Unit 3: Stories
Artists: Thomas Hart Benton and Diego Rivera
Group Murals: Drawing and/or Collage
Artist: Faith Ringgold
Story Quilts: Watercolor
Artist: Jean Shin
Mini Sculptures from Found Objects
Unit 3: Stories Reflection
In Unit 3, we focused on the big idea of stories through the creation of three different studios. Stories are important because according to Pink (2005), “most of our experience, our knowledge and our thinking is organized by stories” (p. 101).
In our first studio, we created cartoons with the use of Sharpies and watercolor. My cartoon showed the how kids are reluctant to go to kindergarten, but it’s the parents who are reluctant to let their kids go on the first day of college. This studio could be used in many ways in my classroom. For example, students could make up their own cartoon to tell a story. Another option would be integrating this studio with social studies and having students research, explain, and recreate political cartoons.
In the second studio, we told the stories through the use of story quilts. My story was my adventure through Cypress Gardens in South Carolina. In Cypress Gardens, I took a boat ride with my boyfriend’s family through a swamp with alligators in it. This studio could easily be integrated with writing by having students tell the story they created with words. Therefore, students would be demonstrating multiple forms of literacy. Additionally, this unit could be integrated with a math unit by having students practice patterns and exact measurements.
Finally, the third studio involved creating a sculpture from found objects. Like our artist, Jean Shin, we were to work with a partner to create something from objects that others may think need to be discarded. I worked with Lauren to create a tree that was being suffocated. The materials we used help tell this story because they were the very materials that were harmful to trees. I think this studio would be great to use for teamwork activities, but I am not sure how I would integrate it into my classroom curriculum yet.
Overall, I think most of these studios could be effective in allowing students to express themselves in my classroom. As Pink (2005) stated, “We are our stories”(p.115). It is important to allow our students to express themselves. By Pink’s definition, that means we should allow our students to express their stories.
References:
Pink, D. H. (2005). A whole new mind: Why right-brainers will rule the future. New York: Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
In our first studio, we created cartoons with the use of Sharpies and watercolor. My cartoon showed the how kids are reluctant to go to kindergarten, but it’s the parents who are reluctant to let their kids go on the first day of college. This studio could be used in many ways in my classroom. For example, students could make up their own cartoon to tell a story. Another option would be integrating this studio with social studies and having students research, explain, and recreate political cartoons.
In the second studio, we told the stories through the use of story quilts. My story was my adventure through Cypress Gardens in South Carolina. In Cypress Gardens, I took a boat ride with my boyfriend’s family through a swamp with alligators in it. This studio could easily be integrated with writing by having students tell the story they created with words. Therefore, students would be demonstrating multiple forms of literacy. Additionally, this unit could be integrated with a math unit by having students practice patterns and exact measurements.
Finally, the third studio involved creating a sculpture from found objects. Like our artist, Jean Shin, we were to work with a partner to create something from objects that others may think need to be discarded. I worked with Lauren to create a tree that was being suffocated. The materials we used help tell this story because they were the very materials that were harmful to trees. I think this studio would be great to use for teamwork activities, but I am not sure how I would integrate it into my classroom curriculum yet.
Overall, I think most of these studios could be effective in allowing students to express themselves in my classroom. As Pink (2005) stated, “We are our stories”(p.115). It is important to allow our students to express themselves. By Pink’s definition, that means we should allow our students to express their stories.
References:
Pink, D. H. (2005). A whole new mind: Why right-brainers will rule the future. New York: Penguin Group (USA) Inc.