Art Center Idea

Curriculum Expectation: Geometry and Spatial Sense: build three-dimensional structures using a variety of materials, and begin to recognize the three-dimensional figures that the structure contains (Ministry of Education, 2006)

Learning Opportunity: At this center, children will have the opportunity to build three-dimensional structures (e.g., buildings, machines) using empty food containers.

At whole group learning time the teacher will read the story The Shape of Me and Other Stuff (Seuss, 1973) in order to introduce the concept of different shapes to students. This book introduces the notion that three-dimensional objects (e.g., people, spider webs) are made up of many shapes. After the read-aloud, the teacher can introduce students to specific three-dimensional shapes (e.g., sphere, cube, triangular prism) by displaying and discussing various plastic or wooden 3-D shapes (math manipulatives). A poster with pictures and the names of the shapes can also be shown to students (and later hung near the visual arts or math center). The teacher can first model and then children can practice building structures using the plastic/wooden 3-D shapes as a whole group. This will provide an opportunity for students to experiment with the shapes and brainstorm what they might like to build at the visual art center during center time. The teacher can then model for students how the structures that were created out of math manipulatives can also be made using 3-D materials (e.g., cereal boxes, paper towel rolls) at the visual arts center. Once the structure is made, students can discuss the different shapes that were used to create it. The 3-D shapes and Dr. Seuss book can be left on the carpet or placed in the math area for further student exploration at center time.

Students can spend time building their structures at the visual arts center. A future activity might be for students to paint and decorate their dried and completed structures so that they realistically resemble the intended object. Students can also write about their structures at the language center.

Props:

Circle Time – The Shape of Me and Other Stuff (Seuss, 1973), various three-dimensional plastic or wooden shapes (math manipulatives), poster with pictures and names of various 3-D shapes

Visual Art Center – numerous clean and empty paper packaging that represent 3-D shapes (e.g., food boxes, frozen juice cans, paper towel rolls), glue sticks, white glue in bottles, paint, paint brushes, various materials to be used as decorations for the final structures (e.g., stickers, glitter, dried pasta). Prior to doing this center, a teacher may wish to explain the center and invite families to send in clean materials that can be used by students as collecting and cleaning enough materials for this center can be time consuming for one person. By informing parents about an upcoming project, families will feel connected and informed regarding the classroom centers and activities, will have an understanding of how math experiences are incorporated into play activities, and many enjoy helping out the classroom by sending in materials for student use.

Play: At center time students would have the opportunity to use the wooden/plastic 3-D shapes together to create various structures. An adult (teacher, teacher candidate, volunteer) at the center can engage students in math talk regarding what they are building (e.g., using positional language to support oral language such as “you’re putting the cube above the rectangular prism) and how many of each shape is in the structure (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2003). Students can also be encouraged to draw pictures of what they are building using the math manipulatives.

At the visual art center children can take turns to create their own 3-D structure by gluing various containers together. An adult can be encouraging children in their exploration and heightening the experience through various discussion prompts and questioning (e.g., “That’s a great tower you’re building. How can you make it even taller?” “Wow! I like your boat. How can you make a flagstaff for it?” “ I wonder how I can use the rectangular prism to build a…”)

What might children say or do: I believe that most children will want to visit this center in order to build their own structures. Kid talk might include “I want to build a house like we did at circle.” “Can you help me make a train?” “I like your car…how did you make that?” “Can I make another house?”

Assessment: This experience can be assessed in a number of ways including: a teacher recording anecdotal notes of what children say and do at either the manipulative or visual arts center; having children draw a picture of what was made and describe the structure (how they build it, what shapes were used) and this can be scribed by an adult on the picture; taking a number of photos of students in the process of structure creation (one as they gather the shapes needed, one as the structure is half-complete, one of the student holding the finished structure). Students can be shown the photos and can describe what is happening in each. The photos can be mounted on paper and the adult can record what was said next to them.

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2006). The kindergarten program (revised). Toronto:Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Seuss (1973). The shape of me and other stuff. New York: Beginner Books.