1SharingPlanet


 * 2008-2009, 2009-2010 **

Art 2009-2010: Students will create a clay relief piece that depicts a salt water ecosystem, complete with animal and plant life. They will use clay tools to carve into the relief and create tactile texture, depicting things like currents in the water and the texture of the ocean floor. Students will discuss the ways in which water is essential to most art mediums, for instance, the way in which it changes clay. (For example, clay is only pliable when water is present in the clay body. In this state, it is called //greenware,// or //wet clay//. Water is necessary when joining two pieces of clay together. Clay has to be //bone dry,// or completely free of ANY moisture for it to be fired, or it will explode!) Students will discuss ways in which water is essential to other art mediums, such as tempera paint and water color. Students will discuss ways in which humans impact water and ways to conserve water in the art room. It would be really hard to make art without water!

Students will focus on salt water ecosystems and create a collage complete with plant and animal life. They will use texture to create the illusion of ocean currents and waves and add bubbles escaping from the animals, discussing how animals breath underwater. Students will choose two analogous colors to create a blend to represent the layers of the ocean. They will be careful to chose colors that when blended don't create neutral browns or blacks (which would look like "polluted" water!) Students will discuss ways to keep the ocean water clean and healthy for the animals. In addition, students will learn about the ways in which water is an essential material in art. (Tempera paint and watercolor need water to work; clay contains water and cannot be formed without it. Water is essential when attaching pieces of clay together.) We will inquire, "how could artists work without water?"

Music In 1st grade music class we will sing the songs //__Peace Like a River__, __Walk together Children__//, and our school song, //__Spicewood Stand Together__// , which are examples of many songs we will sing and listen to that speak to: Communities and the relationships within and between, Access to equal opportunities, And especially:  peace and conflict resolution. We will look at how Lyrical content of songs reflects the language of the times and culture.  This POI will also be reinforced through use of the Concepts of Cooperation, empathy, tolerance, and respectfulness and how they relate to community life.

PE - The students will be introduced to the importance of keeping the body hydrated during physical exercise.The students will compare salt and fresh water. The students will focus on the concepts: water is essential to life and benefits the brain which will promote good thinking skills.


 * Spanish** - To support the central idea that water is an essential resource, we will talk about some of the sources of water in Spain: rivers, underground reserves, mountain water from melting snow, rain. We will t alk about the drought in Catalonia and the resulting water shortage, as well as solutions.

**Library** - Students are introduced to Encyclopedia Britanica Online with keyword searches "water" and "fish" and are told about using this resource at home with the passwords provided in the student directories. We discuss the importance of water and other things water is used for after reading //The// //Water Hole// by Graeme Base. Students tell why Mars gets so crowded after a source of water is discovered when reading //There's nothing to don on Mars// by Chris Gall. Students listen to parts of Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Mothion and learn about the consequences of people being careless with trash. (Additional books purchased: 10 things I can do to help my world: fun and easy eco-tips; Earth's Rivers; Lakes; Saving water.)