This week’s post is inspired by my dear friend & favourite art teacher. She never ceases to amaze with her depth of knowledge, creative pedagogy and authentic integration with classroom inquiries.
Here is a an outline of a Grade 3 Portraiture Inquiry, which utilised iPads in 3 effective ways:
1. Students took photos by flipping the camera, focusing and framing their faces.
2. They manipulated the images, using the Photoshop Express app. They chose a black & white function, followed by a sketch function. This reduced shades to black, white and grey.
3. Students connected the iPads to the projector and traced their image on paper. Then they painted in 3 shades of their choice. This was a challenging process. It required careful thought about where the light fell and close analysis of the iPad image.
Through this project, students developed a deep understanding of the influence of light in creating highlights and shadows. They analyzed light on their own faces, on large scale images, and with different colour effects. They asked fascinating questions, had moments of total confusion, and will never look at shadows the same way again!
The students are also inspired to continue investigating light. They are keen to take more photos using different light sources, directions and angles.
The careful selection of technology in this unit meant that students’ questions and hypotheses could be tested, answered, discussed and reviewed in real-time as they manipulated images instantly before their eyes.
Schools with brilliant art teachers are very fortunate. The safe and inspiring art room is always a hub of endless wondering, experimentation, discovery and self-expression.
When every child has the freedom to be an artist, their learning knows no bounds.
For more awesome art inquiries from Ms Davies, follow her here: http://blogs.biss.com.cn/adavies