Tonia Clark
Assignment 2 - Coding and Decoding Images
Phase 2 - My Sequence
Reflection
I am still
amazed at how much art we are exposed to in our everyday lives and the
importance of recognizing and appreciating its elements and principles. This assignment was enjoyable and I found
pleasure selecting photos for my sequence.
It was a bit challenging to narrow the photos to eight pictures and
choose those that could convey a message.
However, it was interesting to think how students would interpret the
images for themselves.
After having worked at the elementary level as a media specialist for numerous years, I knew right away that kindergarten and first grade students study plants and could benefit from this particular sequence. These images could be used to support the Georgia Performance Standards for Visual Arts and Science throughout the curriculum for all grade levels K-12. Some examples of how the sequence could benefit students and correlate to the standards are as follows:
Visual Arts Standards
VAMC.1: Engages in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas.
VAMC.2: Formulate personal responses.
VAMC.3: Selects and uses subject matter, symbols and/or ideas to communicate meaning.
VAAR.1: Discusses his or her own artwork and the artwork of others.
It is remarkable that the “Learning to Look Technique” can be applied with students as young as kindergarten and first grade. At the kindergarten level, students can be taught how to use pictures to tell a story and begin to verbally express their individual ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Students continue to build their knowledge of this skill expanding in the next grade levels. Second graders could use the images to produce multiple interpretations and write their own narratives. Older students in 3rd – 5th grade could create their own sketches and visual images and use art of elements and principles terminology to describe them. Middle schools students can use images to enhance creative thinking skills by visualizing new ideas through mental and visual imagery. Finally, high school students could use visuals to solve artistic problems through formal discussion and interaction with peers. They should also be able to recognize their own artistic voice.
Science Standards
SKL1: Students will sort living organisms and non-living materials into groups by observable physical attributes.
SKL2: Students will compare the similarities and differences in groups of organisms.
S1L1: Students will investigate the characteristics and basic needs of plants and animals.
S2L1: Students will investigate the life cycles of different living organisms.
S3E1: Students will investigate the physical attributes of rocks and soils.
S4L1: Students will describe the roles of organisms and the flow of energy with an ecosystem.
S6E5: Students will investigate the scientific view of how the earth’s surface is formed.
SB2.: Students will analyze how biological traits are passed on to successive generations.
These images could be used by K-12 students as they learn about plants, organisms, soil, and ecosystems in science classes. Students in kindergarten through 2nd grade learn to classify plants and animals as living or non-living organisms. They also discover the physical attributes, basic needs and life cycles of plants and animals. By 3rd grade, students begin to explore rocks and soils while fourth graders study organisms and ecosystem. These science investigations continue in forthcoming grade levels. As an activity, students could demonstrate an understanding of these concepts by creating their own sequence and discuss it with peers.
In closing, there are many additional ways educators can help students can become visual literate. However, I feel that students will benefit the most when visual literacy is used across the curriculum in all subjects. This makes it meaningful for students and allows them to see that art is everywhere.
After having worked at the elementary level as a media specialist for numerous years, I knew right away that kindergarten and first grade students study plants and could benefit from this particular sequence. These images could be used to support the Georgia Performance Standards for Visual Arts and Science throughout the curriculum for all grade levels K-12. Some examples of how the sequence could benefit students and correlate to the standards are as follows:
Visual Arts Standards
VAMC.1: Engages in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas.
VAMC.2: Formulate personal responses.
VAMC.3: Selects and uses subject matter, symbols and/or ideas to communicate meaning.
VAAR.1: Discusses his or her own artwork and the artwork of others.
It is remarkable that the “Learning to Look Technique” can be applied with students as young as kindergarten and first grade. At the kindergarten level, students can be taught how to use pictures to tell a story and begin to verbally express their individual ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Students continue to build their knowledge of this skill expanding in the next grade levels. Second graders could use the images to produce multiple interpretations and write their own narratives. Older students in 3rd – 5th grade could create their own sketches and visual images and use art of elements and principles terminology to describe them. Middle schools students can use images to enhance creative thinking skills by visualizing new ideas through mental and visual imagery. Finally, high school students could use visuals to solve artistic problems through formal discussion and interaction with peers. They should also be able to recognize their own artistic voice.
Science Standards
SKL1: Students will sort living organisms and non-living materials into groups by observable physical attributes.
SKL2: Students will compare the similarities and differences in groups of organisms.
S1L1: Students will investigate the characteristics and basic needs of plants and animals.
S2L1: Students will investigate the life cycles of different living organisms.
S3E1: Students will investigate the physical attributes of rocks and soils.
S4L1: Students will describe the roles of organisms and the flow of energy with an ecosystem.
S6E5: Students will investigate the scientific view of how the earth’s surface is formed.
SB2.: Students will analyze how biological traits are passed on to successive generations.
These images could be used by K-12 students as they learn about plants, organisms, soil, and ecosystems in science classes. Students in kindergarten through 2nd grade learn to classify plants and animals as living or non-living organisms. They also discover the physical attributes, basic needs and life cycles of plants and animals. By 3rd grade, students begin to explore rocks and soils while fourth graders study organisms and ecosystem. These science investigations continue in forthcoming grade levels. As an activity, students could demonstrate an understanding of these concepts by creating their own sequence and discuss it with peers.
In closing, there are many additional ways educators can help students can become visual literate. However, I feel that students will benefit the most when visual literacy is used across the curriculum in all subjects. This makes it meaningful for students and allows them to see that art is everywhere.