November 14, 2013
Week Seven
Tuesday
This week I began my lesson unit on imagination. I began with a book reading, Dog Loves Drawing by Louise Yates. I read the book and asked the students questions about the book. I then had the students create a color wheel using watercolor pencils. I showed them how to apply the pigment on the paper and mix the pigment with a brush and water. With left over time, the students were instructed to create a doodle using the same material.
I realized that I had both planned too much for the students and that the color wheel had nothing to do with the book. The color wheel was important, however it was important during the end of my lesson. I realized that I should have moved the color wheel activity to the middle of my lesson. It was unfortunate because some of the students were unable to finish or even start the doodle, which was an important aspect of the book. Upon reflecting I would have read the book and just had the students create a doodle. I also noticed that some of the students did not fully understand how to properly use the watercolor pencils, so I would have started the activity with colored pencils. This would have been a great way to ease them in to using watercolor pencils.
Starting with the book reading and creating a doodle would have also given me a better opportunity to focus on the concepts that were evident in the reading. Because they were primarily making color wheels, I did not explain the concept of line as in depth as I had planned to. Also, the concepts that were in the book did not apply to the color wheel, but rather dealt with the doodle. Moving the color wheel to a later segment would have allotted more time for the students to explore the concept of line and deepen their understanding of how it could be used. They also would have been able to apply that concept to what they were working on that day.
I realized that I had both planned too much for the students and that the color wheel had nothing to do with the book. The color wheel was important, however it was important during the end of my lesson. I realized that I should have moved the color wheel activity to the middle of my lesson. It was unfortunate because some of the students were unable to finish or even start the doodle, which was an important aspect of the book. Upon reflecting I would have read the book and just had the students create a doodle. I also noticed that some of the students did not fully understand how to properly use the watercolor pencils, so I would have started the activity with colored pencils. This would have been a great way to ease them in to using watercolor pencils.
Starting with the book reading and creating a doodle would have also given me a better opportunity to focus on the concepts that were evident in the reading. Because they were primarily making color wheels, I did not explain the concept of line as in depth as I had planned to. Also, the concepts that were in the book did not apply to the color wheel, but rather dealt with the doodle. Moving the color wheel to a later segment would have allotted more time for the students to explore the concept of line and deepen their understanding of how it could be used. They also would have been able to apply that concept to what they were working on that day.
Thursday
To begin my second segment, I went over the things we learned from the book. I asked the class some questions about some of the concepts in the book and led them in to my next concept, storytelling. I explained that, even without words, we were able to understand what was going on in the pictures because there were so many details added to the pictures. I then explained the lesson to the class. We were going to be using our imagination to make stories that had no words. Do do this, we were going to roll dice, add them together and match that number to the noun chart I would be passing around. They would then be creating a story that incorporated that noun. I explained that the more details you draw, the more people will know what is going on in your story, just like the hearts they had made in their writing circles. After five minutes, we would roll the dice again and they would incorporate the next noun in to their story on a new page. This time they would have six minutes. Finally, the dice would be rolled one last time and they would incorporate the last noun in to their story on a third page.
Although the activity went well and their projects were successful, many of the students were unsuccessful in using the watercolor pencils properly. I think this was because I did not thoroughly explain how to use the materials in the first segment, and for this reason the review was not enough, and many students did not display proper use of the materials. Saving the watercolor pencils for later in the lesson I think would have given me more time to stress the importance of caring for the materials, which hopefully would have corrected their misuse.
Upon finishing the lesson, I was able to compare some of the students' works. I was able to teach the students about interpretations. I explained that although the students from one table had the same words, their stories were very different. I also explained and they agreed that none of their ideas were wrong. This was also a great way to lead in to my next segment on Joan Miró, where I would be teaching them about abstraction.
Although the activity went well and their projects were successful, many of the students were unsuccessful in using the watercolor pencils properly. I think this was because I did not thoroughly explain how to use the materials in the first segment, and for this reason the review was not enough, and many students did not display proper use of the materials. Saving the watercolor pencils for later in the lesson I think would have given me more time to stress the importance of caring for the materials, which hopefully would have corrected their misuse.
Upon finishing the lesson, I was able to compare some of the students' works. I was able to teach the students about interpretations. I explained that although the students from one table had the same words, their stories were very different. I also explained and they agreed that none of their ideas were wrong. This was also a great way to lead in to my next segment on Joan Miró, where I would be teaching them about abstraction.