Lesson Plan #: AELP-ART0004
Submitted by: J. Castillo
Email: castillo@uci.edu (email address no longer valid)
School/University/Affiliation: UC Irvine
Endorsed by: Intern Fieldwork, UC Irvine
Date: February 20, 1999

Grade Level(s): 2, 3, 4

Subject(s):

• Arts

Duration: 50 minutes

Description: Art activity for use with a unit about Japan.

Goals: To familiarize students with the Japanese art of origami.

Objectives: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of shapes and ability to follow directions by creating a paper duck.

Materials:

• color crayons/pencils/markers
• paper cut into squares
• sample duck (see these web sites for ideas: http://www.bridgewater.edu/~dhuffman/soc306/I98grp2/duck.html
  http://www.worthhall.demon.co.uk/practice/diagrams/simple/coriduck.htm
  http://dev.origami.com/images_pdf/oddduck.pdf)
• shapes (rectangle, square, and triangle)
• white board w/ markers and eraser

Procedure:

A. PRIOR KNOWLEDGE – FOCUS & TRANSFER:

Today you will create a paper duck based on a series of directions that I give. You will practice making ducks and color your best duck at the end.

Let’s review the properties of a few basic shapes (i.e., rectangle, square, and triangle). What do you know about them? What’s special?

B. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES:

INPUT: Draw the following concepts on the white board:
corner
down
half
line of symmetry
over
rectangle
square
triangle
up

Create a word bank for the students to use in identifying the drawings. Gather the children in a semicircle around the board. (Remind the students that you are looking for students who raise their hand to share or volunteer!) Make connections when appropriate (e.g., this type of activity can be asked of a student on a worksheet). Begin to identify the drawings on the board. Show the students how to complete the task. Outline the following steps: scan the drawings, read the words in the word bank, match word to drawing, voice reason (Why?), invite a child to write the correct response on the board while the other children spell it out, and cross the response off of word bank.

Review the drawings on the board ask the children to list the properties of each drawing (e.g., a square has four equal sides). Chorally read the words beneath the drawings. Erase the words. Pass out shapes for the students to touch, reviewing the name of each piece.

MODEL: The students watch and listen as the teacher demonstrates the steps in making an origami duck. Use the concepts on the board to give directions.

CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING: Ask each student to identify a concept on the board before dismissing students to their seats. Rewrite the words underneath the drawings in case the students need to refer to them during the activity.

C. GUIDED PRACTICE:

Lead the students through the duck making process. Ask that they hold up their paper when they are ready to move onto the next step. (Check to see that everyone is ready before continuing! Be prepared to go slowly and repeat the directions.) Ask the students to help you list the duck-making procedure on the board. Then, allow the students to practice individually. Instruct them to color their best duck.

Assessment: Invite the students to the rug again in order to share their finished ducks with one another. Ask the students to volunteer one sentence of what they learned or a concept that was reinforced.
– OR –
Invite the students in groups of four to view an advanced piece of origami from the Internet. What would a person who created such an extravagant piece need to know (e.g., regarding how to follow directions, properties of shapes, etc.)

III. FOLLOW-UP

A. APPLICATION:

Give the students a couple pieces of paper to practice at home. Invite them to share their knowledge with a family member.

Encourage the students to be helpers at home. Remind them that following directions is important in learning how to do more difficult pieces of origami and in life, too! The children can apply what was learned in this lesson when performing a task given to them by an adult, for example.

B. SELF-EVALUATION & FEEDBACK:

WHAT STRATEGIES WORKED BEST?
Worksheet on the board. Word bank to help students match specific terms with drawings.

Asking students to share reason(s) why they felt that a particular term was the correct answer.

Inviting the class to spell the words as a child wrote the term on the white board underneath the corresponding drawing.

WHAT STUDENT BEHAVIORS DID I OBSERVE AS EVIDENCE THAT THE OBJECTIVE WAS MET?
Students shared their completed ducks with peers and teachers.

WHAT COPIES OF STUDENT WORK DOCUMENT THAT THE OBJECTIVE WAS MET?
The students took their ducks home, but we have a few laying around the classroom also.

WHAT COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS WERE OFFERED BY UNIVERSITY ASSOCIATE?
To take time to model the activity first.

To reread the students’ observations. Revisit and discuss the shapes/objects that they saw during closure.

WHAT CHANGES WOULD I MAKE WHEN TEACHING THIS LESSON AGAIN?
Allow another 10 minutes for the instruction part in order to model the duck making process.

OTHER:

When leading the students through the process of creating the duck, be prepared to validate their observations regarding what the folded piece of paper looks like. Write their observations on the board. Ask the students to help you spell the new words and read them chorally. Another application activity might be to have the students write about the shapes that they noted (e.g. the diamond, boat, kite, snake, etc.). Why did they associate the folded paper with these things?