Content Focus: Life science, scaling

Language Focus: reading, writing

Vocabulary Focus: organism, plant, animal, habitat, ecosystem, scaling, pixel, model

Standards:

• 7.G.A.1: Solve problems involving scale drawings of geometric figures, including computing actual lengths and areas from a scale drawing and reproducing a scale drawing at a different scale.
• MS-LS1-1: Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells.
• MS-LS1-2: Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways the parts of cells contribute to the function.
• MS-LS1-4: Use arguments based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively.
• W.2.b. Write informative text that examines a topic and conveys ideas, concepts, and information through the selection and organization of relevant content by introducing and developing a topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples, organizing ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension
• W.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and inquiry.
• L.5 Demonstrate contextually appropriate use of the conventions of standardized English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. Discern when and where it is appropriate to use standardized English. Appropriately use and explain the intended purpose of language choice with:
  • a. Phrases and clauses
  • b. Simple, compound, and complex sentences signaling differing relationships among ideas
  • c. Recognizing and correcting dangling modifiers
• L.6 Demonstrate contextually appropriate use of the conventions of standardized English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. Discern when and where it is appropriate to use standardized English. Appropriately use and explain the intended purpose in conventions with:
  • a. Commas to separate coordinate adjectives
  • b. Correct spelling
• 6-8 Create: Investigate – Investigate & expand knowledge of studio skills, techniques, materials, tools, & elements and principles of art & design.
• 6-8 Present: Communicate – Communicate the contextual meaning of artwork in written and verbal statements.

Arts Integration: Photography; Pointillism/Pixelation of photograph

Lesson Objectives: Students will explore and photograph plants and animals within the Gardens at the Paine Arts Center. Students will choose a photographed organism to deep dive their learning towards by researching the background and function of the organism. Students will create a visual product with LEGOs to draw interest to their learning.

Activities: Paine Arts Center Exhibit; Photography Lesson; Research & Write about the photographed organism; Scale the photograph to reproduce a pointillism/pixelated version using LEGO Dots.

Engagement/Introduction: Students attended the Microsculpture Exhibition at the Paine followed by a photography lesson in The Gardens.

Assessment Procedure:

• Research and writing: Assessing that all required information is included and ELA skills are practiced.
• Photograph: Assessing that an organism was captured in the image.

Materials: 

• Trip to Paine and photography lesson in The Gardens with Center iPads: Free
• Research & writing: Chromebooks, internet, resource texts: District Provided
• Print Photographs: Printer
• Scaling Practice: Paper, Ruler Pencil, Page Protectors, Vis-a-Vis markers, a way to make color dots (stickers, sequins, daubers, paint, marker, etc.)
• LEGO: Baseplates – https://bit.ly/4i2Uzfs
• LEGO: Dots – https://bit.ly/41GF0EJ

Supporting Documents: Lesson Plan

Contact: Jen Steidtman (jsteidtman@wfsd.k12.wi.us)