F A L L

2 0 1 6

Art & the

Environment
Taught by Willow & Angela

About the Unit

Lesson 1: Environmental Relationships

In this lesson students explored their environment by clearly
observing and recording their surroundings using digital cameras
and drawing materials to create images to show a relationship
with their environment. Students started in the classroom learning
about composition, operating a digital camera, and how to create a
contour drawing. Students investigated the relationship between
human-made and natural environments when the class went
outside to photograph and draw. To explore human made objects,
students photographed and drew the Polaris playground and the
second week students explored nature by photographing and
drawing surrounding nature areas. After observing, the class
reflected on their connections to human-made and natural
environments.

Willow and Angela are

passionate about environmental
matters. While sitting in on a
course at CSU about arts
relationship to the environment
we were inspired to create a unit
at Polaris about Art and the
Environment. During this
semester, Angela and Willow
taught Alicias 4/5th grade class
lessons that provided
opportunities for students to
explore their personal
relationship to nature and human

Planning- While indoors, students used their viewfinders to practice looking at objects around the room with vertical and horizontal
composition. Students used photographs as a way of generating compositions and chose the best composition from their photographs
to create an observational contour drawing.
Materials, techniques, tools explored- Students used digital cameras, viewfinders, paper, and drawing supplies.
Art expressive features/characteristics- Composition was explored as an artist's choice to reflect their desired meaning.
Art community and culture- This lesson was inspired by the artists Erikas Osborne and Joseph Yoakum. Students shared their
artwork with each other and learned from each others discoveries.
Reflective activity- Students talked about what they saw in their photographs that made it dynamic and what the photographer may
have considered while taking the photograph.

ART & THE ENVIRONMENT

FALL 2016

Lesson 2: Bringing the Outdoors Inside

In this class, students were presented with a story that humans must
spend one year indoors to let the Earth heal from harm. In the first
weeks, students designed a dream bedroom for the indoor year by
choosing the most important outdoor elements to bring inside with
them. Using their ideas, students created sketches of their bedrooms
integrating nature elements. These sketches were transformed into
paintings using color mixing. In reflection, students explained to their
peers why their outdoor elements are important to them and in groups
of three they created a drawing of their classroom for the indoor
year.

Planning- Students generated lists of nature associations from each

Earth element; air, water, fire, and earth. Choosing the most important
aspects of nature to bring inside with them, students created sketches
that were transformed into paintings.
Materials, techniques, tools explored- Preliminary bedroom
sketches were drawn with pencil and pastel and students used acrylic
paint for their final paintings.
Art expressive features/characteristics- When designing their
dream bedroom, students considered scale, birds eye view
perspective, and choice of color.
Art community and culture- During reflection, the class looked at
artwork by Vincent Van Gogh and Glinis Tinglof.
Reflective activity- Students explained their personal relationship to
nature through their artistic choices to a group of peers. After listening
to others, students considered their class relationship to the outdoors
and collaborated on a drawing that designed Alicias classroom into
what it would look like when the outdoors came inside.

Come to the Art Show!

Come see your childs artwork at
the art show! The show will be in
the multipurpose room of the gym,
all day Thursday, Dec 8th and Friday
Dec 9th until 9:00 am.

Class Website
For a closer look at our art & the
environment unit, check out our website
to watch videos, view images and look at
student learning!
www.expeditionaryartpolaris.weebly.co