Science and Art -- oh my! Who would imagine these two subjects rolled into one? This year at Project Learn School (PLS) the Jr. High students are involved in a new class just like this one, each Monday, called Ecology. This class is taught by the Art teacher, Joan Fox, and Science, English teacher, Liam Gallagher.
Liam and Joan got the idea of teaching this class because they found that Art and Science have lots of similarities and they love working together, “I think some of the most genuine learning is when you stop thinking about things as Art period and Science period and put them together, as in Ecology,” said Joan. The Ecology class takes place in Liam’s room on the third floor of PLS.The kids also sometimes go to Aubrey Arboretum and the Wissahickon, to continue their Ecology studies. Some of the things the Jr. High students have done in this class are nature mandalas, a hunt for human made things in a natural environment and a game about how wolves have evolved into dogs. A mandala is usually a circular or square pattern made using sand to form an amazing design. The Jr.High mandalas were made out of nature-found objects. The wolf/dog game is a game to help the students learn how wolves adapted over time to their new environments.
“I like Ecology and I think the project we’re working on now is really fun,” said Zoe Bassett, a Jr. High student. This new project is a creation of an imaginary animal from each student. They have to write a description, create a sketch and a model about their animal explaining what it looks like and how it survives. Liam said, “Ecology is a great place for science and art to come together.” It seem like both the students and the teachers are enjoying this Ecology class and they each can’t wait for the following Monday each week.
No comments:
Post a Comment