Fish Books Unit Plan
Unit Plan description
This unit was designed for first grade students to encorporate reading and books into the art curriculum. Students created artwork inspired by The Rainbow Fish and Only One You books that they read in library. This unit took four class periods to complete. In the first lesson students read the Rainbow Fish book and then got to create their own rainbow fish out of foil. Each student received a cardboard cut out of a fish covered in heavy duty foil. The students used sharpies to create different lines and patterns to decorate their fish. On the second week of the unit students created a clay fish. The students painted their clay fish the following class period. The last lesson incorporated the Only One You book. After reading the book the students talked about how the fish in the book were just painted rocks. Then, each student got to pick a rock from a pile and paint it using lines and patterns. At the end of the project the students got to place their rock around the school flag pole to serve as art for the school grounds.
Goals and Objectives of unit
- Students will read Rainbow Fish and Only One You and create art inspired by the book. Students will be able to discuss what the book was about and how that relates to them.
- Students will meet SOL's for first grade. Students will be able to use different types of lines (zig zag, dotted, wavy, thick, thin, etc.) shapes, and patterns to decorate their fish.
- Students will work collaboritively to create a group art piece. Students will understand what it means to be an individual while yet being part of a group.
- Through the use of clay, students will learn hand building skills such as rolling, squeezing, pinching, ect. Students will learn about color mixing and how to apply paint to various surfaces with a paintbrush.
Foil Ranbow Fish Lesson
After reading the Rainbow Fish book students talked about the moral of the story which was sharing. I related this to the classroom because the students had to share the sharpies with all the students at their table to make their own rainbow fish. Each student received a cardboard fish cut out covered in heavy duty foil. I introduced the concept of lines, patterns, and shapes to the class. I gave the students a while to think then I let students raise their hands and give me examples of each and I drew them on the board. We talked about how the foil was reflective just like the scales on the fish in the Rainbow Fish book. After a short introduction students were able to start drawing on their fish. The students were told to draw different lines, patterns, and shapes with a sharpie. When the students were finished all of their fish were hung on the bulletin board in the showcase at the front entrance of the school.
CLay Fish Lesson (2 weeks)
For this lesson the students created clay fish out of clay. Each student was handed a small ball of clay and they were told to squeeze the clay to get all the air bubbles out. As they were squeezing and working with their clay, I demonstrated the steps of making a clay fish. For this lesson, the students followed a series of steps to create the body of the fish. First they rolled their clay into a cylinder and used their thumb to dig out a mouth. Next, the students rolled and cut fins for their fish. They attached their fins to the tops and the sides of the fish body by slipping and scoring the clay. After that the students rolled two small balls for the eyes and attatched them with the slip and score method. Finally, the students were able to draw designs on their fish. They were alowed to pick either poka dots or stripes to draw on their fish. The students used a wooden clay tool to draw into the wet clay. After the students made their fish they were fired in the kiln and redistributed to the students the following class. Each student got to pick a solid color to paint their fish body. During my planning period, my mentor teacher and I painted the eyes black and white. We also, brushed each fish with glitter mode podge to seal the fish. The fish were placed in the showcase along with the foil fish.
Rock Fish Lesson
Students read a book called Only One You before doing this lesson. The book is about standing out as an individual while yet belonging to a whole group. In the book, the fish were pictures of painted rocks so for the project we let students paint their rock to look like the fish in the book. For this lesson the students got to paint outside. First students went to a pile of rocks and picked out the one they wanted. The students picked a solid color to paint as a base coat. Next, the students painted their rock with lines, shapes and patterns. After the rocks were dry they were to be placed around the flagpole as a schooled art project.