Water and Global Responsibility STEM Unit
LP17_Art and Water Stories
Lesson Plan 17: Art & Water Stories
Overview
In this lesson students create an art project focused on water. They select a compelling
picture about water, cut the picture in half and reproduce the second side of the picture
by drawing and colouring. They then write a story about what the picture is telling them.
Background Knowledge:
This lesson should be done near the end of a unit on water when students have covered
the following concepts:
 Where our water comes from
 How we use water
 How our water use compares to water use of people in other countries
 The importance of water resources worldwide.
Solid drawing skills, including a previous study of using lines and shapes is necessary.
Time Required: 5 hours total
 1 hour: Discussion and photo selection
 1 hour: Drawing
 1 hour: Colour Mixing
 2 hours: Colouring the image
 1 hour: Preparing article for image and mounting final image
Grade Level: Grades 5 and 6
Subject Area: Language Arts, Art, Social Studies
Key Words: Water Resources
Alberta Curriculum Links: See curriculum link table
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Water and Global Responsibility STEM Unit
LP17_Art and Water Stories
Lesson Plan 17: Art & Water Stories
6 hours total
Learning Expectations
1. Analyze the individual character of natural objects or forms.
2. Impose standards on designed objects and invent improved versions.
3. Develop themes, with an emphasis on global awareness.
Materials
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good quality drawing paper
pencil
pencil crayons
paper cutter
glue
good quality magazines (old National Geographic and other similar
magazines)
art paper
Preparation
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Select magazines for cutting.
Introduction
15 minutes
1. Ask students to brainstorm the different ways that they have seen water used
by people around the world.
2. Explain that they are going to do an art project about the relationship between
humans and water.
Topic 1: Discussion and Photo Selection
45 minutes
1. Pass out magazines.
2. Ask students to go through magazines and find an image centered around
water that catches their attention.
3. Tell the students to select an image that focuses on human’s relationship with
water.
4. Students should share their selected image with you and justify their choice
by describing the image and using text from the article in the magazine to
explain what it is about.
5. Ask students to share their selected images with one another.
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Water and Global Responsibility STEM Unit
LP17_Art and Water Stories
Topic 2: Reproduce the image through drawing
1 hour
1. Ask the students to:
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Cut out a piece of art paper the size of their original image.
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Cut their image in half.
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Glue one half of the image to the art paper on one side of the page.
2. Explain that their goal is to recreate the other half of the photo.
3. Ask students to draw the other side of the image. Tell them to practice in their
notebooks and on scrap paper before reproducing the other side of the image
on the blank portion of the art paper.
4. Explain that they should use light lines and carefully follow the original photo,
observing, comparing and reproducing lines and shapes.
5. Ask participants to share their drawings with each other.
Topic 3: Mix the colours and paint the image
3 hours
1. Explain that their goal is to reproduce the colours from the original image by
mixing and blending the colours they have.
2. Ask the students to experiment with various colors, pressures and strokes
until they find the colours from the original image.
3. Ask students to colour and shade their drawing to match it with the original
side of the image.
4. Ask students to share their images with each other.
Review: Prepare image and text for display
1 hours
1. Ask students to mount their final images on black paper for display.
2. Tell them to prepare a written explanation of their photos describing the
image and why it is important to share.
3. Display the written pieces with the artwork.
Teacher Reflection
Pieces were shared at the end of lessons throughout the process. Students were very
interested in each other’s work and learned from each other’s techniques. The results
were amazing.
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Water and Global Responsibility STEM Unit
LP17_Art and Water Stories
Many of the finished pieces look like photographs from a short distance away. The
variety of images is great – images are from many places in the world and show people
using water in many different ways. There is great respect for water and for other human
beings in this work. The story has been told beautifully. It is clear that this piece was
important to the children.
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