.9

Vocabulary

  • Physical features
  • Models
  • Mountains
  • Valleys
  • Plains
  • Deserts
  • Lakes
  • Rivers
  • Oceans

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The physical features of Earth can be modeled, as on a map.
  • The relationship between components their model and kinds of land and bodies of water in a given area.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Create a model that represents both land and bodies of water in an area.
  • Make connections between their model and the shapes and kinds of land and water in an area.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Models can represent patterns in the natural world like the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water in an area.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Developing and Using Models

Crosscutting Concepts

Patterns
Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): 2 - Visual Arts

AE17.VA.2.5

Create an artwork using found and/or recycled objects.

Unpacked Content

UP:AE17.VA.2.5

Vocabulary

  • Principles of design
    • Balance
  • Brainstorming
  • Composition
  • Concepts
  • Characteristic
  • Elements of art
    • Space
    • Value
  • Expressive properties
  • Foreground
  • Middle ground
  • Neutral colors
  • Resist

Essential Questions

EU: People create and interact with objects, places, and design that define, shape, enhance, and empower their lives.
EQ: How do objects, places, and design shape lives and communities? How do artists and designers determine goals for designing or redesigning objects, places, or systems? How do artists and designers create works of art or design that effectively communicate?

Skills Examples

  • Create two-dimensional artworks such as drawing or painting by using a variety of media.
  • Use the book, The Goat in the Rug by Charles L.
    • Blood & Martin Link to learn about weaving.
  • Use clay or pipe cleaners to create small animal sculptures.
  • Work in groups to brainstorm ideas for a collaborative art project.
  • Use a book about clay, When Clay Sings by Byrd Baylor to study Native Americans and their traditions.
  • Use the book A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle to explore collage techniques.
  • Create a real or imagined home using two-and-three-dimensional media.
  • Learn how to properly use and store brushes, close glue bottles and marker tops.
  • Use found objects such as leaves, rocks, paper tubes, egg cartons, etc.
    • to create artworks.
  • Use the book A Day with No Crayons by Elizabeth Rusch to explore different colors and values.
  • Create a landscape showing depth by placing the foreground, middle ground and background in their correct positions.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.

Phase

After/Explain/Elaborate
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

Students will create a model of a physical feature of Earth using recycled objects.

Activity Details

This learning activity should be used at the end of a unit on Earth's systems.

Students should collect recycled materials prior to this learning activity, or the class can go on a walk around the school campus to collect recyclable materials that might be left on the ground.

Students will use their recyclable materials to create a model of a physical feature of Earth such as mountains, valleys, plains, deserts, lakes, rivers, or oceans. Students can choose one feature to model, or the teacher can assign multiple features to model in the student's artwork. The students will glue the recyclable materials to construction paper to display their physical feature.  They may use markers or paint to correctly identify the physical features of Earth.

Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

The teacher will observe the student's artwork to assess for mastery of modeling an appropriate physical feature of Earth.  

 

 

Variation Tips

This learning activity can be differentiated according to the learner's ability level. Lower level learners can create one physical feature out of recycled materials and higher level learners can create multiple physical features out of recycled materials.

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

Students should be provided with glue, construction paper, scissors, markers, paint, and paintbrushes.

Students should collect recycled materials prior to this learning activity, or the class can go on a walk around the school campus to collect recyclable material to use.

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

scarver17
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