Tag Archives: Unit Plan

07/26/14

Developing a Mycology Curriculum

A conspicuous absence exists in the science classroom. While we busily talk about the better understood kingdoms in life science, animalia and plantae, we do not include an equally important, and arguably more fascinating one, fungi. I began to design this unit for an intermediate classroom that provided lots of room for independent work. It still has a ways to go, but I’ll share here the central questions, and a few of the activity ideas that I came up with.

Philosophy to Practice: The unit is in keeping with my philosophy for a few reasons. Firstly, it provides an option of an area for students to study more deeply if they are interested in doing so. It also is directly connected to life skills, as fermented foods (sourdough, yogurt, kombucha, etc.) are a part of many people’s diets. As well, it offers a variety of interactive activities with which students can learn multi-modally. I had a great time designing this and tying it in to the intermediate PLO’s. I’m looking forward to teaching science and building on it more! This is a neat one for me because it is something I got to learn a lot about in the process of designing this unit, and it will keep being a project for me for many years, I expect.

 

Central Question: Where do fungi fit into the ecosystems we live in and the history of life on Earth?

Other Questions to Explore:

  • Why and how to humans cultivate or use fungi?
  • What is the impact of humans on fungi?
  • How are fungi and cultures connected, or co-dependant?
  • Do all living things produce bi-products? What/Why/How?
  • What do scientists still wonder/not know about fungi?
  • How do we classify living things? How has this changed over time?
  • What are the necessities for all life on Earth?
  • What is the relationship between humans and fungi? (What purposes do humans cultivate fungi for? [antibiotics, edible mushrooms, fermented food, research, ecological restoration… What is the cultural significance of fungi? What is the role of fungi in human history?]
  • How are food chains (that include fungi) related to other cycles and systems in the natural world?

Big Ideas:

Classification of life forms: fungi as unique, as their own kingdom

Humans and the Environment

Cycles and Systems as an interconnected web

Evolutionary History (timeline)

Rationale:

Mycology is an often forgotten part of studying life and Earth sciences. This is in part due to its mystery, and in part due to a lack of understanding or acknowledgment by many teachers. However, fungi are an integral part of most ecological systems, as well as human cultures, folklore, and health science. While fungi go almost without specific mention in the PLO’s, they are clearly an important part of science and social studies. Fortunately, many of the science PLO’s lend themselves well to exploration beyond the specific content requirements. As such, I propose this unit to supplement larger studies of Earth and life science, scientific methods, as well as social studies and language arts.

Some Activities/Projects:

Growing oyster mushroom mycellium (and fruit)

A study of bread mold.

Making sourdough.

Using nomenclature cards to learn types of, parts of, and the life cycle of a fungus.

Studying the cultural history of fungi (share via mini-book, story, artwork…)

Build an ecosystem, complete with plants, animals, and fungi (diorama).

 

Find a venn diagram template for comparing plants, animals, and fungi here.

07/26/14

Surrealist Collage Mini Unit Plan

Surrealist Art Collage Project

Reflection and ideas: I introduced this project to my grade 6/7 class as a mini art project. The results were mixed. The exquisite characters worked well as a sponge activity for the students who had already finished the project my SA had assigned. It was a good transition, and the kids had a lot of fun making them. The invitation to be totally silly, as well as to work collaboratively, made everyone feel successful and took the pressure off for those students who don’t feel very successful in art.

I made a powerpoint to present the collage project, introducing the ideas of surrealism, the history, etc. I showed some examples of surrealist art, and surrealist collage. I introduced the concept of juxtaposition, and we looked for examples as a class in the art I showed them. Some students really took these ideas to heart, and it showed in their work. Others were more confused, or less serious. I see this as a mistake that I made, encouraging the silliness at the beginning. While this made the project fun, many didn’t take it very seriously. However, those who did take it seriously both had fun and created beautiful work.

I ran into an issue with a couple students using inappropriate images (booze, weapons, etc.). Unfortunately these images are a part of the advertisements in the magazines from the art room, and in most magazines available today. I had a conversation with the students, and they covered up or recreated their work without much fuss. Middle school is an age of testing boundaries, but I consistently have found that if you treat students respectfully in these situations without shaming them, small problems like this are easily solved.

Rational:

People participate in the arts for a variety of reasons:

  • to learn and play
  • to communicate
  • to honour rites of passage
  • to define, strengthen, and preserve culture and heritage
  • to nurture the emotional, social, intellectual, physical, and spiritual self.

Total Classes: 3-5

Surrealist Art Collage:

Grade 6:

A3 create images using particular visual elements and principles of design — including rhythm, asymmetrical balance, and space — to produce a variety of effects

A4 manipulate selected materials, technologies, and processes to create images scribed Learning Outcomes Suggested Achievement Indicators

A5 create 2-D and 3-D images − that reflect art styles from a variety of social, historical, and cultural contexts

Grade 7:

A1 use a variety of image sources to create images, including observation, emotions, ideas and concepts, imagination, memories, and sensory experiences

A2 create images using a range of image-development strategies, including: juxtaposition, metamorphosis, distortion, exaggeration

A5 create 2-D and 3-D images that incorporate the styles of selected artists from a variety of social, historical, and cultural contexts

Intro: Look at images by surrealist artists including:

The Son of Man – Rene Magritte

The Listening Room – Rene Magritte

The Persistence of Memory – Salvador Dali

The Elephants – Salvador Dali

Shirley Temple,The Youngest, Most Sacred Monsterof the Cinema in Her Time – Salvador Dali

Observatry Time – Man Ray (Exclude The Lovers, which is paired with this photo but is not classroom appropriate)

 

History of Surrealism: Movement began in the 1920’s. Features include the element of surprise, juxtaposition, and non sequitur. Instead of simply painting reality, artists of this movement attempted to express their visions or dreams through their art work. Surrealism was also a movement in literature and philosophy. It treated art as a way of expressing imagination and thought rather than reality.

 

What was happening in the world?

  • WW1 had just ended
  • Sigmun Freud was psychoanalyzing and treating patients with shell shock, attempting to delve into their unconscious and analyze dreams.

 

The project:

Intro Day Project: Exquisite Characters: Fold a piece of paper into three equal parts. 1st person draws a head of a creature in the top section. They continue their drawing just far enough into the next section that Person 2 knows where to begin. Person 2 draws the body. Repeat, with person 3 drawing the legs. An exquisite character is born!

  1. Using collage, painting, drawing, photography, or a combination of these things, create an image in the surrealist style. You may choose to find a landscape in a magazine and use that as a background.
  2. Write an artist’s statement or a description to go along with your work. Include the vocabulary you have learned in this unit including at least three of the following: juxtaposition, surreal, distortion, metamorphosis, asymmetry, and exaggeration. Make reference in you statement to at least one of the artists or works that you looked at in the beginning that influenced or inspired your work.