Engaging Elementary Art Students in Outdoor Exploration
The natural world has long inspired artists to create. It inspires me, so I wanted to see how exploring nature would influence my students understanding of art concepts and processes. What happened next changed the way I thought about teaching art. I have created this webpage and some short videos to encourage you to try this learning strategy.
Note: These videos may be viewed at a higher resolution on Vimeo.
Note: These videos may be viewed at a higher resolution on Vimeo.
Changing Habits: a Video for Elementary Art Teachers
Inspired by Nature: A Video for Elementary Art Students
Student Collage |
Student Artworks |
Go Outside: Engaging Elementary Art Students in Outdoor Exploration
This action research study examined how to incorporate the learning strategy of outdoor exploration into
a forty-five minute class period, and what role that strategy could play in student understanding of art concepts. This research was consistent with previous literature concerning the benefits of children exploring the natural world, the role nature plays in aesthetic experiences, the role inquiry plays in integrating natural science and art concepts, and current studies of eco-art education.
For three weeks, in May 2012, I took my twenty-five classes of twenty-four to twenty-eight students each, outside to the nature area adjacent to my school building in Waukee, Iowa. After a brief introduction to the area, stated expectations for behavior, a sensory exploration exercise, and a suggested exploration prompt, students explored the area with a partner. While the students explored, I interviewed them on their experiences, took photographs and video, and kept a written reflection of my perceptions.
Through this study, I realized the importance of setting limits, minimizing materials, preparing for the predictable while expecting the unexpected, listening more, observing more, directing less, and learning to follow the students' lead when using the strategy of outdoor exploration. I also discovered how exploring nature could engage the students in aesthetic experiences, imaginary adventures, inventing names, sketching from observation, and building an empathetic relationship with nature. Students demonstrated an understanding of how artists work by making personal choices, experimenting with tools and materials, collecting and incorporating found objects in their work, and planning projects.
This study confirmed my beliefs that inquiry-based learning helps children understand art concepts, that nature can inspire even the youngest artists, and that the exploration of nature needs to be a part of the elementary art curriculum.
a forty-five minute class period, and what role that strategy could play in student understanding of art concepts. This research was consistent with previous literature concerning the benefits of children exploring the natural world, the role nature plays in aesthetic experiences, the role inquiry plays in integrating natural science and art concepts, and current studies of eco-art education.
For three weeks, in May 2012, I took my twenty-five classes of twenty-four to twenty-eight students each, outside to the nature area adjacent to my school building in Waukee, Iowa. After a brief introduction to the area, stated expectations for behavior, a sensory exploration exercise, and a suggested exploration prompt, students explored the area with a partner. While the students explored, I interviewed them on their experiences, took photographs and video, and kept a written reflection of my perceptions.
Through this study, I realized the importance of setting limits, minimizing materials, preparing for the predictable while expecting the unexpected, listening more, observing more, directing less, and learning to follow the students' lead when using the strategy of outdoor exploration. I also discovered how exploring nature could engage the students in aesthetic experiences, imaginary adventures, inventing names, sketching from observation, and building an empathetic relationship with nature. Students demonstrated an understanding of how artists work by making personal choices, experimenting with tools and materials, collecting and incorporating found objects in their work, and planning projects.
This study confirmed my beliefs that inquiry-based learning helps children understand art concepts, that nature can inspire even the youngest artists, and that the exploration of nature needs to be a part of the elementary art curriculum.