Chapter 5 * Voni

In the midst of a science unit on ‘Insects’, I did an art lesson using an Art Kit from the media center. Maria had recommended using the Art Kits because of their colorful pictures and step-by-step instructions. The project was excellent because it reinforced our new knowledge using a kinesthetic approach, allowing the students to create the body parts of an insect and show their understanding of symmetry on the butterfly’s wings.
Before we started the lesson I had the students verbally identify the parts of an insect and I wrote them on the board. I referred back to the words during the step-by-step instructions, pointing out or asking them what part of the insect are we now making?
The art kit I used taught the works of E.A. Seguy, providing beautiful intricate, designs of butterflies, all of which were researched, drawn, and labeled from different parts of the world. I keep the globe close by during instruction so we can locate “where in the world” is ??????This also overlapped a class written report about butterfly’s, including where they live.
Directions for the butterfly paper sculpture were clearly posted on a laminated fold out. After reading each step as a group, the students independently followed them. When most of the students were finished we moved on to the next step. At each step, or body part, we referred back to the words written on the board prior to beginning the art project.
The Art Kit provided a great way to integrate the unit on insects into social studies and math AND the general concept of following directions. If I were to do this lesson again I would have them choose a specific butterfly to replicate the symmetry rather than design their own. Then I’d have them make a card identifying the butterfly by scientific name and where it lives. I would frame the sentence indicating that information.
My initial plan was to just use the pictures from the Art Kit, but after seeing the lesson set-up, it turned out to be a great way to help cement and extend the learning.