Exploration Day! BUILDONG/CONSTRUCTION!!

Students in fourth grade are currently exploring the possibilities through a full choice based arts lesson! Within full choice based arts classes, students are designing, and implementing their own art projects.  A choice based room may look like total chaos because there's so many different things happening all at once however, I have found that choice based teaching opens up and raises my students motivation, excitement, and focus during their time in the art room. 

Students hadn't gotten the full experience of constructing three dimensional forms and ffigures, so the last class before spring break, they received a challenge.  They were to work in their table groups to construct a piece of architecture.  Whether it was a house, a museum, an office building, apartments, was up to them, but it had to be three dimensional.

Many students initial reaction was "This will be easy."  or "This is going to be AWESOME!!". 

  Here's a look at how they did!

At the end of the class, we came together to assess our structures.  Students did an open reflection about what went well, what was challenging, and how they would execute their plans differently if given another chance.   I prompted student learning from one of my favorite "fill in the blanks" you might say from Harvard's Project Zero....

         "I used to think _______________________   
                          but now I think_______________________."

The following were reflections from students: 
  " I used to think this was going to be easy, but now I think it's alot harder than I thought!"
  " I used to think using glue would hold all my pieces together, but now I think using tape and hot 
    glue would be best"
  " I used to think I was going to use clay for my next art project, but now I think there is a better art 
    supply than clay to use." 
   " I used to think that building with cardboard would be boring, but now I think it's the best for
     making a building"
   " I used to think the clay only went flat on the table, but now I think it can stand up, it's just hard to
     make it stand up!"
 
Students used this experience and the reflections in order to pause and reflect on the project they were designing for themselves.  Many students made proper changes and adjustments to the supplies they were requesting based off of this experience...Another choice based classroom success!!!