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Lesson Plans


Re: curriculum

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
wduncan (wduncan)
Fri, 20 Aug 1999 05:40:08 -0500

Hey there neighbor, I've been struggling with the same thing as you noted.
I don't teach using a time line, but I think it's a great idea. I used to use
the same artists
of the week, though, with all my classes. For reinforcement I liked to leave
the exemplars
up on display, in the order presented, along the top edge of the room. I'd
take them down at
the end of the semester, after having a (review) test over them at the end of
each quarter.
I had at least a three year rotation of artists (don't see how that would work
with a time line)
so I didn't repeat an exemplar while any certain child was in the school. Some
students take
an art class every year. Much of the reasoning for what I do is for my sanity.
How much do I have time to organize well. How much display space do I have. I
don't have time or space to do the ideal, and I do
have a life, I think, outside of school. Now with the nine week classes, I
have 3 different rotations going.
The 8 exemplars I want to present to the 6th grade. Next the 8 exemplars I
want to present to the 7th grade.
Those two sets get presented and stapled up 4 time during the year. Once I've
developed lessons around them
for the first quarter, I've already got them done for the next three quarters.
That leaves the other 7th and 8th grade students in my 3 different elective
classes. Although the problems/projects they work on are different from each
other, my artists of the week for them are the same. I have no set rotation.
I present worthwhile artists to study. And I don't reuse an artist for at
least 2 years when all my students should be gone on to high school. I find
space around the tack strip for three sets of exemplars and related lists of
words. 8+8+8=24
around the room. They know which set belongs to their class. What you need to
do is come up with,
and juggle, what the kids need, what you have space for and what you can cope
with. It's got to work for you
or you can't do an effective job of teaching. Let me know what you end up
doing. nothing is permanent, everything is in flux. You are welcome to visit
our school if you wish. Stay sane so you can teach.
Woody, next door in KC

Melissa Chaney wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I live near KC myself. Ever heard of Harrisonville?
> I teach art for Raymore Peculiar schools at Shull 6th grade center. I've
> been here for 8 years now and still struggle with one thing. I have 6th
> graders for 9 weeks(once per quarter) and 7/8th graders for 18
> weeks(semester). I have trouble deciding What to teach to the 6th graders
> and what to leave out. There is so much that I want to do with them. They
> are my main focus since their building is where my room is located. The
> middle school kids travel to me. I like to generally go through a small time
> line and do a tiny project based on several different time periods. For
> example I tie in perspective with Renaissance, watercolor with
> Impressionism. I also have them study artists during that time period.
> Well, it just seems logical to do the same time period concept with the
> 7/8th graders also. My options are to either go slowly through history to
> stretch it out throughout a semester or just go through it at the same time
> as the 6th graders. (With more anvanced projects). Then I get a new group
> of 6th graders at quarter but this messes up the time line concept in my
> room. Do you have any suggestions or advice? I notice that you teach in a
> similar situation. Maybe I'm being a bit too rigid with it but the time
> line helps the kids understand how art seems to fit into the scheme of
> things. Any other ideas????
>
> I LOVE your web site and all that you share with the group. I've been
> subscribed to artsednet for 3 years now. Don't you just love it?
>
> Melissa Chaney

--




This E-mail message is from Artist/Teacher Woody Duncan
             Rosedale Middle School in Kansas City, Kansas
the new URL for school is http://kancrn.kckps.k12.ks.us/user04
   to see my beautiful grandkids Tim, Tess and Tiff click on
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 to see my students working in the RMSartSTUDIO click on
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                                        to contact me via E-mail
                         click on wduncan
 better yet visit my Web Site at http://www.taospaint.com