Michelle Svenson

March 4
th
, 2014
Art and Geographical Features
Ages 7-10, ~30 minutes
Wholeness
The students will be directed in a short lesson to familiarize themselves with the different
biomes and geographical features. They will create a fantasy map, including at least 10
geographical features from our glossary and 4 different biomes, justifiably placed. It
should have a key and a compass, and thus also become familiar with creating and
reading symbols on a map or in artwork.

Science of Creative Intelligence: The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The
creation of the student is more than just several features and a few biomes. It is not just
the trees or the islands or the mountains, it is a whole that exists in their imagination.

Common Core Standards
National Standards for Art Education
Students integrate visual, spatial, and temporal concepts with content to communicate
intended meaning in their artwork (grades 5-8 content standard 3a)
Students use subjects, themes and symbols that demonstrate knowledge of contexts, values
and aesthetics that communicate intended meanings in artwork. (grades 5-8 content
standard 3b)
National Standards for Geography
Students should know how to use maps and other geographic representations, geospatial
technologies, and spatial thinking to understand and communicate information (content
standard 1)

Students should know the characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems and biomes
on Earth's surface (content standard 8)


Differentiation
There is a lot of freedom in this lesson. Students are allowed to draw whatever fantasy
world they would like, provided they meet the requirements. They may also use
whatever sort of coloring material they enjoy the most. For students who have a reading-
centric disability, I have provided pictures for most of the geographical terms. I can also
go around and read out loud many of the terms.

Materials
Pencil (optional)
Black pen, fine
Paper (White, watercolor, or blue construction, depending on students interests in
art media)
Coloring materials of choice: paints, pastels, pencils, crayons
Definition sheets with geographical features and biomes
Procedure
Before

1. Briefly review some geographical features and biomes from previous lessons.
During
2. Students will choose the media they would like to work with and sit near peers
of the same interest.
3. Begin the art! Starting with creating the land and water boundaries.

4. Students will label their landforms

5. Create a key and a compass

6. Color away!

After
7. Everyone gets to share