Students will be able to:
- create a picture of a garden containing plants and creatures;
- create flowers using geometric shape stamps;
- count shapes;
- add money amounts;
- demonstrate technical accomplishment and creativity.
SPRING GARDEN – Shape, Space, Computation
Steps
Step One
- Choose some shape stamps to use for your flowers.
- Use crayons to draw the garden space without the flowers.
- Include the ground, stems, and sky.
Step Two
- Use Crayola broad line markers to colour on the shape stamp.
- Be sure to use the flat side of the marker.
- Colour a smooth, solid layer of ink on the stamp.
- Stamp the shape on the scene to make the flowers and any creatures in your garden.
Step Three
- Use the chart to find out how much your picture will cost.
- Start by adding how many of each shape you have.
- Next calculate how much each set of shapes is worth.
- Then add all these amounts to get a grand total.
- Once you have figured out how much money all your shapes add up to, write the amount on a price tag and attach it to your work.
Learning Goals
Extensions
Have students:
- work in partners;
- use their two completed artworks to create a story that includes numbers and money;
- make sure their story has a beginning, middle and end;
- share their stories with the class.
Prepare
- Prior to this lesson have students practice using markers to make stamp prints.
- Demonstrate how to:
- Use the flat side of the marker to colour smoothly on the shape.
- Press down firmly to get a complete print. - Download and display the Space and Shape posters available on this website.
- Download flower images from the Internet, for example,
Aster
Daffodil
Lily
Poppy - Gather, and make available, books on the theme of shapes and gardens such as, Round as a Mooncake, A Book of Shapes, by Roseanne Thong; Icky Bug Shapes, by Jerry Pollotta; The Greedy Triangle, by Marilyn Burns and Gordon Silvena; Time For Kids: Plants!, by Editors of TIME For Kids and Brenda Iasevoli; National Geographic Readers: Seed to Plant, by Kristin Baird Rattini; The Tiny Seed, by Eric Carle; and Planting a Rainbow, by Lois Ehlert.
- Purchase, or create geometric shape stampers using craft foam shapes glued to pieces of wood or foam core board.
- Print copies of the calculation sheet - one per group of 6 students. (Downloads – Calculate.pdf)
Introduction
- Conduct a read aloud using a book with a flower theme such as Planting a Rainbow, by Lois Ehlert.
- View and discuss the images, for example,
- use of space and shapes to draw the eye through the composition
- use of contrasting colours
- types of creatures found in a spring garden
- use of repetition to add movement and interest
- types of shapes found on flowers and bushes - Discuss the characteristics of geometric and organic shapes.
- Have students identify shapes within the illustrations and the flower photographs.
- Demonstrate how to look at a photograph of a flower and find a geometric shape in it, then use the stamps to make a geometric flower.
- Introduce the challenge.
Activities
The Challenge
- Create a picture of a garden containing plants and creatures.
- Create flowers using geometric shape stamps.
- Count shapes.
- Add money amounts.
- Demonstrate technical accomplishment and creativity.
The Process
- Make sure that everyone understands the challenge.
- Establish success criteria with your students, for example,
- flowers made of a variety of shape stamps
- marker colours are strong and bright
- garden contains flowers and creatures
- interesting placement of shapes
- effective use of colour
- accurate counting of shapes
- accurate adding of money amounts
- paper in good condition - Guide the students through the steps outlined in the lesson plan.
- Observe students as work.
- Provide individual assistance and encouragement.
Sharing
- Have students share their completed pictures with a partner. Ask them to share:
- What they like about the pictures.
- Two things that are the same about their pictures.
- Two things that are different about their pictures.
- What was difficult about making the picture.
- What was satisfying about making the picture. - Invite some students to share with the whole class.
- Have students work in small groups. Ask them to:
- Place their pictures on a desk with the price tags hidden.
- Estimate which picture costs the most.
- Explain their process for estimating. - Invite some students to share with the whole class.
Assessment
- Observe students as they work – thoughtful focus, discriminating, seeking more information, elaborating, experimenting.
- Observe students as they discuss their pictures – active listening, insightful contributions, supporting ideas with evidence found in the artwork and from personal experience
- Use a checklist to track progress. (Downloads – Garden_tracking.pdf)
- Have students use the self-assessment form to evaluate their work. (Downloads – Garden_self-assessment.pdf)
