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Carbon: Structure Matters
Young scholars read the Who We Are Section on Calfee Designs Webpage and discuss carbon usage. They work in pairs to look up the minerals diamond and graphite then create a chart on the properties of each mineral then compare how they...
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Totem Mask
Sixth graders study totems of the Northwest Native Americans and design their own.
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Masks Paper Collage
Seventh graders create a symmetrical mask using tempura paint that displays interesting visual texture after watching an Eric Carle video. They apply collage in the making of the mask.
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Rhythm and Art: Painting
High schoolers make connections between music and visual art. In this integrated arts lesson, students design paintings that challenge them to examine the relationship between art elements and principles.
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Graph Paper Patterns
Young artists divide a piece of graph paper into sections using rectangles, squares, and triangles. They then fill each section with patterns of shape and color. Elementary graders describe how their patterns are organized. Secondary...
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Chemical Wonders
Students read about and discuss how chemical engineers use different states of matter to create substances. In this chemical engineering lesson plan, students also give examples of the 3 kinds of matter.
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Artists Teach Us to See the World through Visual Symbols
Tenth graders analyze a biographical piece of art by Raymond Saunders. They identify shapes, symbols, and lines that are used, and how the piece relates to the artist's life and modern society. They design and create an original piece of...
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Perception and Observation
Students use common and unusual objects to make observations of details, design, and functionality. They describe and draw each object while working in small groups. The differences between observation and perception is covered as part...
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Six Dynamic Designs for Arts Integrated Curriculum
Students create a recipe for a certain aspect of a culture. They create a culture that has never existed before. They analyze either dance, history, geography, history or the future of space exploration. They compare and contrast...
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Tooth Detectives: Determining the Diets of Extinct Animals
Learners study the teeth of living mammals and apply those skills to the interpretation of the diet of extinct animals.
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Line: a Geometric Exercise
Pupils study the different types of lines and create a drawing demonstrating what they learned.
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The Map Cartouche
Students discuss the history and purpose of cartouches. They examine examples of cartouches and design an original example with symbols of their choosing.
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Patterns Everywhere!
Learners recognize and demonstrate the patterning of numbers and objects in our environment. They create a pattern using geometric shapes and find a missing number in a sequence.
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Searching for Angles and Lines
Students work to find and reinforce concepts related to lines and angles. They identify the characteristics of shapes that have one, two, and three dimensions. The students also work on definitions related to the geometry of shapes.
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The Meaning Behind the Mask
Learners explore the world of African masks and storytelling. They create masks that tell stories of their own.
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Bones
Fifth graders observe real bones and models to learn about the structure and function of the skeletal system. In this skeletal system lesson, 5th graders manipulate objects and models of bones. They handle real bones and determine the...
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Exploring Nature: Powerful Forces
Students observe samples of artwork which use line, shape, and form to show movement and depict natural forces of nature. They create their own piece of artwork that shows a natural force and movement and then write a descriptive...
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Who Lives with Mallard?
Young scholars color a picture of the habitat featuring mallard and other creatures, some of whom might be camouflaged or half-hidden. They discuss other forms of animal adaptation.
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Printmaking - Multi-plate Relief Prints
Students create a print using multiple blocks, utilize elements and principles of design in creating a strong design, and demonstrate skill in carving the block and registration of colors. They show appreciation and awareness of the work...
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See What I Hear
Students investigate the link between music and visual art by applying principles of design to convey the emotions/expressions in different types of music.
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Mindful Murals
Second graders depict the illusion of depth in an artwork, using overlapping shapes, relative size and placement of fabric on a mural. They identify with the elements of art in objects in nature, the environment, and Ringgold's mural.
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Planning a Healthy City
Ninth graders create a scaled model city. They create a blueprint that provides for the economic and cultural needs of a community. They identify where essential elements of the city should be located and explain the rationale for the...
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Chinese Dragons
Learners identify where China is in relation to the US. They investigate the history of dragons in Chinese culture. Students explore the nine different parts of a dragon and incorporate them into their own dragon. Student identify the...
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Anything I Can Do You Can Do Better
Students complete a two-week unit involving design and construction concepts. They watch a PowerPoint presentation about geometric shapes, draw the fourteen shapes incorporated in bridge construction, and in small groups design, build,...