STEAM: Expression Through the Characteristics of Rain
Authors: Jordan Davis, Alyssa Edgerton, and Kim Smith
Faculty Supervisor: Debra L. Smith, Ed.D.
Abstract:
In ECED 4310, Integration of Art & Music, our group of teacher candidates was able to teach an integrated art lesson to a 1st grade class at Altama Elementary School. We combined content from Science (characteristics of rain) and English (collaborative conversations with peers) with two art standards to create an interactive STEAM lesson. We used two art standards as a focus for the lesson. The first focused on students creating connections with visual images and personal experiences. The second focused on creating artwork that is expressive in thoughts, feelings and ideas.
We began our lesson with the sounds of rain, beginning with soft, light rain then gradually the sounds transformed into the sounds of a major thunderstorm. After the auditory presentation of rain, we then created a visual presentation of rain using a Science experiment. The students then created their own version of a rainy day using watercolors. The students used the classroom discussion and their own personal connections, specifically Hurricane Matthew, as inspiration for their unique artwork.
