Undersea exploration

Students explore the lifeforms and land formations under the ocean. The three ocean levels and their respective lifeforms are investigated and discussed, focusing on shape, form, and color. Students will gain a better understanding of the connections between the science and arts curriculum.

A lesson plan for grade 2 Visual Arts Education, Dance Arts Education, and Music Education

By Russ Johnson

Learn more

Help

Please read our disclaimer for lesson plans.

Legal

Learning outcomes

Students will:

• create a visual representation of the three ocean zones and their respective native lifeforms.
• discuss, explore, and create a class mural depicting the ocean zones.
• explore the crayon resist technique, successfully using crayon with tempera wash.
• investigate the three ocean zones and the lifeforms and land formations found in each zone.
• create individual and group dances that depict various kinds of ocean life and their natural movement.
• explore ocean life through listening to actual sounds from the ocean and music about the oceans.
• participate in the group critique process, encouraging all students to discuss his/her work and the work of peers.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

3 Hours

Materials/resources

• Manilla Drawing Paper (Large)
• Heavy Mural Paper
• Flourescent Crayons/Tempera: Three Intensities: Light, Medium, Dark (blue is recommended)
• Brushes
• Scissors
• Tape
• Glue
• Pictures of Ocean life
• Paintings of Ocean Life
• Recordings from the Ocean
• Songs about the Ocean

Bibliography:

• Baby Beluga, Raffi Songs to Read, Crown Publishers, Inc., ISBN 0-517-58362-3
• Fish, Fish, Fish, Georgie Adams, Silver Burdette Ginn ISBN 0-663-59229-1
• Sounds of Humpback Whales, CD, Music and You Series, Macmillan Music (Kindergarten CD 3)
• The Ocean Alphabet Book, Jerry Pallotta, Charlesbridge Publishing, ISBN 0-88106-458-0
• The Sign of the Seahorse, Graeme Base, Harry N. Abrams, Inc, ISBN 0-8109-3825-1

Technology resources

CD Player if you use the Sounds of Humpback Whales CD

Pre-activities

• Students study the three levels of the ocean and their respective lifeforms.
• Discussions focus on lifeforms and the characteristics of each habitat.
• Students discuss the Mural Process and will understand it as a group activity.
• Students observe the Crayon Resist process through demonstrations by the teacher and discuss the required steps and the appropriate use of materials.
• Students will understand that music and movement can be used to communicate ideas and images.
• Students will listen to ocean sounds, sing songs about ocean life, and will discuss those activities as they relate to creating various representations of the ocean zones and lifeforms.

Activities

1. Students use large mural paper and three intensities (light, medium, and dark) of tempera to create the three levels of the ocean. Blue tempera is recommended.
2. Students draw and color the lifeforms from the three ocean levels with fluorescent crayons. These are cut out and attached to the appropriate zone with tape or glue.
3. Students display the mural and critique the work, focusing on the criteria developed by the class (see assessments).
4. Students listen to sounds from the ocean and sing songs about ocean life.
5. Students create melodies or choose appropriate melodies or songs to serve as the medium for movement development.
6. Students create dances which depict the lifeforms found in the three ocean zones. These will focus on time, space, and energy within the designated performance space.
7. Students will have the opportunity to discuss the dances and offer suggestions for improvements or extensions of the activity.
8. Students will create their own individual visual representation of the ocean zones using the crayon resist process. Ocean lifeforms are drawn and colored with fluorescent crayons. Attention is given to form, shape, design, and color combinations. Students are reminded to use pressure when applying the crayon.
9. Students apply the tempera, creating the three zones by applying the appropriate intensity of paint. The works are allowed to dry.
10. Students organize and mount a display of their works with the supervision of the teacher. They critique the display focusing on the criteria established in the assessment instruments.

Assessment

____ Student should be able to communicate at a basic level in the art form. (Movement, Music, Creative Dramatics, Visual Arts)

____ Student should exhibit basic knowledge and skills in the use of basic vocabularies, materials, tools, and techniques for the art form.

____ Student should be able to communicate adequately in at least one art form.

____ Student should be able to develop and verbalize basic analyses, (critique) of the art form. This is the ability to understand and discuss work in the various art forms.

____ Student should begin to develop an understanding of the development of the art form. This should include history and culture.

____ Student should begin to develop the ability to relate various types of arts knowledge and skills within and across the arts disciplines. Connections with basic curriculum areas should also become evident in vocabulary usage in classroom discussions.

Generic Rubric

Score 4
Consistently communicates a working knowledge and understanding of the three ocean zones and their respective life- and landforms. Completes an accurate visual representation of an ocean zone and its life/landforms.

Score 3
Consistently communicates a working knowledge of some of the ocean zones, but not all of the life/landforms are connected with respective zones. Completes a visual representation of an ocean zone which depicts sufficient knowledge and understanding of that zone.

Score 2
Sporadically communicates a working knowledge of some, but not all of the ocean zones and their life/landforms. Visual representations depict limited understanding of ocean zones and life/landforms.

Score 1
Rarely, if ever, communicates a working knowledge of the ocean zones and the respective life/landforms. Visual representation shows no understanding of ocean zones and life/landforms.

Score 0
The student has no understanding of the knowledge of ocean zones and the respective life/landforms. There is no visual representation. Non-scorable.

Supplemental information

Comments

This lesson can be considered part of a unit focusing on the ocean and life/landforms. The described activities can be implemented at any time during the basic academic study of oceans and ocean life. The overall intent here is an integrated or interdisciplinary approach to curriculum which supports other subject areas: arts as part of the basic curriculum, not supplemental activities.