46 SCIENCE SCOPE

Creating aRsmART Camp

by Matthew J. Maurer, Rebecca Tokarsky, and Laura Zalewsky

photo courtesy of lillieinthecity

October 2011 47

Creating a smart Camp

Many of the skills and talents required to be a successful scientist, such as analysis, experimentation, and creativity, can be developed and reinforced through art.

Both science and art challenge students to make observations, experiment with different techniques, and use both traditional and nontraditional methods to express their ideas. These disciplines emphasize the need for creativity in problem solving and encourage student reflection and analysis of decisions and results (Chessin and Zander 2006). Through art, students can begin to practice these reflective and analytical skills. Creative thought also helps students develop the problem-solving skills necessary for scientific inquiry (Winrich 1984). Tasks that challenge these skills not only help develop them further, but also help solidify the knowledge that students gain in the lesson.

Tips for your smART camp FIGURE 1

• Keep it simple: our camp explored four different areas of science; we found that students tended to prefer one or two areas and were less engaged in the others. to prevent this, keep your camp concentrated on one scientific discipline. if you’d like to cover multiple areas of science, try giving students activity options to choose from for each lesson. for example, have stations where they are covering the same scientific information in different ways (e.g., a station that teaches biology using visual art, one using song/rhythm, another using dance/movement). Allowing students to choose which way they’d like to approach each scientific discipline will help keep all students engaged in the different disciplines.

• have extra materials: Always plan to use more supplies than you expect. students inevitably use up their resources faster than you had anticipated. Keep extra basic supplies on hand as a rule of thumb (e.g., paper, glue, staples). limit each class to a certain amount of more costly supplies, and reserve the same amount for each class period to prevent use of all of your materials by the first class.

• Be flexible: As in any new lesson, allow yourself a little bit of extra time for the project in case it doesn’t proceed as quickly as you would like. the amount of extra time will vary depending on the activity, but a good rule of thumb is one extra class period.

• Don’t be scared of a mess: Although messy activities

lead to more cleanup, sometimes the messiest activities are the best at grabbing students’ attention and making the lesson memorable. to avoid hours of cleaning afterward, assign students responsibility for their work area.

• remember that gross can be good: Gross activities can be very engaging. for example, in our lesson on food chains, students got to perform an owl pellet dissection. We were initially concerned about how a few students in the camp would respond to this activity. All students, however, were very involved in the dissection.

• Be ready for plan B: Be prepared to improvise due to problems with weather or shipping. for example, one of our physics labs involved solar bags. the weather, however, did not cooperate, and it rained that day. We decided to rearrange the lesson to talk about buoyancy, instead.

• clearly define safety rules: Always provide students with reminders of safety rules for each activity. for example, all MsDs safety guidelines must be followed. When using any chemicals, splash-guard safety goggles must be worn. Before beginning your camp/class, students and parents should have signed a lab safety agreement, which alerts them to all safety expectations (see our webpage for an example we used). Also, proper electrical, ventilation, and safety appliances must be in place in your classroom.

Creative elements can also provide students with memory ties for science concepts and processes (Bort 2007). Hands-on creative activities help keep students focused on and interested in the class discussion. The more interesting and involved the lesson, the more memorable it will be for students (Spevak 2008). Even simple creative elements like posters, poems, or songs can help students remember.

Creativity is not only impor tant in thinking skills and engagement, but also in dif ferentiating instruction. Oftentimes, students who learn best by visual/spatial, musical/rhythmic, and bodily/kinesthetic means are missed by traditional lecture methods (Beeman-Cadwallader, Quigley, and Buck 2010). smART: Science Meets ART was a phrase we derived to represent the idea of blending science and art. smART emphasizes the connections between

Creating a smart Camp

48 SCIENCE SCOPE

Incorporating smART into multiple sciencesFIGURE 2

Science Activity Art in the classroom Assessment ideas

environmental science

ecosystem Diagrams

students explore the biomes through the internet, books, and other information sources you provide them. students are then given the choice of which biome they’d like to create an ecosystem for in your classroom world. (this may take two class periods.)

students must present their diagrams and explain why they fit into the biome they chose.

recycling 101

students recycle paper to create their own sculp-tures. pair this personal recycling project with fun recycling fact worksheets and in-class discussion.

formatively assess your stu-dents using a quiz at the end of class. other ideas include a recycling trivia game, exit card, and a recycling fact/fiction poll.

Dendrology students choose leaves for leaf prints. As students create their prints, they must identify the trees from which the specimens came. pair this personal art piece with in-class discussion of dendrology, dendro-chronology, and their importance. (this may take mul-tiple classes; pre-collect limb specimens for shorter time requirements.)

to formatively assess your students’ identification of the tree species, use a rubric for their leaf prints.

Biology edible cell students can create their own cell using all edible materials (e.g., Jell-o, pudding, candy, cookies). (re-mind students that food is not to be eaten in the lab or science classroom.)

this would most likely be used as a summative assessment of cell types, organelles, and their functions.

links in the chain

students create their own food chain, which involves making a 3-D chain out of paper strips. this activity could be paired with owl pellet dissection to look for evidence of a food chain.

to assess formatively, use a rubric to grade chains students create. this can be summatively assessed in various ways.

Genetics—DnA strand

students practice base pairing by building their own DnA strand using pipe cleaners and beads.

formatively assess stu-dents using quick quizzes and assessment of their in-class work on the DnA strand and Monster Mad-ness using a rubric.

Genetics—Monster Madness

students view the probability behind genetics first-hand by creating their own monster baby.

art and science and helps to encourage students to explore science in a new way. These simple yet powerful creative elements allow all students to find the tangible in seemingly intangible concepts.

Designing a smART campDesigning our smART camp was definitely a labor of love. Being our first science camp, it provided

a challenge to not only our students, but to us as instructors, as well. Our planning process began with the development of the smART concept. We decided that we wanted to combine art and science to help keep our summer camp light and fun while also being meaningful. Once we had committed to this, the second step was to decide which areas of science to teach. Then we decided which concepts in each area would work well with smART for our short-term

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Creating a smart Camp

Incorporating smART into multiple sciences (continued)FIGURE 2

chemistry crazy chemistry

students can create their own rock candies to observe a physical change and a tie-dye t-shirt to observe solubility. pair these activities with other hands-on stations.

Assess students forma-tively using quick quizzes or checking their in-class work. (see our webpage for more specifics.)

playing With polymers

students create their own polymers. pair this with in-class discussion.

Assess students formatively using quick quizzes or in-class work.

sun prints students create their own sun prints and decide if their prints are a chemical or physical change.

formatively assess stu-dents on their scientific inquiry and analysis using a short lab worksheet.

physics energy students observe and build their own solar-powered objects (see our webpage for specifics). pair with in-class discussion on energy.

Assess students summa-tively using quick quizzes.

Buoyancy students create their own boats and test the buoy-ancy of the boats using marbles. Discuss in class the concepts of buoyancy and surface tension.

summatively assess stu-dents using quick quizzes. formatively assess stu-dents using a lab write-up and rubric.

crazy coasters

students design their own roller coasters out of foam piping and various supplies. pair this with the discussion of velocity, inertia, gravity, etc.

formatively assess your students using a lab write-up and rubric.

Science Activity Art in the classroom Assessment ideas

summer camp. Subsequently, lesson development and camp organization were then possible.

If you are working with a larger organization, such as a school district or university, you will most likely have to present a proposal to your administration for approval. Our proposal consisted of a simple rationale and scope and sequence for the camp. Contact your administration for any guidelines they have for the use of funds. After approval, you will most likely need to develop a variety of paperwork, including the following: photo or video release form, application form, medical form, safety/release form, and so on. Some of these your administration may have already developed.

Once all the major paperwork is done, the main concern is advertising the camp and continued lesson planning. Advertising can be in your school or local community, or it can target a variety of local school

districts. When approaching the lesson planning for an entire camp, organization is key. You are very restricted by time, and a late shipment of key materials may result in a complete lesson change. Be sure to plan ahead and always order extra. Another important issue to address in your lesson plans is the tone of the camp. Do you want the camp to be an extension or engagement opportunity? Or is the camp meant to be a class unit? In the end, your camp should accomplish two goals; it should (1) encourage students to explore science and (2) teach science concepts to students within an artistic context.

At the end of any camp, we recommend you offer students a survey to rate the camp. This will provide you with valuable feedback for your next smART endeavor. For our smART camp, we gave students an opportunity to evaluate our lessons and the camp

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50 SCIENCE SCOPE

Sun-print lessonFIGURE 3

Objectives

• students will be able to define a chemical change and a physical change.

• students will be able to differentiate between chemical changes and physical changes.

Materials

• sun-print fabric or paper (enough for one or two sheets per student), available at www.discountschoolsupply.com and www.bluesunprints.com; prices vary by source)

• uV-blocking materials: e.g., aluminum foil, heavy paper/fabric, buttons, coins

• tape (scotch or masking)

• sink/water access

• clean table or drying line

• sunny day

Anticipatory set suggestions

• What is a physical reaction? What is a chemical reaction? how can you recognize each?

• can sunlight cause a chemical reaction?

Procedure

1. provide students with a square of fabric/paper (size doesn’t matter).

2. students record any qualitative or quantitative observations of their fabric.

3. students decorate their square using tape and the supplied materials for a specific theme or design (e.g., a class tapestry, Mother’s Day), or allow students to create their own design.

4. students predict which materials will block the sunlight the best.

5. place fabric/paper outside in full sunlight (~2 minutes).

6. remove from sunlight and remove decorations.

7. students quickly record observations.

8. place the square in water (~1 minute).

9. students record observations.

10. Allow to dry.

11. students add to their design and reexpose if no change was evident.

12. students record observations.

13. Analyze results: Were students’ predictions correct? What type of change do they think occurred (physical or chemical), and why?

Questions for students

1. prequestion: What is the difference between a physical change and a chemical change?

a. list what you think both terms mean.

2. Based on your observations, what do you think is a chemical change in our activity? What is your evidence for this answer?

3. Did we have any physical changes in this activity? What were they? What is the evidence on which you base your identification of the physical changes?

4. What are some everyday examples of physical changes? chemical changes?

Safety

• students should not eat or drink during this lab.

• students should wash their hands after the lab.

• students should only be provided appropriate tools to cut materials; they must wear safety glasses and follow proper guidelines for sharp objects.

as a whole, and to give any suggestions/comments. Your survey may also be used to assess students’ understanding of the concepts presented.

Although the process described here is to develop a summer camp, the smART concept can easily be applied to classrooms. Simply by adding an element of creativity to your lessons or your students’ assignments, you are using the smART concept. The lessons taught during our smART camp were completed within 50 minutes and could be adapted for standard class times, as well (see Figure 1).

Our smART camp Our camp was for seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-grade students and lasted five days. The first four days of the camp covered the following areas: environmental science, biology, chemistry, and physics. Each day, students attended two small sessions (15–16 students) and one large session; the latter was cotaught. Each lesson contained an artistic or creative element (see Figure 2). For example, in the Sun-print lesson

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Creating a smart Camp

Matthew J. Maurer (maurerm@rmu.edu) is an associate professor of science and program coordinator for science education, Rebecca Tokarsky is a senior teacher-certification student in biology, and Laura Zalewsky is a recent graduate of the teacher-certification program in biology, all at Robert Morris University in Moon Township, Pennsylvania.

(Figure 3), students were given the task of designing a square for a quilt but were also challenged to observe the reaction occurring in the Sun-print fabric. Sunprint fabric is treated with a Sun-sensitive solution and dried, then sealed in a Sun-proof bag. This fabric is similar to photo paper and will change color in the sunlight. When student have finished “exposing” their fabric, they dip it in water to fix the image. After decorating, students were asked what they thought was a chemical change and what was a physical change on the Sun-print fabric and why.

Because the goal of our camp was to increase interest in science, the main assessment methods were formative assessments and alternative types for our own personal feedback. During each lesson, students were formatively assessed using questioning techniques, their lab workbooks, and performance on activities. This formative assessment allowed us to identify areas of confusion and clarify them during the lesson or for future camps. Students were evaluated using their capstone project, which was assessed informally without the use of a rubric. For the purposes of our summer camp, the capstone project was a physical art piece. This can be expanded to include a dance, song, or poem, etc., as desired. The capstone project can easily be used as a formative assessment in your classroom. When you have finished a unit, create a challenge for students that addresses all of the areas you’ve taught. For example, a capstone project for a unit on cells could be an edible cell (see Figure 2), a 3-D cell diagram, or a song or poem to remember the cell organelles and cell types. A capstone project for a unit on plants could challenge students to design a plant to fit into a certain environment (real or fictional). Because these assessment methods are nontraditional, each activity should be assessed using a clearly defined

grading rubric (for examples we used, see our project website, which is listed at the end of the article). The smaller in-class projects can be formatively assessed using quick quizzes, in-class questioning, discussions, and worksheets that accompany each project.

Conclusion smART is a concept that can be incorporated into any class or camp. It can help teachers engage students and differentiate instruction. Creative assignments challenge students to observe, experiment, and assess, which strengthens their problem-solving skills. Incorporating smART into your classroom as simple as posters, games, or songs and can be as complex as a formal art piece. If you’d like more information on our smART camp, or ways to incorporate smART in your classroom, feel free to access our camp brochure at www.rmu.edu/web/cms/schools/sems/outreach/Pages/default.aspx. Scroll down to the smART camp section. n AcknowledgmentsWe would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their assistance and support: Dr. Maria V. Kalevitch, Dr. William J. Dress, Dr. Arif Sirinterlikci, Dr. Paul D. Badger, Mrs. Ashley Collier Jones, Ms. Sarah Kerin, and Ms. Brittany Neish.

ReferencesBeeman-Cadwallader, N., C. Quigley, G. Buck. 2010. Fix

the potholes! Helping students translate their interests and life experience into scientific investigations. Science Scope 33 (8): 42–46.

Bort, N. 2007. Using the arts to enhance science learning. Science Scope 31 (1): 56–59.

Chessin, D., and M.J. Zander. 2006. The nature of science and art. Science Scope 29 (8): 42–46.

Spevak, A. 2008. The art of physics. The Science Teacher 75 (9): 44–46.

Winrich, R.A. 1984. Using art to teach science. Cleveland, OH: NASA Lewis Research Center. www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED361252.pdf.