Outdoor Learning Leaf Bowl Years 3 & 4 Teacher preparation Overarching learning goal: Students understand why trees need leaves and begin to identify the many functions that leaves serve. Students understand and develop new techniques for creating and presenting artworks, and understand how they can use artworks to express ideas and convey messages about protecting trees. Outdoor learning information: Outdoor Learning Series: https://vimeo.com/171030135 Factsheets: Why teach outdoors? Designing your outdoor learning space Tips for making outdoor learning easier Outdoor Learning - Risks/hazards and actions To help guide teachers through suggested activities in this lesson, we have developed a series of icons designed to show what types of activities are involved and where these activities may take place (see Learning Activity Key below). Page 1/11
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This lesson is designed to support students and teachers undertaking the Outdoor Learning Unit. Click here to view the Unit Outline. Teacher content information: Learning to work with clay is a valuable and rewarding experience for your students. There are many different types of clay that you could use for this activity. Air-dry clay: The advantage with air-dry clay is that is doesn t require an oven or kiln in order to harden. Air-dry clay takes approximately 24 hours to completely dry, and it is then as hard as earthenware. Examples of brands of air-dry clay include Boyle, DAS, Crayola, Jovi and FIMO Air. Clay-it-now even have a homemade recipe that you could try, especially if you re working with a limited budget. Oven-baked clay: With oven-baked clay, you simply knead the clay, shape it and then bake it in the oven. Brands of ovenbaked clay include FIMO and Sculpey. You could also experiment with making salt dough and baking the finished product in an oven, as a budget-friendly alternative. Water-based clay: This is a natural product that needs to be fired in a kiln in order to make it durable. It is very easy to use, especially for projects that will be completed quickly. If your school does not have a kiln, a local high school, TAFE or art studio may be able to help. This lesson is based on the Clay Leaf Bowl Project found here. For more information about trees, download the Background Information About Trees. Teaching sequence Work through this resource material in the following sequence: 20 minutes - Part A. Leaves 5-10 minutes - Part B. Demonstration 20-25 minutes - Part C. Creation Page 3/11
10 minutes - Reflection PART A. Leaves Preparation: Set up a collection station for students to collect everything they need to make their artwork. Set up your collection station in your outdoor learning space. You could line up the equipment in piles, so that students move down the line, collecting what they need (a bamboo skewer, slab/piece of clay, clipboard covered in cling film/newspaper, plastic bowl or bowl lined with cling film and optional rolling pin). Step 1. If you aren't already outside, take the class to your outdoor learning space. Review outdoor learning rules and the benefits of outdoor learning with students, including potential hazards and actions to take in the event of hazards. Step 2. Invite students to take a walk through the school yard, looking for natural objects that have interesting patterns. These could be: Leaves Bark Flowers Stones Clouds Seeds Shadows Insects As you find these objects, engage students in a discussion around some of the following points: How would you describe this pattern? Why do you think this object has a pattern like this? Does this pattern remind you of anything? Page 4/11
Invite students to photograph these objects, and where appropriate to collect some of these objects (remind students to be careful when picking up bark or rocks as these may be hiding insects). In addition, ask students to select one green leaf that appeals to them in some way. Encourage students to select larger leaves, and ask students to pick just one or two of these leaves. These leaves will be used later in the lesson in the clay bowl activity. Step 3. Have students form pairs and invite each pair to share their photos and natural objects they collected with each other. Ask each pair to look at all the objects and photos they collected and analyse each object using the following questions: Where does this object come from? What role does this object serve or what does this object do? Invite students to share their ideas. Lead students to the leaves that they collected: where do they come from and what are they for? Explain to students that primarily, leaves absorb energy from the sun and carbon dioxide from the air. Trees use their leaves to create food that helps the plant grow, and oxygen is released back into the air. We breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Plants breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. Step 4. Working as a class, brainstorm the following question: If leaves all have the same job of absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, then why do they all come in different shapes and sizes? Brainstorm on your board or invite one student volunteer to record the brainstorm in their workbook. Suggested answers could include: Page 5/11
Plants also release excess moisture through their leaves. This is called transpiration. This helps stop the plant becoming water logged, and can help keep it cool. Different shaped leaves will help plants release moisture more quickly or more slowly (e.g. some plants grow in places where there is less water so they need leaves that can retain water, like a succulent, cactus or pine). Leaves also help to direct water to the base of the plant where it will be absorbed by the roots. Leaves help shade the roots so they don t dry out. In addition, fallen leaves help to mulch the soil around the roots, preventing them from drying out. Animals (including us!) use different shaped leaves to help identify the plant. Some leaves have a scent to help attract or repel certain animals. Animals eat leaves and need to know which ones they like or are safe to eat (some leaves are toxic). Venus fly traps have leaves that have evolved to catch small insects. Explain to students that in the rest of this lesson they will be creating artworks that celebrate the importance of leaves by making a clay leaf bowl. PART B. Demonstration Demonstrate how to make a leaf bowl. This activity is based on the Clay Leaf Bowl Project found here. You can refer to this website for guidance. 1. Start by rolling or pressing your clay until it is a flat slab about ½ cm thick. 2. Place the leaf on top of the clay, with the spine of the leaf facing down. 3. Gently press the leaf into the clay so the veins on the underside of the leaf mark the clay. Page 6/11
4. Use the bamboo skewer to carefully trace around the edge of the leaf. 5. Gently pull the clay away from around the outside of the leaf. 6. Take the leaf off the clay and place the clay evenly in the bottom of the bowl, ensuring the vein-marked side is facing up. PART C. Creation Step 1. Ask your class to select one of the leaves they collected on your walk. Point out to your students that the size of the leaf will determine the size of their bowl. In addition, ask students to collect the items they need from the 'collection station' you have already set up. Step 2. Invite students to sit somewhere in the outdoor learning space with all the things they need. Step 3. You may wish to complete each step of the art making process with your class, as a more directed lesson. However, you could also allow students to complete the artwork in their own time. You will need to walk around the outdoor learning space, monitoring students progress and offering assistance as needed. Extend: Students who finish their artworks early could choose a heavy Page 7/11
book from a nearby classroom and place their leaf between two pieces of scrap paper before placing it in the middle of the book. This will press the leaf, which could then be used to create a second artwork, such as: A hanging leaf display using fishing line and Blu Tack A display of handwritten inspirational quotes about trees and nature written onto each leaf A poet-tree display created by writing short poems about trees and nature directly onto the leaves, and making a tree shape with the leaves by sticking them onto a wall using thumb tacks or Blu Tack. Reflection Invite students to create a short artist's statement to describe how they made their leaf bowl and why leaves are important. This statement can be presented alongside students' bowls. Take it further Step 1. Discuss students suggestions as a class and come to a consensus regarding the way to move forward. Ideas may include: Using the artworks alongside facts about logging and the role trees play in our environment to create an informative school art exhibition. Press the leaves used to make the bowls and hang from the ceiling of the school hallway alongside inspirational quotes about the importance of trees to create an interactive art display. Display the artworks in a space in the local community in order to raise awareness about the importance of trees in the environment. Students could auction their artworks at a school event to raise funds for a local environmental group. Page 8/11
Step 2. Engage students in a Compass Points thinking activity. This helps students to elaborate on an idea and evaluate it. Start by displaying a simple compass rose on your device or easel: see right or download the Compass Image here. Briefly write key words around the compass rose to record students main thoughts, ideas and feelings regarding the chosen strategy. E = Excited. What excites you about this idea? What are the positives? W = Worrisome. What worries you about this idea? What are the negatives? N = Need to Know. What else do you need to know OR need to find out about this idea? What additional information would help you to evaluate the idea? S = Stance or Suggestion for Moving Forward. What is your current stance OR opinion regarding this idea? How could you move forward to make this idea a reality? Differentiated learning Extension: Students could individually or collaboratively organise aspects of the display/exhibition/project. For example: Page 9/11
Make a short ad for the school/class website to advertise the exhibition/display/auction. Design posters for use around the school or local community. Design a small ad for the school newsletter or the local paper. One team could plan the design of the exhibition/display/auction in terms of the layout of artworks, labels, prices, etc. Brainstorm ways in which the local community could be involved - could a local artist visit the exhibition? Supplies for food and drinks needed for a gallery opening/auction for attendance by parents and/or the local community. Guest speakers - is there a local environmental group that could make a presentation to help open the exhibition/display/auction? Provisional Learning Support: Students who have mobility concerns or have difficulties with fine motor skills may need additional time to complete their artworks. Take action Students can take action by designing and implementing a conservation project at their school. By spending time outdoors participating in activities that help conserve nature, students are more likely to care for and conserve nature as adults. The actions your students participate in can be incorporated into a calendar event - such as Planet Ark s Schools Tree Day or Enviroweek - or designed according to the specific conditions and requirements of your school. Actions could include: Page 10/11
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) Students can use the following Project Planning Tool to help them design and plan their project: Project Planning - Our Tips for Success. Page 11/11