Play Invitation

Invitations to Learning Assignment

Opening Section

 Grade: One

 Subject: Arts Education

Main Outcome: CP1.7- Investigate a variety of formal and informal patterns in artwork and environment and apply observations to own work.

I Can Statement: I can create a formal and informal patterns through art.

Essential Question: How are informal and formal patterns created in artwork and the environment?

Indicator: Identify and create formal patterns (repetition at regular intervals) and informal patterns (repetition at irregular intervals) in surroundings and artworks (e.g., the pattern on a butterfly’s wings is a formal pattern whereas dandelions scattered in a field create an informal pattern).

I Can statement (for indicator): I can identify and create formal and informal patterns.

Experience Description

 Description: This invitation will allow students to build patterns in the shape of nature, by making leaves. As this invitation can work alongside a lesson plan of how nature makes informal patterns with the trees. Students can then make formal patterns with the materials given and add them to the class tree. At the end of this invitation, the students will have their own class tree filled with leaves of all different colours, shapes, patterns, and sizes. The idea is to remind students that formal patterns are repetitive and have a structure (the pattern of how leaves change from season to season). Informal patterns have no structure (when the leaves fall on the ground they create an informal pattern). The materials will be arranged in baskets and the props and story will be chosen with much thought and time. The children can read/view the book and create their leaves with their own unique patterns. They will use pipe cleaners and beads, and consider incorporating a pattern within their design.

 Materials: Some natural materials will be used to help children physically see what leaves may look like, and help the entire invitations feel like a big tree by setting up stumps for chairs and tree pucks for different highs to showcase the invitation. A tree with branches will be set on the side for the students to add their leaves too.

– Fall Leave Fall –Book by Zoe Hall

– 40 Pipe cleaner

– 100 beads

– 2 scissors

– sorting treys/jars (for beads)

– Jar or woven basket (for pipe cleaners)

– Container for scissors

– One tree branch

– Pot

– Tree pucks

-1 book stand

– leaf tablecloth

– fake or real leaves of all colors

– 3” paper letters for the big sign

– One picture frame or letter board for the question/statement

– 3tree stumps

Additional Outcomes/Indicators:

  • 7 b. Represent details of the physical appearance of plants, animals, people, and objects, noting how patterns can be created by the repetition of colours, lines, and shapes.
  • 7 d. Ask questions to contribute to inquiry about the existence and creation of visual patterns (e.g., What patterns do we see in these objects? How did the artists create these patterns? What patterns did you use in your own work?).
  • 1.8 b. Identify and explore many different textures, shapes, and forms in your own surroundings and in artworks.

Space and Time Considerations: This invitation is to be arranged on a table with small chairs or stumps. It can be an open or somewhat interactive area, as students are to be seated and create their own leaves. However, it is recommended for it to be near a wall where a tree can be safe for itself and students. This invitation will be available to children during free play until they have no longer found an interest in it or the unit of fall is over. The book may be read to the students during a lesson about mother nature or in the fall, due to the idea of leaves changing colours. The colour of the beads may correspond to the colours presented within the book and the color of leaves. It is recommended to put the beads in colored categories as it creates organization. The stumps are to serve the purpose of the students feeling like they are the tree and are left with their own unique and beautiful leaves. The tree pucks can be used to change the heights of certain objects, such as the big question/statement as students do not need to touch that it can sit up higher. “What does your leaf look like?” and “Leaves come in all different shapes, colors, patterns, and sizes. Providing the big letter behind the invitation may draw the student’s attention, this is recommended as students may see the word ‘out’ and feel a connection to this assignment as it is their class tree. There are also leaves placed on the table to allow students to feel them and see that no leaf is the same.

Instructions or Prompts for Teacher or Students: Students are to design their own leaf using the beads and pipe cleaning and try to incorporate a pattern within their beads. The experience has no number of how many it is designed for it all depends on the space. In my example, the space allows for three due to the amount of seating arranged. More beads may be added or different ways to make a leaf such as drawing. The teacher may use this invitation after teaching the students a lesson on the different seasons and/or talking about why the leaves on the trees change colours throughout the year.

Book Resources:

  • Fall Leaves fall, by Zoe Hall
    • This book show the students the different colors and shapes leaves may be
  • My leaf tree book, by Monica Wellington
    • This book talks about leaves and how they can come in all different shapes, colours, and sizes.
  • We’re going on a Leaf Hunt, by Steve Mtzger
    • This book talks about a group of children going on a hunt to find leaves of all different shapes, colors, and sizes.
  • Why do leaves change color, by Betsy Maestro
    • This book goes in-depth about the parts of the leaves and what causes them to change color.

 Web Resources:

Local Resources:

  • Going on a walk around the play ground or to a local park and collecting leaves. Students can then physical see that leaves have all different shapes, colours and sizes. Depends when this invitation is brought into the call (fall) the teacher may have a lesson plan about trees changing to the whether, from there the teacher may take the children outside when the leaves are still green, then changing colors, and later when they are all on the ground.