Reflections
Elementary Classroom
Following your elementary classroom observation, describe how art materials, visual forms, images, or activities were used in the classroom by answering the following three questions (200 words):
1. What form of arts integration or interdisciplinary learning units have you observed? In what ways were the visual forms investigated, learned, discussed, or produced in the classroom?
I am placed at Lee Elementary, which is an expressive arts school. I have observed the students’ jazz unit. One imparticular lesson I saw within the jazz unit was one on warm/cool colors in conjunction with warm/cool jazz pieces. They had the students read a book with different jazz pieces; discuss the emotions being evoked, then talked about warm vs. cool colors. The kids were then to choose a jazz piece and identify if it is a warm or cool piece. Once this was decided they made a collage with tissue paper using warm or cool colors, which ever their piece was. After creating their collage each student wrote about the jazz piece they were given.
2. Was there a Big Idea or theme used? If so describe. Were students working with narrative, observation, imagination, and / or visual thinking?
The theme was warm/cool colors. They did visual thinking. They read their piece then visualized what they felt the piece was evoking. From their thoughts they created their collages of color.
3. What suggestions would you have for integration and interdisciplinary learning for this unit or lesson you observed? Try to think how you could make the learning more meaningful, connected, and deeper. Be specific.
A suggestion that I observed is to allow your students to do the thinking on their own and not to influence them. Each jazz piece can be interpreted to be something different so to have each child: interpret it themselves, create, and then explain their thought process is extremely useful.
Art Classroom
Following your art room observations describe (200 words):
1. The content of the lesson, written and spoken objectives, and resources used
Students learned about patterns. Their objective was to understand what a pattern is, pick out a pattern, and create their own pattern. The resources used were different images from YouTube, a book of poems, paint, stamps and construction paper.
2.The teacher, her / his teaching strategies and format / process of the lesson as presented
She read a poem and discussed the pattern within the poem when it came to repeating lines. She had different stations of colors with different shapes in each color. The kids then were instructed to go around and make a pattern on their construction paper.
3.Student engagement of the lesson, classroom atmosphere, and environment
The students were very engaged. They enjoyed the painting and discussing the pattern within the poem, also. The atmosphere was very controlled. The kids were focused, but having fun. The art room is an environment filled with resources.
4.Classroom behavior management
The art teacher had good behavior management with the students. She was calm and stern. She used the PBS system that the classroom teachers at Lee use.
5.Compare the art classroom to the regular classroom in regards to the teaching strategies, lesson presentation, student engagement, classroom atmosphere, environment, and behavior management.
I believe the art classroom and regular classroom have similar teaching strategies. They use different ways to get kids learning. The lesson presentation is also similar. The SmartBoard and other technology is utilized. Students are engaged within both classrooms. The atmosphere, environment, and behavior management mirror each other in both types of classrooms. Art and regular classrooms are very similar.
Following your elementary classroom observation, describe how art materials, visual forms, images, or activities were used in the classroom by answering the following three questions (200 words):
1. What form of arts integration or interdisciplinary learning units have you observed? In what ways were the visual forms investigated, learned, discussed, or produced in the classroom?
I am placed at Lee Elementary, which is an expressive arts school. I have observed the students’ jazz unit. One imparticular lesson I saw within the jazz unit was one on warm/cool colors in conjunction with warm/cool jazz pieces. They had the students read a book with different jazz pieces; discuss the emotions being evoked, then talked about warm vs. cool colors. The kids were then to choose a jazz piece and identify if it is a warm or cool piece. Once this was decided they made a collage with tissue paper using warm or cool colors, which ever their piece was. After creating their collage each student wrote about the jazz piece they were given.
2. Was there a Big Idea or theme used? If so describe. Were students working with narrative, observation, imagination, and / or visual thinking?
The theme was warm/cool colors. They did visual thinking. They read their piece then visualized what they felt the piece was evoking. From their thoughts they created their collages of color.
3. What suggestions would you have for integration and interdisciplinary learning for this unit or lesson you observed? Try to think how you could make the learning more meaningful, connected, and deeper. Be specific.
A suggestion that I observed is to allow your students to do the thinking on their own and not to influence them. Each jazz piece can be interpreted to be something different so to have each child: interpret it themselves, create, and then explain their thought process is extremely useful.
Art Classroom
Following your art room observations describe (200 words):
1. The content of the lesson, written and spoken objectives, and resources used
Students learned about patterns. Their objective was to understand what a pattern is, pick out a pattern, and create their own pattern. The resources used were different images from YouTube, a book of poems, paint, stamps and construction paper.
2.The teacher, her / his teaching strategies and format / process of the lesson as presented
She read a poem and discussed the pattern within the poem when it came to repeating lines. She had different stations of colors with different shapes in each color. The kids then were instructed to go around and make a pattern on their construction paper.
3.Student engagement of the lesson, classroom atmosphere, and environment
The students were very engaged. They enjoyed the painting and discussing the pattern within the poem, also. The atmosphere was very controlled. The kids were focused, but having fun. The art room is an environment filled with resources.
4.Classroom behavior management
The art teacher had good behavior management with the students. She was calm and stern. She used the PBS system that the classroom teachers at Lee use.
5.Compare the art classroom to the regular classroom in regards to the teaching strategies, lesson presentation, student engagement, classroom atmosphere, environment, and behavior management.
I believe the art classroom and regular classroom have similar teaching strategies. They use different ways to get kids learning. The lesson presentation is also similar. The SmartBoard and other technology is utilized. Students are engaged within both classrooms. The atmosphere, environment, and behavior management mirror each other in both types of classrooms. Art and regular classrooms are very similar.