Jerry Witter - Uprooted Upheaval
Curriculum Connections: Fine Arts K-4: A.1.3, A.1.6, A.2.1, A.2.2, A.2.5, A.3.8; 5-8:A.1.18, A.2.10, A.2.11, A.2.14; 9-12: A.1.22, A.1.29, A.2.18, A.3.24
Lesson Objective: students will learn about the Hubble telescope and respond creatively to images from it.
Materials:
Library and internet resources for research
Paper
Paint, colored pencils, crayons or other drawing materials
Witter's drawing is abstract, but it calls to mind images from deep space. Lead a class discussion about telescopes. What is a telescope? How big do they get? Why are larger telescopes better than smaller ones (large telescopes collect more light and therefore more information.) Introduce the Hubble telescope and expla in why a space-based telescope is superior to one on Earth. (It doesn't have to "see" through the atmosphere, which scatters light.) Display pictures from the Hubble telescope. Have students create their own works based on the pictures.
Cross-curricular Study
Curriculum Connections: Science K-4: PS.2.3, PS.2.14; 5-8: PS.2.9, ES.3.1; 9-12:PS.2.18
Lesson Objective: students will learn about color differences between pigment and light.
Materials:
Paint - red, yellow, blue
Trays for paint (paper or Styrofoam plates work well)
Paint brushes
3 Flashlights
Colored cellophane, or thin colored paper - red, blue and green (gift tissue paper can be used)
Tape
Paper
Prism
Ask students if they know the primary (red, yellow, blue) and secondary colors (purple, green, orange) and how you get secondary colors from primary colors. Distribute paint trays and paint brushes, pour small amounts of each primary color on the trays. Let students experiment with mixing colors, observing results.
Ask students whether light has color. Explain about the spectrum, rainbows and white light. Demonstrate the spectrum using the prism. Next, explain that light mixes differently from pigment, and has different primary colors. Tape one color of cellophane or tissue paper over each of your three flashlights. Turn off the room lights and shine the lights on a white wall. Cross the beams and observe what colors result. Explain, or have students investigate why pigment and light colors mix differently.
Explanation: Color is an inherent quality of light, dependent on the wavelength of the light. It may be useful to show students a chart of wavelength correlated to color. Pigment gets its color by absorbing or reflecting different wavelengths of light. For instance, something red absorbs all wavelengths except red, which is reflected back to your eye.
Activity adapted from: http://imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov/teachersite/UL1.htm Visit for useful hints on setting up the activity.
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