Week One

For our first week of class students explored the Arctic Tundra, specifically what animals live here as well as the climate. Students learned about blubber and how it keeps animals of the Arctic warm, and did an experiment. Students also learned about how water interacts with oil and created works of art with oil, water, and watercolor. Finally, students worked on a collaborative piece using salt, ice, and dye. Check out our classroom below! 

 

 

 

Lesson Rationale
Students will be specifically exploring the culture of the Inuit people living in the Arctic region. They will be developing an understanding of how climate affects the people living in this area and what type of art is native to Inuit culture. Students will learn how natural materials and environment inspire art making. They will view and discuss environmental subject matter found in Inuit rock sculptures, carvings, and paintings and then create their own rock sculptures and animal carvings. Students will then discuss and create drawings of what is important in their own environments. Overall, students will gain an understanding of the Inuit culture and how art can tell a story.   

Continuing the Lesson at Home
This lesson can easily be replicated at home. All that is needed is ice (can even be ice-cubes) and  salt and food coloring. Allow them to experiment with the salt and watch how it causes the ice to expand. Then, have them add food coloring to create a unique piece of artwork!