Cross Section Vegetables / 2nd Grade
Overview

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    This lesson introduces students to the concept of cross section using vegetable anatomy. Students at this age are very motivated to draw the ground at the bottom of the paper, the sun in one corner of the paper, and the main characters on top of the ground.
    By drawing a scene that is both above and under the ground, the special cognition of the students is challenged. How can they express something is growing underneth the ground where they cannot see? Students are also introduced to the differing properties of an art material, such as crayons versus watercolor.

Rationale

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    There are many different types of learners in school. While some students are auditory learners and benefit greatly from their condition, some students are tactile or visual learners who would benefit more from doing or seeing rather than listening or reading. By exploring a scientific topic using art materials and concepts, visual and tactile learners can discover effective learning strategies to enhance their careers in school.

Objectives

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• Students will be able to draw at least three root vegetables.
• Students will be able to draw the root vegetables above and below the ground line.
• Students will be able to make effective use of space and scale.
• Students will be able to color firmly and apply color to the entire space using watercolors
• Students will learn that crayon repels watercolor.
  
  
  "You can paint right over your vegetables"

Addressed New York State Educational Standards

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• Standard 1
  Students will make works of art that explore different kinds of subject matter, topics, themes, and metaphors. Students will understand and use sensory elements, organizational principles, and expressive images to communicate their own ideas in works of art. Students will use a variety of art materials, processes, mediums, and techniques, and use appropriate technologies for creating and exhibiting visual art works.
• Standard 2
  Know and use a variety of visual arts materials, techniques, and processes. Students will know about resources and opportunities for participation in visual arts in the community (exhibitions, libraries, museums, galleries) and use appropriate materials (art reproductions, slides, print materials, electronic media). Students will be aware of vocational options available in the visual arts.
• Standard 3
  Reflect on, interpret, and evaluate works of art, using the language of art criticism. Students will analyze the visual characteristics of the natural and built environment and explain the social, cultural, psychological, and environmental dimensions of the visual arts. Students will compare the ways in which a variety of ideas, themes, and concepts are expressed through the visual arts with the ways they are expressed in other disciplines.
  
  

Vocabulary

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• Cross-section -- an image that shows something as if it was cut through. The intersection of a plane through a three dimensional object.
• Underground -- beneath the ground
• Root vegetable -- a vegetable that grows underground.
• Fruit -- A vegetable that grows above the ground.
  

Evaluation

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Objectives	Excellent	Good	Fair	Poor	Incomplete
Size of Vegetables	All vegetables are bigger than the student's hand	A few vegetables are smaller than the student's hand	More than half of the vegetables are smaller than the student's hand	Only one vegetable is bigger than the student's hand	All vegetables are small enough to be covered by the student's hand
Quantity of Vegetables	The artwork depicts four or more root vegetables	The artwork depicts three or more root vegetables	The artwork depicts two root vegetable	The artwork depicts one root vegetable	The artwork does not have any root vegetables
Concept of Cross Section	All vegetables are under the ground line. The ground line is present	All but one or two vegetables are under the ground line. The ground line is present	Less than half of the vegetables are under the ground line. The ground line is present	Only one vegetable is under the ground line. The ground line is present, but mostly ignored	Vegetables are arranged randomly in space. The ground line is missing
Color Usage	Color is applied to all parts of the artwork in a deliberate manner. Work is neat and clean	Color is applied to some parts of the artwork in a deliberate manner	Color is applied to a few parts of the artwork in a deliberate manner. Work is a little sloppy	Color is applied to a few parts of the artwork, but is sloppy	Color is applied to the artwork, but is sloppy, or ignores the subject matter
Watercolor Resist Crayon	3 out of 3 of either the root vegetable, leaves, or stem feel waxy to the touch and has clearly repelled the watercolor	2 out of 3 of either the root vegetable, leaves, or stem feel waxy to the touch and has clearly repelled the watercolor	1 out of 3 of either the root vegetable, leaves, or stem feel waxy to the touch and has clearly repelled the watercolor	Coloring is evident but is not thick enough to repel watercolor	The presence of crayon color is difficult to determine

Extension

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• Students can explore animals that live under the ground, such as worms, moles, insects, mice, and other creatures. This lesson is a good followup lesson to a lesson focused on composting.

Student Examples

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