Susie Santa Maria
This lesson is based on an integration of a number of approaches.
First it is an implementation of the brain-based approached to teaching by incorporating a number of intelligences. The children's visual/spatial intelligence was enhanced by introducing them to the work of Vincent Van Gogh. The creation of a collage of their own family heightened the use of this intelligence. This intelligence deals with the right-brain hemispheric operation, an area known as the "parietal lobes'. Actually, it is when the neuronal pathways are activated they experience an image. The border of the masts was created with gadget printing an alternating pattern. The ability to decipher and create a pattern uses the mathematical/logical intelligence. To introduce the concept of alternating patterns, students were asked to share patterns they created with sounds (musical/rhythmic intelligence). They were also asked to come before the class to create a pattern with body movement. Most eagerly used this opportunity to demonstrate their kinesthetic intelligence, by jumping, hoping and skipping about the art room.
Secondly, this lesson incorporates the Seed Curriculum that is developed by the REACH Center and adopted by the Blue Valley School District. The basic philosophy of this curriculum is to inspire students to have a positive understanding of diversity. This particular lesson fosters the belief that elders, the older generation, are to be respected as an important part of our community. One of the objectives of the adoption of the Family theme is to help students become aware of the caring and love expressed between people, in a family situation.
The integration of these various approaches has provided an enriched experience for our first graders.
Susie Santa Maria
This lesson was based on the Seed Curriculum, developed by the REACH Center, and adopted by Blue Valley Schools. In addition, it is an implementation of the Brain-based approach to learning. Also, it is an example of an integration of art, science and social studies curriculums. As second graders were already studying trees in science and our school wide theme for first semester is family, we decided to encourage the children to create their own family tree.
The REACH center specializes in cultural awareness and a positive understanding of cultural diversity. The creation of a family tree gave our second graders an opportunity to become sensitive to the life cycles of both plants and animals. By creating their family tree, they are also acknowledging elders as important people in our community.
From the brain based perspective the children, were visited by our counselor, Ms. Hietzmann. She asked the children to consider what qualities make a good family, as well as what makes their own family special. This experience required students to use their interpersona1 and intrapersonal intelligences.
Then, the children were asked to use gadget printing and cutting, to create a creative interpretation of their family tree. For this activity, they used their visual/spatia1 intelligence. During this lesson they created a relief, that added a three dimensional aspect to the composition. The use of different textures, enhanced the sensory experience for the students, and gave them more creative options.
Students also had to reflect on what qualities watered their family tree and gave it life. These qualities are symbolized by the blue pools, at the base of the tree. The figure standing near the tree symbolizes the child/artist. Students were asked to create a repeated or alternating pattern on the clothing of this figure. The creation of this patterning uses the mathematical intelligence. The combination of all these approaches created an enhanced learning experience for our second graders.
Susie Santa Maria
The approach to this lesson was based on a brain-based process of teaching, which is believed to maximize the learning experience. One of the basic principles of this process is that: Learning engages the entire physiology. In an attempt to do this we attempted to immerse our third graders in a variety of experiences concerning Kansas City.
Through social studies and enrichment experiences they were introduced to the historical past of the city. This was reinforced by art and music class that emphasized the cultural past and present of Kansas City.
Then students were asked to synthesize this diverse information in the creation of a collage that was to serve as an advertisement to attract families, from other states, to visit Kansas City. This collage activated the children's visual/spatial intelligence. They were asked to transfer the information of how artists create unity in their art, through overlapping and pattern and incorporate this into their own composition.
Later, in art class the children were asked to write a reflective page on this experience. Such an approach required them to use their intrapersonal intelligence.
Finally, the culmination of this activity is the third grade musical, duAng which the children use their musical/rhythmic intelligence. Also, their kinesthetic intelligence was applied as they moved their body to interpret songs, relating to Kansas City theme. The brain-based approach resulted in an enriched learning experience for our third graders.
The brain-based approach resulted in an enriched learning experience for our third graders.
While the fourth grade students were focusing on Indians in Social Studies, Mr. Ellis our enrichment specialist came into the art room to introduce a kachina unit, to the students. He used a cooperative learning technique, during which students studied enrichment materials to determine, as a small group, which facts to share with the larger group, about kachinas. This division of labor and person-to-person communication activated their interpersonal intelligence.
Then, the students synthesized the knowledge they had acquired about the religious role of kachinas in Hopi culture, and constructed with paper mache’ and found objects their creative interpretation of a kachinas. The children were asked to be particularly aware of the textural variations in the formation of their three dimensional design.
Interestingly, one of the key findings of researchers is that, although we have various intellectual strengths all of our intelligences can be strengthened. This is especially true of visual/spatial potentials, if encouraged at an early age. In the case of visual/spatial intelligence we are primarily dealing with the right-brain hemispheric operation-an area known as the "parietal lobes'. When sets of neuronal pathways "fire", we experience an image. The creation of individual kachinas encourage such a reaction, in the brain.
A culmination activity, for this lesson, included taking a tour of the Nelson Art Gallery's Fred Harvev Exhibit. Here our fourth graders viewed original kachinas constructed by the Hopi Indians. Later, this was followed by the students writing why they felt Kachinas should be valued as works of art unique to the Indian Culture. Not only does this written activity incorporate the verbal/linguistic intelligence but it also incorporates Blue Valley's Seed Curriculum adapted by the REACH Center. This Center is dedicated to Multicultural Education with the goal of attaining an understanding of cultural diversity. The Seed Curriculum is based on the belief that, "the strength of the United States is measured through the unity of its people". The children's appreciation of kachinas enhances their sensitivity to art of different cultures.
Susie Santa Maria
In 1984, Howard Gardener presented his new theory of multiple intelligences at "The Coming Education Explosion" conference. His research is the basis for this lesson approach
While the fourth grade students focused on Indians in Social Studies Class, Mr. Ellis, our enrichment specialist came to the art room to introduce the mask unit, to the students. Through his enrichment materials, we learned of the ceremonial role masks play in Indian culture. He presented a cooperative learning lesson that required the children to work and groups and eventually share their materials with a larger group. This use of collaborative skills activated the student's interpersonal intelligence.
Later the creation of each child's three dimensional mask with paper mache and a variety of textural objects resulted in the children using their visual/spatial intelligence. This activity also required the students to synthesize the information they had attained about masks in the Indian culture in the creation of their own interpretation.
A culmination activity, for this lesson included taking a tour of the Nelson Art Gallery's Fred Harvey Exhibit. Here our students viewed original art created by Southwest Indians. This exhibit included a magnificently carved ceremonial mask. Later the children incorporated their kinesthetic intelligence, by creating a ceremonial dance to be used with their masks, at the fourth grade pow-wow. Also, their musical/rhythmic intelligence was used when the students composed musical chants that were to be sung at the pow wow. The activation of these intelligences resulted in an enriched learning experience for our children.
In conjunction with the first semester school-wide theme of Family, the fourth graders have focused on the families of the past: the American Indians. The creation of the Dream Catchers gave us an opportunity to combine Social Studies and Art while incorporating the Theory of Multiple Intelligences.
In 1984, Howard Gardner presented his new theory of multiple intelligences to a large number of educators who attendance the "The Coming Education Explosion" conference.
The approach to this lesson is based on his research. The basic philosophy is that: a multiple intelligence approach maximizes learning, for the student. Specifically, in this lesson we activated the student's verbal/linguistic intelligence when they composed a creative writing associated with dreams. The thinking of what dreams meant to them required them to reflect on their experiences, using their intrapersonal intelligence. In addition, the visual/spatial intelligence was activated by the students creating their own dream catcher. This gave them an opportunity to work on a three dimensional fiber art project. Also, the creation of a beaded and woven pattern in the dream catcher required the children to use their logical/mathematical intelligence.
While visiting the Fred Harvey Indian Exhibit at the Nelson art gallery, students became increasingly aware of the importance of the spider to the Navajo Indians. This idea, was also emphasized in their social studies class. The dream catcher weaving is actually a reflection of the admiration the Indians had for the spider, who it was believed to have taught weaving to the Navajo women. The spider symbol occurs throughout Navajo art. This connection with nature and culture, enhanced the student's naturalist intelligence.
Later, in preparation for their pow wow, these fourth graders used the kinesthetic intelligence, to create a ceremonial dance with their dream catchers. Then, their musical/rhythmic intelligence was used when the students composed musical chants that were to be sung at the pow wow. The incorporation of all of these intelligences resulted in an enriched learning experience for our fourth graders.