Growth, A Metamorphic Look At The Ugly Duckling

Brian ValentineAED 303 Section 1February 28, 2012

Run Down

• Based off famed story “The Ugly Duckling”• Target Group: Third Grade• Approximate Time:105 minutes

Pennsylvania State Standards

• (Science) 3.B.1. : Identify and describe the similarities and differences of living things and their life processes.

• (Art) 9.1.3.D: Use knowledge of varied styles within each art form through a performance or exhibition of unique work.

• (Art) 9.1.3.F: Identify works of others through a performance or exhibition

Objectives

• Students will be able to show knowledge of the metamorphic cycle by completing a worksheet on the life cycle of frogs (guided activity).

• Students will be able to critique an art portrait for a deeper meaning associated to content being learned in class.

• Students will be able to relate one of “ The Ugly Duckling’s” main themes, growth, to themselves by creating an art project that represents themselves now and who they would like to be in the future.

Materials

• Black/Colored marker• Scissors• Colored Construction Paper• Glue stick• Colored Pencils• Pencil for worksheet

Lesson Plan /Resources

• Read the “The Ugly Duckling” to students.• What happened to the Ugly Duckling at the end of

the story?• Does the duckling look different at the end of the

story?• Why is the duckling considered beautiful at the end of

the story?• Do you think other animals change appearance as

they grow?• How do we change as we grow?

Lesson Plan/Resources

• Explain the term metamorphosis to students. Show them the entire metamorphic process of a frog along with a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce5_Vk_yNcY. When students grasp concept, give a worksheet.

Lesson Plan/ Resources

• Introduce Alex Grey painting to students. Have students look, analyze, and write what they see. After students share, explain the connection to metamorphosis or build on the connection students have already made.

Alex Grey/Picture • Alex Grey (born November 29, 1953) is an American artist specializing in spiritual and psychedelic art (or

visionary art) that is sometimes associated with the New Age movement. Grey is a Vajrayana practitioner. His body of work spans a variety of forms including performance art, process art, installation art, sculpture, visionary art, and painting (Wikipedia).

Lesson Plan/Resources• After reinforcing student knowledge of metamorphosis through the

painting, briefly discuss human growth and how it’s similar(growth in size and capabilities) and different (much longer; never fully change appearance) to that of organisms who go through metamorphosis.

Lesson Plan/Resources

• To end lesson make a brief visual analogy of metamorphosis to human growth that will be the main focus of the lesson ending art project.

Art Project

• Students will create a double themed portrait out of cut construction paper pieces. On the top of the page will be a caterpillar and a butterfly. On the bottom of the page will be a current representation of the student and a representation of what they would like to be when they grow up.

Evaluation

• Informal- guided activity worksheet, student written analysis of Alex Grey painting, and questions about brief human growth discussion.

• Formal- rubric for lesson ending project.

Resources

• http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/amphibians/label/froglifecycle/label.shtml

• http://www.ourclassweb.com/webquests_frogs_tasks.htm

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce5_Vk_yNcY