Activity Introduction
Quick summary: Student’s act as ‘scientartists’ (scientists who observe the world through art). Every day for a set period of time (e.g. one week, one month) students go outside and paint or draw the sky and recording the daily weather. Students will then display their artwork and participate in a discussion about their observations.
This lesson is part of the CLIMARTE unit. The unit is designed to help students build their knowledge of climate change by exploring the topic through the arts. By harnessing the creative power of the Arts, CLIMARTE aim to inform, engage and inspire real action on climate change. Following this lesson plan is an ideal way to expose your kids to climate change through the medium of art.
We’ve taken elements of this lesson and adapted them for remote learning. You can find this activity here.
Learning goals:
- Students understand that there are daily changes to the sky and weather.
- Students understand that you can make visual records of the world around them and learn how they can do this.
General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking.
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.1.
Australian Curriculum content description:
Year 1 Science
- Observable changes occur in the sky and landscape (ACSSU019)
Year 2 Science
- People use science in their daily lives, including when caring for their environment and living things (ACSHE035)
Year 1 Maths
- Tell time to the half-hour (ACMMG020)
- Describe duration using months, weeks, days and hours (ACMMG021)
Year 2 Maths
- Tell time to the quarter-hour, using the language of ‘past’ and ‘to’ (ACMMG039)
- Name and order months and seasons (ACMMG040)
- Use a calendar to identify the date and determine the number of days in each month (ACMMG041)
Years 1 & 2 Visual Arts
- Explore ideas, experiences, observations and imagination to create visual artworks and design, including considering ideas in artworks by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists (ACAVAM106)
- Use and experiment with different materials, techniques, technologies and processes to make artworks (ACAVAM107)
- Create and display artworks to communicate ideas to an audience (ACAVAM108)
Syllabus Outcomes: ST1-8ES, ST1-9ES, MA1‑1WM, MA1‑2WM, MA1‑3WM, MA1-13MG, VAS1.1, VAS1.2, VAS1.3.
Topic: CLIMARTE.
Time required: 10 minutes opening discussion, 10 minutes a day at the same time each day, one session for displaying artwork and for closing activities.
Level of teacher scaffolding: High – oversee activity, lead students in painting activity, facilitate discussion.
Resources required: One piece of paper of the same size for each student per day (consider using a small square or half a sheet of A4), drawing or painting materials.
Digital technology opportunities: Recording daily weather forecasts found online.
Homework and extension opportunities: Includes opportunities for extension.
Keywords: Weather, sky, observations, art.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
