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Lesson Title:  Fish Prints

Source:  Kevin Lyles, URG Graduate Program

Facilitator:  Kevin Lyles

Workshop/Course:  Focus on Standards

Grade Level:  (3rd Grade) 10 years old and up

Time Needed:  2 hours + depending on depth of scientific study and whether or not sewing is added

Subjects & Topics:  Art, Natural Sciences

Multiple Intelligences:  Naturalist, Visual Spatial, Verbal Linguistic

Entry Points:  Hands-on, Social, Aesthetic

Objectives:  Upon completion of this activity (within a larger unit) students should be able to: categorize and classify underwater life systems and organisms; understand and repeat the printmaking process.  This activity can be adapted to fit content specific objectives for the science classes - collaborate with science teachers on this one. 

Materials:  Fish in a cooler, print making paper (rice paper) or muslin fabric with plans to either stuff and sew or quilt fish prints for mobiles within living environment tableaux in extended lessons, print making paints and rollers, access to work tables and sink. 

Notes for Facilitator: (Implementation)  This activity is messy but well worth the time and effort.  Making fish prints can be a discovery moment.  This activity involves all types of learners: naturalists, scientists, categorical thinkers and art appreciators.  Some naturalist students will take great pride in their ability to provide the fish for the project.  Species with larger scales like bass, carp, or suckers work the best for printing.  While the students are working on their prints discuss openly the life systems and organisms they need to learn about for the lesson.  (What types of fish can you find in a pond?  What are the specific differences between Catfish, Bass, Croppie?  What is a Croppie?  What is a Trout?  How many types of these fish are there?  How are they grouped?  What do these fish eat?  What types of food are available to fish in a pond?  Etc...)

Benchmarks:

Creative Expression and Communication
Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.
 

Grades K-4

Benchmark A: Demonstrate knowledge of visual art materials, tools, techniques and processes by using them expressively and skillfully.

Grades 9-12

Benchmark A: Demonstrate mastery of materials, concepts and personal concentration when creating original artworks.

Benchmark B: Create expressive artworks that demonstrate a sense of purpose and understanding of the relationship between materials, techniques and ideas.

Benchmark C: Engage in ongoing assessment to revise and improve artworks and to produce a well organized portfolio of works.

Connections, Relationships and Applications
Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark D: Describe how visual art is used in their communities and the world around them and provide examples.

This activity also reaches Natural Sciences standards involving classification. 

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