If the school allows it and has enough funds, the students can play computer games which can complement art lesson and objectives, or which can instill an appreciation for video games as art, as well as act as an extension activity.
1) Scribblenauts: Unlimited
Educational value: promotes creativity; encourages the imagination; think outside of the box to problem-solve; practices spelling
Summary: Maxwell is a young boy who has a magic notebook--anything he writes is summoned to the real world. His goal is to travel around the world collecting "Starites", but he can only do so by helping others and this is when his notebook comes in handy. As the game says, "Write Anything. Solve Everything". Have to fend off zombies? Need a winning pig for the farmer's contest? Conjure up a tank! Make the pig ginormous! Max has the power to adjust the features of an object and to create any object (in fact, the players have access to tens of thousands of options by simply typing in their command). And yes, you can make your character fly with wings or a jet pack, and you can even have a laser sword, Medusa's head, a ghost ship, you name it...
Beyond the game: Try pairing this activity with an Imagination Workout, in which students have to look at abstract lines and shapes, and draw what they see (refer to 'Lesson Ideas' for more details). Another activity is bring in a wide variety of materials/recyclables and tell students to build an object to solve a hypothetical "problem"--Scribblenauts in real life but with much more hands-on work. For example: "You don't have any sticks or carrots to build a snowman. What can you make instead?" They use the materials to creatively imagine a new snowman design. Another related idea, but connected to science/scientific method is to use the classic "Saving Sam the Worm" problem, which encourages cooperation and creativity with the materials given. See below for a teacher's explanation:
Summary: Maxwell is a young boy who has a magic notebook--anything he writes is summoned to the real world. His goal is to travel around the world collecting "Starites", but he can only do so by helping others and this is when his notebook comes in handy. As the game says, "Write Anything. Solve Everything". Have to fend off zombies? Need a winning pig for the farmer's contest? Conjure up a tank! Make the pig ginormous! Max has the power to adjust the features of an object and to create any object (in fact, the players have access to tens of thousands of options by simply typing in their command). And yes, you can make your character fly with wings or a jet pack, and you can even have a laser sword, Medusa's head, a ghost ship, you name it...
Beyond the game: Try pairing this activity with an Imagination Workout, in which students have to look at abstract lines and shapes, and draw what they see (refer to 'Lesson Ideas' for more details). Another activity is bring in a wide variety of materials/recyclables and tell students to build an object to solve a hypothetical "problem"--Scribblenauts in real life but with much more hands-on work. For example: "You don't have any sticks or carrots to build a snowman. What can you make instead?" They use the materials to creatively imagine a new snowman design. Another related idea, but connected to science/scientific method is to use the classic "Saving Sam the Worm" problem, which encourages cooperation and creativity with the materials given. See below for a teacher's explanation:
"This is an activity for the first day or as an introduction to the scientific method or to just allow students to work in groups so that you can get to know them better. I usually do all instructions verbally and don't require any written documents for turning in.
Setting Up the Scenario
Sam is stuck on a boat, and how he got there is not important, but Sam can't swim and the boat is capsized. To get to shore, Sam needs to retrieve a life jacket from underneath the boat so that he can float to shore. You and your partner's job is to save Sam by retrieving the life jacket from under the boat and putting it on Sam. Unfortunately, the only tools you can use to accomplish this task are paperclips. (1 per person, or you can give them 2 per person). You cannot touch Sam, the boat, or the life preserver with your bare hands.
A gummy worm is used to represent Sam, a gummy life saver is the life preserver and an overturned cup represents the boat. *It also may enhance the activity to mention that worms are hermaphrodites, and Sam is technically both boy and girl, which makes the name rather appropriate.
Some Uses For this Activity:
1. Problem solving, cooperative learning, scientific method
2. Getting to know kids at the beginning of school, watching how they work together to solve a problem
Discussion Questions
1. How did you and your partner figure out how to save Sam?
2. Would it have been easier if you were working alone? Why or why not?
3. Was there a clear leader in your group? Did someone call the shots or make decisions about how to save Sam.
4. Could Sam be saved if you had only one paperclip?"
Credit for "Saving Sam": http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/saving_sam.html
Setting Up the Scenario
Sam is stuck on a boat, and how he got there is not important, but Sam can't swim and the boat is capsized. To get to shore, Sam needs to retrieve a life jacket from underneath the boat so that he can float to shore. You and your partner's job is to save Sam by retrieving the life jacket from under the boat and putting it on Sam. Unfortunately, the only tools you can use to accomplish this task are paperclips. (1 per person, or you can give them 2 per person). You cannot touch Sam, the boat, or the life preserver with your bare hands.
A gummy worm is used to represent Sam, a gummy life saver is the life preserver and an overturned cup represents the boat. *It also may enhance the activity to mention that worms are hermaphrodites, and Sam is technically both boy and girl, which makes the name rather appropriate.
Some Uses For this Activity:
1. Problem solving, cooperative learning, scientific method
2. Getting to know kids at the beginning of school, watching how they work together to solve a problem
Discussion Questions
1. How did you and your partner figure out how to save Sam?
2. Would it have been easier if you were working alone? Why or why not?
3. Was there a clear leader in your group? Did someone call the shots or make decisions about how to save Sam.
4. Could Sam be saved if you had only one paperclip?"
Credit for "Saving Sam": http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/saving_sam.html
2) Monster Loves You
Educational value: encourages reflection and the consequences of our decisions; encourages imagination
Summary: You watch as your Monster is born and then you follow it for its entire life. Help the Monster make everyday decisions which will affect who the Monster will become. Every Monster has the potential to be brave, clever, ferocious, honest, kind, and respectful, but it is up to the player to decide the dominant features with their actions. Will your Monster eat the three little pigs? Will it help bridge the gap between Humans and Monsters? There are over 900 choices to make!
Beyond the game: It is clear that this game connects with ethics and decision-making, emotions, values, and character-building. Teachers can use this game to emphasize the importance of making choices and to discuss how we want to be remembered. However, the students can express what they've learned or share emotions with art. For example, the students can draw a character study of their Monster, by drawing it in situations in which it was brave, clever, etc., or when it was sad, happy, etc. An alternative is to sculpt their Monster and have it holding a sign in which the students glue on a paper saying how they want to be remembered (how their actions affect others).
Another fun activity could be for the students to make their own "choose your own adventure story" in groups--and not just a written story but physically interactive as well, perhaps by having their peers use their little sculpted Monsters to navigate the different "scenes" designed by the group (this connects to drama, as well). It would be interesting to see what scenarios students would build and what endings their peers would arrive at. Having the students engage in such a project helps them truly understand the weight of our decisions and actions.
Summary: You watch as your Monster is born and then you follow it for its entire life. Help the Monster make everyday decisions which will affect who the Monster will become. Every Monster has the potential to be brave, clever, ferocious, honest, kind, and respectful, but it is up to the player to decide the dominant features with their actions. Will your Monster eat the three little pigs? Will it help bridge the gap between Humans and Monsters? There are over 900 choices to make!
Beyond the game: It is clear that this game connects with ethics and decision-making, emotions, values, and character-building. Teachers can use this game to emphasize the importance of making choices and to discuss how we want to be remembered. However, the students can express what they've learned or share emotions with art. For example, the students can draw a character study of their Monster, by drawing it in situations in which it was brave, clever, etc., or when it was sad, happy, etc. An alternative is to sculpt their Monster and have it holding a sign in which the students glue on a paper saying how they want to be remembered (how their actions affect others).
Another fun activity could be for the students to make their own "choose your own adventure story" in groups--and not just a written story but physically interactive as well, perhaps by having their peers use their little sculpted Monsters to navigate the different "scenes" designed by the group (this connects to drama, as well). It would be interesting to see what scenarios students would build and what endings their peers would arrive at. Having the students engage in such a project helps them truly understand the weight of our decisions and actions.
Photo credit: http://artgaragenj.com/collections/summer-art-camp-for-kids