*Lesson 5: Impacts on the Community
Time: 45 minutes
Essential Question for the Unit:
In what ways do human characteristics alter the physical characteristics of land and impact the environment?
Essential Question:
How can we work together to increase awareness of our impacts on the environment?
Guiding Questions:
Standards:
Objectives:
Lesson:
Introduction: Connection to previous lesson. “In our previous lesson, you reflected on ways that people impact the environment, and discussed way that we can decrease our impact on the environment. Today, we are going to see how one artist uses his work to make people think about the impact they are having on the environment.”
Lesson: Pull up Chris Jordan’s website, and begin by going to the Contact page and reading about the artist. Then bring up the work entitled Cans Seurat, which can be found by clicking the Artworks tab and then scrolling to “Running the Numbers.” Explain that this piece of art is a replica of a famous piece of art called A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by George Seurat. When displaying Cans Seurat, ask students if they notice anything interesting about the texture or appearance of the artwork.* Ask students what texture means from the lesson a couple of days ago. Students should notice that the artwork appears to have been made by small dots. Explain that in the original painting by George Seurat, the painting was made using this technique and it is called pointillism. Explain what pointillism is. Ask students what they see in the picture. (Ask this question several times to get multiple responses). Now click on the artwork so that it zooms in to reveal what the dots are made of. Read the caption to the students. Ask students what they think of when they see how many cans it took to make this piece of art, knowing that this is how many cans are used every thirty seconds in the U.S. When asking the question, be sure to point out how large this artwork would be if it were in the room, 60” x 90”. Ask students how using this amount of cans every thirty seconds impacts the environment. Ask students why they think the artist chose to replicate a painting that depicts a nice day at the park instead of a dreary picture since he is providing us with upsetting information. Now go to “Running the Numbers II,” and click on the artwork entitled Grye. Ask students what they see in the artwork. The students should recognize the pointillism. Zoom in on the artwork and read the caption to the students. Ask students what pollution is. If they cannot come up with a meaning, provide them with one. Ask students what impact pollution has on the environment. Ask the students how Chris Jordan’s artwork impacts their views on human characteristics impact on the environment. After discussion, have students work in heterogeneous groups of four to five to come up with ways to increase awareness of the amount of pollution that enters the ocean every hour, or the amount of cans that we use every thirty seconds. Student will also explain how the awareness will help to protect the environment. Students will write their ideas in their social studies journals, and select one person from their group to share their ideas with the class. Students should be encouraged to think about ways they can change the impact their family makes, the school makes, and the community makes. Allow students to be as creative as they want. If students are struggling with ideas, suggest things such as writing letters to Community Board Members or the Mayor, having a school assembly to spread awareness, or having a town meeting. The teacher will conclude by explaining how the suggestions will affect the impact humans have on the environment, and how we can work as a class to decrease our impact on the environment by recycling, turning off lights, etc.
Vocabulary:
Materials:
Assessment:
The teacher will informally assess the students understanding of pointillism during the viewing of the second piece of art. The teacher will also informally assess student understanding of the impact that pollution has on the environment during the viewing activity. The teacher will assess student understanding of spreading awareness and the impact that awareness will have on the environment during the whole-class sharing.
Heading image courtesy of BritishInfluence.org
Time: 45 minutes
Essential Question for the Unit:
In what ways do human characteristics alter the physical characteristics of land and impact the environment?
Essential Question:
How can we work together to increase awareness of our impacts on the environment?
Guiding Questions:
- Do you notice anything interesting about the texture or appearance of Cans Seurat?
- What does texture mean?
- What do you see in this picture?
- What do you think when you see how many cans we use every thirty seconds in the U.S.?
- How does using this amount of cans every thirty seconds impact the environment?
- Why do you think the artist replicated a happy painting to provide us with upsetting information?
- What do you see in this piece of art?
- What is pollution?
- What is the impact of polluting our oceans?
- How does Chris Jordan’s artwork impact your views on human characteristic impact on the environment?
Standards:
- 3.C&G.2.2 Exemplify how citizens contribute to the well-being of the community’s natural environment.
- 3.V.1.2 Understand that artists use their art to express personal ideas.
Objectives:
- Students will explain how an artist’s work impacts their views on human characteristics impact on the environment.
- Students will work in groups to develop ways to increase human knowledge of human impact on the environment.
- Students will explain how increased awareness will contribute to the well-being of the environment.
- Students will recognize pointillism within a piece of artwork.
Lesson:
Introduction: Connection to previous lesson. “In our previous lesson, you reflected on ways that people impact the environment, and discussed way that we can decrease our impact on the environment. Today, we are going to see how one artist uses his work to make people think about the impact they are having on the environment.”
Lesson: Pull up Chris Jordan’s website, and begin by going to the Contact page and reading about the artist. Then bring up the work entitled Cans Seurat, which can be found by clicking the Artworks tab and then scrolling to “Running the Numbers.” Explain that this piece of art is a replica of a famous piece of art called A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by George Seurat. When displaying Cans Seurat, ask students if they notice anything interesting about the texture or appearance of the artwork.* Ask students what texture means from the lesson a couple of days ago. Students should notice that the artwork appears to have been made by small dots. Explain that in the original painting by George Seurat, the painting was made using this technique and it is called pointillism. Explain what pointillism is. Ask students what they see in the picture. (Ask this question several times to get multiple responses). Now click on the artwork so that it zooms in to reveal what the dots are made of. Read the caption to the students. Ask students what they think of when they see how many cans it took to make this piece of art, knowing that this is how many cans are used every thirty seconds in the U.S. When asking the question, be sure to point out how large this artwork would be if it were in the room, 60” x 90”. Ask students how using this amount of cans every thirty seconds impacts the environment. Ask students why they think the artist chose to replicate a painting that depicts a nice day at the park instead of a dreary picture since he is providing us with upsetting information. Now go to “Running the Numbers II,” and click on the artwork entitled Grye. Ask students what they see in the artwork. The students should recognize the pointillism. Zoom in on the artwork and read the caption to the students. Ask students what pollution is. If they cannot come up with a meaning, provide them with one. Ask students what impact pollution has on the environment. Ask the students how Chris Jordan’s artwork impacts their views on human characteristics impact on the environment. After discussion, have students work in heterogeneous groups of four to five to come up with ways to increase awareness of the amount of pollution that enters the ocean every hour, or the amount of cans that we use every thirty seconds. Student will also explain how the awareness will help to protect the environment. Students will write their ideas in their social studies journals, and select one person from their group to share their ideas with the class. Students should be encouraged to think about ways they can change the impact their family makes, the school makes, and the community makes. Allow students to be as creative as they want. If students are struggling with ideas, suggest things such as writing letters to Community Board Members or the Mayor, having a school assembly to spread awareness, or having a town meeting. The teacher will conclude by explaining how the suggestions will affect the impact humans have on the environment, and how we can work as a class to decrease our impact on the environment by recycling, turning off lights, etc.
Vocabulary:
- Texture is the way something feels or looks as it would feel.
- Pointillism is a technique used by artists, in which they use small dots to create an overall image.
- Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment.
Materials:
- Internet
- Smartboard/projector
- Social Studies Journals
- Pencils
Assessment:
The teacher will informally assess the students understanding of pointillism during the viewing of the second piece of art. The teacher will also informally assess student understanding of the impact that pollution has on the environment during the viewing activity. The teacher will assess student understanding of spreading awareness and the impact that awareness will have on the environment during the whole-class sharing.
Heading image courtesy of BritishInfluence.org