In my search for art projects that cross curriculum lines, I found a way for students to create scenic designs and develop their vocabulary and word meaning in-context skills.
Students created an artistic skyline using actual words that describe our city. The resource we tapped came from stacks of newspapers that the students and I brought in.
In Chicago, our town is known to all who live here, but this was my chance to have my students see it in a different way. This lesson was perfect for grades five and six, although I think it would be wonderful for any level down to grade three.
This project can also be adapted to any town or location, such as a particular street, a single structure, a row of buildings, or a town square.
To introduce the idea to the class, I shared examples that helped demonstrate the process, and showed a number of skyline photos, which students could use them as starting points.
Any type of words could be used to describe Chicago—nouns, adjectives, verbs, and so on. The only limit was to stick with single words and very brief phrases. No full sentences.
Students were free to place words in any position or order. The goal was to completely build up the skyline with the words they chose.
Before starting to work, we discussed the words students might use. What kinds of words describe our city? Sports? Entertainment? Business? Weather? How about cultural events and places?
I suggested they look for words that work together to create design elements within the shapes of the buildings. Students were primed and ready to start looking for words that “literally” shaped their skyline.
Once the skylines were in place, students began their search among the newspapers for words they felt described our city. I encouraged them to use different colors, fonts, shapes and sizes. After clipping out piles of about 10-12 words at a time, students placed them onto their skylines.
With teacher approval, students then proceeded to glue the words in place. As work continued, each artwork—literally and visually—took on the personality of the young artist creating it. Some students used a bricklaying-like process to stack their words, while others moved them around with an emphasis on size, shape and color. It was fun watching students make a visual statement about their city.
This art project took on some aspects of a language-arts lesson. Student interest in learning new words with applied meaning continued to grow as they worked on their skylines. They enjoyed the challenge of integrating words into the art activity. Not only did students develop compositional and design skills, they exercised their language-arts skills by using a variety of words to communicate their thoughts about our city… Some of their explanations about why they included certain words in the design displayed creative insight, which I found delightful.
Compliments rained down on the artists when I set up exhibits of their work in the school. There was quite a buzz and much discussion. I especially enjoyed watching them explain to others how they created the skylines and what the words used meant to them in describing their city.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upper-elementary and middle-school students will…
• Develop the disciplines needed to create a piece of art (organization, following instructions, brainstorming, developing art-related skills)
• Consciously use line, shape, color, and composition to create a unique piece of art.
• Manipulate words that define the artwork they create.
• Build literacy skills through artistic goals.
• Have fun developing their creative instincts.
NATIONAL ART STANDARDS
• CREATING: Conceiving and developing new artistic ideas and work.
• PRESENTING: Interpreting and sharing artistic work.
• RESPONDING: Understanding and evaluating how the arts convey meaning.
• CONNECTING: Relating artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context.
MATERIALS
• 12″ x 18″ construction paper, graphite pencils, erasers, crayons, colored pencils, color markers.
• Scissors, glue sticks
• Newspapers
• Photos of the city skyline
• Samples of a completed skyline
Ken Klopack is an art and gifted education consultant for the Chicago Public Schools in Chicago, Illinois.
Reprinted with permission from Arts & Activities Magazine. Visit their website: www.artsandactivities.com
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