Let me rewind <<<<<<<< This past summer I attended a week of fantastic training for Alabama teachers that focused on integrating the arts into your curriculum. Having been to so many professional development events in the past, and being an art teacher, I decided I would get more out of the theatre classes, in regard to integration. I wanted to see what that could bring to my art classroom. Lonny Harrison was the primary instructor and the week left me invigorated with new ideas. We also got some really cool supplies to take back to our classrooms. One thing we all got was a set of instruments. The instruments all have unique sounds, as well as beautiful bodies. I could immediately see loads of possibilities for how I might use them in my art lab!
Fast forward>>>>>>>> As students arrived they found the different instruments placed on their tables. We went around the room and listened to all the different sounds that were made, and what a range we heard. This art lab event coincided with second grade learning about sound in science, so we were continuing a discussion that was familiar. Now it was time for the mind-blowing moment. I asked my students what would the line that corresponded to their instrument's sound look like. Ok, in second grade speak, that was followed with me making some really expressive sounds and body motions to display how sound and line can correspond. Thank you, Lonny, I am using my theatre skills and getting lots of undivided attention, and several giggles! We listened to the instruments again, and talked specifically about the sound. Was the sound broken, like a dashed line? Was the sound loud and soft, like a thick and thin line? Did the line bounce or zig-zag or was it smooth? Once we had filled our lab space with many questions about our lines, I tasked my students with drawing their instrument's sound. I gave the kids super fat sharpies and 12"x18" drawing paper. The sound repeated with all the instruments, and I asked my students to fill their page with the pattern of their vision of what they heard.
Seeing the students transformation as they connected the idea of line to something as abstract as sound was a magical class moment.
BELOW: Completed student work.