Week 1

Day 1: Concept Development: Interdependence in Nature

Objective: Develop concept of interdependence in nature. Begin to answer the unit's big questions.

View SILKAT Grade 6 video. Have students watch for how each of the artists use elements from nature to make their work. Make a T chart, with art and tools on the left column and what plants/animals were used on the right column.
If needed to help develop understanding of interdependence, share image of an arctic food chain
If desired, the "webbing" lesson, which is part of a series of lessons on interdependence, starting on page 35, can be used to further develop the concept of interdependence.
As a unit pre-test, students write their answers (or together as a class) to the unit "big questions." What is interdependence in the natural world? How can we show interdependence through artwork?

T chart with "Art/Tools" on left column and "Plants/Animals Used" on the right column
SILKAT Grade 6 video

Tell students that today they will begin a scrimshaw project that depicts an animal from the region in its natural habit.
Share Alvin Aningayou's work in the google slide show. Point out how he uses scratched lines to show details.
Explain that instead of using ivory, they will use a special paper that they can scratch a picture into. Show them the Scrimshaw Style Engraving video.
Make a "T" chart, labeled Animals that Live Here on the left side and Animal Habitat on the right side . Brainstorm with the class the regional animals and their habitats. Animals could then be grouped together by habitat.
Look at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website to see if there are any regional animals they missed. Point out elements of the habit and how they might be represented in a line drawing.
If possible, share a teacher created sketch that you've made of a local animal in its natural habitat. Make sure the drawing is the same size as a sheet of the Yupo Watercolor Paper. (If you are having students use a 1/2 sheet, then make your model sketch 1/2 sheet size.)
Students choose an animal or group of animals from the same habitat to draw on scratch paper.

Pictures of local animals in their natural habitat: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=animals.main
Alvin Aningayou slides
Scrimshaw -style Engraving how to video

Scrimshaw slides

Using your animal pencil sketch, model transferring the image to a piece of Yupo paper. Model the process shown in the video. If needed, have students watch the video again.
When students are satisfied with their draft drawings, they can transfer them onto Yupo paper and scrimshaw their images.

1-2 pads of Yupo Watercolor Paper Heavy or medium weight (10 sheets per pad. Each student can use a whole or half size sheet.)
scratch art tools
black oil pastels (or different colors if desired). Watch the video for ideas.
Paper towels

- - Invite hunters and/or carvers in today to tell stories to the students, share their carvings and to have the students ask them questions.
  - Encourage students to relay newly acquired knowledge to classmates in whatever way they are able: verbal retellings, sharing written sentences, drawing pictures to represent what they learned, etc...
  - Have students share their scrimshaw with the visitors.

Note: This activity may take more than one session to complete.

Tell students they will be creating a diorama showing three regional animals (soap carvings) in their natural habitat.
Using one or all of the images below, do the Beginning, Middle, End thinking routine. Tell students that as they think about their diorama, they can imagine it telling a story, like these examples do.
Show Carvers of Bering Strait slides
Show Soap carving video
Students make first soap carving.

image of mixed media carving/diorama (below)

Carvers from Bering Strait google slides (find below)

Soap carving videos

Randall Jones

Brian Kulik

Bering Strait Carvers

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