Who is in My Tree?

Melissa Gerhart

First Grade- Teasley

Standards:
NATIONAL VISUAL ARTS STANDARDS Cr1.2.1a- Use observation and investigation in preparation for making
a work of art
Cr2.1.1a- Explore uses of materials and tools to create works of art or
design
Re.7.1.1a- Select and describe works of art that illustrate daily life
experiences of ones self and others.
SHOWME VISUAL ARTS STANDARDS Knowledge of the principles and elements of different art forms
GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS (GLEs) Strand I.1.B- Apply paint with a dragging, not pushing motion
Strand I.2.A.- Use glue with control
Strand 1.3.C.- Create original art that communicates ideas about
animals
Strand II.1.D.- Identify and use texture
Rational and Goals
In the science curriculum, the students will take a nature walk and
discuss the ways in which animals and plants work together in nature.
Students will discuss how the two collaborate and interact. This lesson will
help students take what they learn in science and apply it to art by creating
a relationship between trees and animals.
Enduring Big Idea
The enduring idea for this lesson is relationships in nature. This lesson
focuses on the relationship between animals and nature for habitat purposes.
Students will study the relationships in science, and will create a relationship
in art class. One artist I will show is John James Audubon and we will discuss
the way he illustrates birds and their relationship to their habitat and
surrounding plants.
Essential Questions
How do trees and animals interact?
What relationships do the two have?
Why are trees important to animals such as birds and squirrels?
How do artists show relationships between plants and animals?

Knowledge Base and Key Concepts

Students will investigate how artists such as John James Audubon
illustrated plants and animals together.
Student will learn how crayons allow paint to resist.
Students will learn how to make a multi-media project.
Students will learn how to observe from everyday life and apply it in art
Objectives
After the lesson on trees relationship with animals, students will:
Investigate and create a relationship between trees and wildlife,
by showing at lest one animal and nature relationship.
Demonstrate how to create a resist in art by creating texture on
the tree trunk.
Create a multi-media piece of art by using crayons, paint, and
collaged construction paper.
Vocabulary
Resist
Habitat
Texture
Lesson Vignette- approximately 2 Days
Day 1:
Introduction
12:20-12:30
Ask students to describe
habitat
Ask and make a list of what
students saw on their nature
walk
Ask how they feel trees and
animals interact
12:30- 12:45
Read the book One Small Place in the
Tree by Barbara Brenner
12:45-12:50
Are there any other relationships in
the book that you did not think about
before? Discuss as a class.
12:50-1:00
Look at John James Audubon and
discuss as a class the relationship
between habitat and animals.
1:00- 1:10
Demonstration
1:10-1:40
Student work time and clean up
When lining up, ask students to
raise hand and tell the class
the relationship they are

Day 2:
12:20-12:30

12:30-1:40

creating in their piece.

Introduction
Recap on habitat and
relationships in nature.
Have a student define habitat
and give a few examples
Look at John James Audubon
again
Student work time/ 2 Stars and a
Wish sheets

Assessments and Rubrics

Student success looks like:
Participation in classroom discussion
Participation in working on assignment
Finishing the assignment
Creating a resist and showing texture
Showing at least one relationship between animals and nature in
their final piece
Formative assessment will take place in the form of class wide
questions. This might include simply a thumb up, to the side, or down to
check for understanding of habitat. Also, walking around and talking with
students while they work will be a formative assessment.
Summative assessment will take place at the end of the lesson. I will
ask students to complete a two stars and a wish sheet. Here they will give
two things (stars) they like about their relationship they created and one
wish that they have for it. (Example attached)
Student Engagement and Adaptations
If a student finishes early, they might be asked to show another
relationship in their final piece. I will differentiate my instruction in the
classroom to verbal instruction as well as physically demonstrating what I
expect from the students. This will help students see and hear how to
accomplish this lesson. If a student has a learning disability that impairs their
writing skills, the summative assessment may be verbal instead of written.
Materials, Resources, and References
Resources I will need in this lesson are images of John James
Audubons work. Also, if students havent went on their nature walk we might
need to go outside and look at the texture of trees and relationships in
nature.

The book One Small Place in the Tree by Barbara Brenner would be a
good book to start he lesson out with. This book shows all of the ways a tree
benefits animals.
Materials:
Paper
Crayons
Powdered tempera (for the resist)
Paintbrushes
Scissors
Glue
Construction paper
For the lesson, I need to practice which type of paint will work the best
for the resist. Previously, I have used powdered tempera and it worked well.
Teacher Reflection
I will know if this lesson was successful if:
Students create a relationship between a tree and an animal and
show at least one example
Students create a multi-media collage
Students create texture with the crayon and the resist
Students discuss the relationship between the tree and an animal
in their response sheet
Name:

Melissa G

2 Stars and a Wish

Please write 2 things you love about your image and one wish you have for i
I love that I put a bird living in my tree.
I love the way the texture on my tree trunk.
I wish that I had more time and could put more animals in my tree.