Yara Herman and I collaborated on a new unit idea for the first grade.

Our goal for this unit is to utilize and instruct storytelling and art techniques to sustainabilize an approach to conservation. This ties in well with our instruction provided by the Cloud Institute and addresses the following Enduring Understandings:

1.A Healthy and Sustainable Future is Possible: By creating their nature protector entities, children will personalize and visualize HOW specific actions can preserve and nurture natural phenomena.

2.We are all in this together: Students will see how their nature protectors are ALL important supporting different aspects of nature.

4. Recognize and protect the commons. The natural entities students will experience on their field trip will bring specificity and imagery to what the commons and resources we have actually are.

6. Diversity makes our lives possible. It is the fact that MANY different species exist that we have a thriving world. We must preserve and protect DIFFERENT things.

11. Live by the natural laws: Students will learn some the natural laws that govern their protected entity.

12. We are all responsible: By creating our nature protectors, we see how actions make a difference.

In this 8-week lesson plan, students will create and personify a nature protector through the following approach:

1. If approved by the first grade team, we'll begin this lesson with an experiential field trip to the Conservatory of Flowers where the children will be exposed to flowers and plants. They will find new favorites and learn the names, drawing sketches in their notebooks. Yara, Cyndera and potentially first grade teachers and ATs will attend the field trip. Students will employ the following skills:

Observe nature 

Awareness of feelings 

Drawing a meaningful element

Articulating a meaningful moment

2. In the second lesson, I will visit the art classroom and lead students in a nature guided imagery that will allow the students to re-visit their time at the museum and remember a favorite flower or plant. I will tell a story entitled "Plasticity the Fairy" - a story I have written and performed for children. The story will get the children excited about creating their own entity whose job it is to protect a particular plant or element of nature. Students will employ the following skills:

Reflect on prior experiences in nature

Communicate your thoughts and feelings about nature

Translating elements of the story visually (illustrating

Selecting meaningful elements of the story. about the ocean

Think about which art form resonates with you and why?

3. In the third lesson, students will view and discuss nature protectors from past and present from around the world. Examples include the Greenman, the Lorax, fairies from "Fern Gully." We'll show movie clips and stories via a slideshow and students will begin sketching their nature protector using a mask template. Students will employ the following skills:

Form an opinion about what makes the art interesting to you 

Verbally articulate your response to art and what the artist is trying to say 

Apply the elements of art (line, shape, color) to create an original work of art

4. In the fourth lesson, we'll deepen into the details and story of the students nature protector. We'll answer the following questions:

• What do they protect:

• How do they protect? 

• What is the challenge facing what they’re protecting?

Students will employ the following skills:

Create: Students develop characters, settings, and plots using their imagination.

Express: Students articulate their thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively through narrative structure.

Explore: Developing characters allows students to investigate different perspectives and understand diverse emotions and experiences.

In lessons 5-7, Yara will take over with art instruction creating the masks out of clay, glazing and firing. The 1st grade will also create a "group mask" that will be hung in the hole of foliage on the fence near the squishy top. When children look into the hole, the face(s) of the nature protector, incorporating the elements of the classes' characters will be seen. Legends and stories will grow and be shared through out the school surrounding the secret face of foliage!

Final skills in the group collaboration will include:

Adapt: Handling feedback and revisions helps students adapt and cultivate a growth mindset.

Collaborate: Working on stories with peers promotes teamwork, negotiation, and compromise in developing shared narratives.

Thank you for this opportunity to collaborate with Lower School Curriculum, bringing art, nature and storytelling together in the new school year!