Landscape, Art, and Ecology

Lesson Plans With Strategies and Objectives

Unit Summary:

This visual arts unit is written for teaching students in grades 3-4 and is focused on realistic depictions in artworks of mushrooms from observation. The lessons within this unit encourage students to innovate with materials. This unit includes experimentation with mixed-materials when making slime or pop-up mushrooms, print making and watercolor painting. Ideally the duration would be 4 weeks long which is equivalent to 8 classes for each group of students to complete the unit. Examples from art that can be used in the lessons are drawn from the exhibition of Flowers and Mushrooms curated by Francesca Gavin, drawings of mushrooms by the British Children’s book author Beatrix Potter and a series the American artist by Cy Twombly from his series of mushrooms.

Lesson Plan I : What Is A Mushroom?

Summary: The anchor standard of this lesson is engaging students in reflection. As students learn what a mushroom is they will refine their artwork to reflect their understanding. Students will reflect on how artists like Beatrix Potter have used observation to inform their art practice. The essential question is: “What role does experimentation and revision have in creating artwork?”

Procedures

1. Students will pour glue into bowl. Then mix in half a teaspoon of baking soda and add 1 teaspoon of water. Combining these ingredients will make the slime.
2. The objective is that students are able to experiment with new materials and discuss the topic of the unit.
3. After completion student can describe what a mushroom is and relate their knowledge to the experience of making slime.

Evaluation: The learning target is that students will elaborate visual information by adding details in an artwork to enhance emerging meaning. (VA:Cr3.1.3)

Extension: Advanced students can revise artwork in progress on the basis of insights gained through peer discussion. (VA:Cr3.1.4)

Lesson Plan II : Mushroom Prints

Summary: The anchor standard for this lesson is for students to relate the personal experience of direct observation of mushrooms to make art. Students will learn how artists like Beatrix Potter used personal experiences to develop artwork. The essential question is how does our environment shape the art we make?

Procedures

1. Students will be given portobello mushrooms with unexposed gills.
2. Students will cut off the lower portion of the mushroom, exposing the gills.
3. Students will put the mushroom gill-side down on a piece of dark cardstock paper.
4. Students will add a few drops of water to the top of the mushroom cap to encourage the spores to drop.
5. Students will cover the mushroom with an upside-down box, and set it aside somewhere where it won’t be disturbed overnight.
6. The objective is that students will observe and discuss the spore-prints
7. After completion of the lesson students will have an experience looking closely at mushrooms to create prints that can inspire future art.

Evaluation: The learning target is that students will develop an artwork based on observations of surroundings. (VA:Cn10.1.3)

Extension: Advanced students can create works of art that reflect community cultural traditions. (VA:Cn10.1.4)

Lesson Plan III : Mushroom and Flower Block Printing

Summary: The anchor standard for this lesson is for students to begin investigating to develop artwork. Students will learn how artists like Cy Twombly and John Cage experimented with forms and materials. The essential question is: “How do artists create through experimentation?”

Procedures

1. Students will make mushroom and flower prints with Styrofoam blocks.
2. Students will be shown a simplified diagram showing the anatomy of mushrooms which includes: the cap flesh, gills and stem. The teacher will then show the students the wide variety of cap and gill features mushrooms may have.
3. Students will discuss similarities and differences they observe between mushrooms and flowers. Students will be shown a selection of age appropriate artworks from the book Flowers and Mushrooms by Peter Handke, Matthias Harder, Mila Moschik, Toni Stoos, Tiina Teufel, Peter Weiermair, and Veit Zieglmaier. This book is an exhibition catalogue that is resource especially for examples of mushrooms in sculpture and photography.
4. Students will choose from templates of mushrooms and flowers and outline them with pencil to make drawings.
5. Students will trace their designs onto Styrofoam with pens.
6. At a printing station student will come to make prints on paper using ink and brayers after a demonstration by the teacher.
7. The objective is that students learn the printmaking process and gain experience making design compositions.
8. After completion students will be able to describe how to make a print and have gained more specific knowledge of the anatomy of mushrooms.

Evaluation: The learning target is that students will create personally satisfying artwork using a variety of artistic processes and materials. (VA:Cr2.1.3)

Extension: Advanced students can experiment and develop skills in multiple art-making techniques and approaches through practice. (VA:Cr2.1.4)

Lesson Plan IV: Pop-Up Watercolor Mushrooms

Summary: The anchor standard for this lesson is organization of ideas. Students will develop their ideas and learn how artists use to design. The essential question is: Essential Question – " How do artists design objects, places, or systems?”

Procedures

1. Students will observe the watercolors of Beatrix Potter of mushrooms and describe what they see. Students will choose 1-3 mushrooms from the templates used from the printmaking lesson to and trace them onto watercolor paper.
2. Students will paint their mushrooms with watercolor paper.
3. Students will look at the example of a watercolor pop-up .
4. The objective is that students will make cards that when opened have the mushrooms pop-up.
5. Students will relate their experiences learning about mushrooms in the unit to create compositions. They will reflect on the mushroom artworks of Beatrix Potter, Cy Twombly and John Cage to explore design.

Evaluation: The learning target is that students will individually or collaboratively construct representations, diagrams, or maps of place that are part of everyday life. (VA:Cr2.3.3)

Extension: Advanced students can document, describe, and represent constructed environments. (VA:Cr.2.3.4)

Figure 5, Artist’s Conk Mushroom, 2023, Photograph, By Kasalina Maliamu Nabakooza.