Collaboration – Nature Art – Grade 4 (Room 19)

This collaboration is a result of the specialists (Art, Music, P.E.) going full time in one building.  This change in the schedule has given me a bit more time each week to devote to collaborating with classroom teachers, outside of the scheduled art time.  Mrs. Cole & myself developed this sculpture activity as a way to connect art and her students studies in science.

The inspiration was the artist Andy Goldsworthy, who is well known for his temporary sculptures using natural materials.  Typically, Goldsworthy works using materials he finds on location.  To get started, room 19 was shown a Power Point with information about Andy Goldsworthy along with photographic examples of his sculptures.  


A brief conversation regarding the artwork shared in the Power Point helped the students understand how Goldsworthy makes his pieces.   A review of a number of the elements of art, along with examples of how Goldsworthy uses them in his pieces, also helped to prepare students for their own work.  

The assignment was to work in small groups to create a temporary sculpture using only natural materials.  Groups also needed to decide on, and identify, the elements of art their group used.  As was seen in many of Goldsworthy’s pieces, sometimes more then 1 element of art was utilized.

 

 

On day two (the day after), students had the task of observing their temporary sculpture, noting in their nature journals what they saw. Not only did this observation drawing serve as a fantastic drawing exercise, it also was a way to note how the weather, and perhaps animals and people, change the natural environment.

All students in room 19 were thoroughly engaged in this two day collaborative activity.  Mrs. Cole & myself look forward to more of these collaborations. 

Coming up in the next two weeks, I’ll be collaborating with Mrs. Tsacoyeanes’ class & Mrs. Mosher’s class!