Arts Integration Residency with Montalvo Arts Center in Campbell, CA.

[portfolio_slideshow size=large]

medium: drawing on paper

Ressources
material: pencils, crayons, sharpies, drawing paper.

How it works

1. I introduce the lesson with a short presentation with a question to the students: What is the soil around here made of? Several students answer and we have a short discussion.
I propose to them to go outside and see what we can find which will be part of the soil soon if we leave everything on the ground decaying slowly but surely. Then we will draw what we found.

2. We go outside the class to gather a few elements that we are going to draw in class: leaves, decaying leaves, twigs, pieces of plants, anything that is laying on the ground (not the trash though!). The students can keep their findings in their hands or put them in a collective box.

3. We come back inside the classroom. The students have either their findings with them or pick some elements in the box and go seat at their desks.
On the table, pencils, crayons, sharpies and paper are available.

4. The students start drawing. They can draw one element or several on the same paper, do one or several drawings, it is their choice.

5. Group discussion with all the art on the floor. One interesting reflection about what a soil is made of, is that leaves are decaying on the ground. Some students drawn the decaying leaves. We talked about what “beautiful” means for them: not necessarily a “perfect” leaf, but a damaged leaf is also beautiful and very interesting to draw.