Lesson Plan 2: Finding and Developing Ideas from Nature as Inspiration for Bridge Designs
The objective of this lesson is for students to find and draw objects in nature outside on school grounds that will be their inspirations for their bridge designs. This one-period lesson will directly follow Lesson Plan 1. To introduce this exercise, the Calatrava images of some of his structures that have been inspired by nature will be briefly reviewed. A discussion will follow about the successes and obstacles from the examination and resulting drawings of leaves and the human forms from the previous lesson. We will also constructively comment on to the student drawings that are on display from that lesson.
Students will then pack up all necessary supplies for the mini-field trip outside to explore objects from nature on the school grounds. The class must stay together in the same general area outside. Each student must have paper, a drawing board or similar backing, a pencil and an eraser before leaving the classroom. Chairs may be carried out if students do not want to sit on the grass. I will take a sharpener and extra pencils and paper with me, leaving a note on the door informing visitors about the change in our location. The office will already have been notified about our plans.
Once outside, students will be encouraged to be very observant and look on different levels around them. They can examine the structures of the tree branches up high and the worms, acorns and grass down low. They should sketch any objects that might hold future inspirational possibilities for their bridge designs. All are required to make sketches during this provided opportunity, but they are also free to explore on paper other natural objects that may not be found outside, such as sea shells or giraffes. They should start to work out their bridge designs, using a series of sketches to transform their objects into their desired bridges. If students are satisfied with their leaf and figure drawing exercises from the previous class period, then they can explore them further, also. The students will return to the classroom with sufficient time to put everything away.
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