Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

15 minutes – Part A: The Artist: Tatsuo Miyajima
30 minutes – Part B: Electrical Circuits
60 minutes – Part C: Light for Art
15 minutes – Reflection

Part A: The Artist: Tatsuo Miyajima

Begin this lesson by prompting students to activate their prior knowledge, relating to artistic expression and forms of art.

Step 1.

Using the inside-outside circle approach, invite students to respond to the following questions:

What is art?
What different forms (types) of art exist?
What technologies can be used to create works of art?

Ensure students have time to speak with at least three partners.

Step 2.

Invite students to share some of the thoughts and ideas they discussed in the inside-outside circle with the rest of the class.

Use the discussion to ensure students understand:

There are various forms that art can take.
Works of art can be three-dimensional.
Works of art can be interactive.
Science and technologies combine with art in many ways.

Step 3.

Ensure that the Learning Intentions and Success Criteria are displayed or written on the board and read them aloud to students.

Explain to the class that in this lesson they will be focusing on the work of a Japanese artist named Tatsuo Miyajima.

Show the following clips:

A Word from artist Tatsuo Miyajima (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7fpo6K2dlg)

Tatsuo Miyajima: Connect with Everything (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LFzXwWzVjY)

Come inside the Tatsuo Miyajima Family Space at MCA Australia (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Nhk7BDhAb8)

Step 4.

Invite students to engage in a discussion about Miyajima’s work by asking the following questions:

What did you notice about Miyajima’s work?
What techniques does he use?
As well as being an artist, does Miyajima draw on skills from any other profession?

Step 5.

Invite students to take 5 minutes to complete the Tatsuo Miyajima Description Worksheet.

Part B: Electrical Circuits

Step 1.

Explain to students that they will now be working towards using light to create an artwork and that the first stage will be exploring how to create electrical circuits to power individual light globes. Show students the electricity kit and its components, explaining that this kit is the tool that will be used throughout the lesson.

Have students set up all equipment in the classroom so it is ready to use once the task explanation is complete. Allow time for students to explore the kit, viewing and handling each of the components included.

All students should have on their tables:

Electrical kit.
A copy of the Making Circuits Step by Step Instructions.
A copy of the Light Art Design Sheet.
Pencil and eraser.

Step 2.

Show the following clip:

Introduction to Simple Circuits (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSSkZ9F7Bng)

Step 3.

Provide students with time to create their own series circuit using their electrical kit. Encourage them to refer to the Making Circuits Step by Step Instructions if they face any challenges before requesting assistance.

Provision for learning support - Some students may be more comfortable completing this task with a partner. Use your discretion to decide whether students will complete activities as an individual or in pairs. Working in a pair may be beneficial for students who are hesitant to explore new or unfamiliar concepts independently or who have difficulty approaching open-ended tasks.

Step 4.

Invite students to share their experiences creating a series circuit by asking the following questions:

Was your circuit successful?
What did you find easy when creating your series circuit?
What was challenging about creating your series circuit?
How did you overcome any challenges you faced?

Step 5.

Show the following clip:

Electric Circuits: Series and Parallel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSukRnxGy5c)

Step 6.

As students complete their parallel circuits, provide them with the Exploring Circuits Task Card, encouraging them to experiment with additional types of circuits/layouts to see if they are effective. Students can sketch these additional designs in their workbooks or on a separate piece of paper.

Part C: Light for Art

In this part of the lesson, students will create a work of art using circuits. Students will also have the opportunity to integrate the other art supplies you have selected such as cellophane, markers or coloured paper into this artwork. In the following steps, it is important to allow students to focus on one or two of the seven elements of art; line, shape, form, texture, value, colour and space. We suggest that you either select elements that students are already familiar with or ones that you would like to introduce students to. Step 2 of this part of the lesson has a link to short clips for each element ready for you to select and share with the class.

Step 1.

Explain to students that they will now be creating a work of art using their electricity kits.

Show the following clip again, Tatsuyo Miyajima: Connect with Everything.

Emphasise the fact that the displays Tatsuyo Miyajima has created with lights are all presented in dark rooms where they are the only light source. Explain that this will be the same for student work. They will be displayed and/or photographed in a darkened area for optimum effect.

Note: The way student work will be exhibited should be determined at the discretion of the teacher. Ideally, an exhibition could be organised for community members to view art at a specific time. However, if this is a logistical challenge and if suitable photographic devices are available, artworks could be photographed for display.

Step 2.

Display the Art of Light Design Brief as an A3 printed copy or projected for students to view.

Read the design brief to the class and respond to any questions or queries students may have. Draw student's attention to the visual arts elements of art and design. Explain to students that they will be focusing on the element of art that you have selected. Invite students to share what they already know about this element before showing the appropriate clip from the following playlist, pausing where needed: Elements of Art.

Now, show students the additional resources that are on hand, such as cellophane, coloured paper and markers. Hold a brief class discussion on the creative ways these items could be added to their circuits to play with this element of art, for instance, cellophane could cover a globe and recolour it, or paper could be cut out and placed next to a light source to cast unique shaped shadows or interesting lines. Encourage students to think creatively about these items, as there is no right or wrong way to make this artwork.

Step 3.

Provide time for students to complete the design challenge.

Note: While a worksheet has been provided to students for initial design sketches, it is important to appreciate that students will naturally engage in different creative processes. Some students will sketch first to develop their initial ideas, others will develop ideas by interacting with available materials and may potentially sketch after that. Forcing a particular style or method for design can hinder creativity, so it is important to allow natural processes to be followed.

Step 4.

Notify students when there are ten minutes remaining in the lesson and explain the expectations for packing up at the end of the lesson, i.e:

Will students be having their work photographed and then dismantling it?
Are designs to be stored in a particular area of the classroom?
What opportunities are there for students to complete unfinished designs?

Reflection

Step 1.

Prompt students to stop working on their design and pack up in line with your expectations. Ensure students are aware of future opportunities to complete unfinished designs to relieve any concerns if they have not completed their work.

Step 2.

Display the Art of Light Reflection Prompt either as an A3 printed copy, or projected for the class to view.

Invite students to sit in pairs and discuss each question:

What idea is your design based on?
What art elements did you think about when developing your design?
What design principles did you think about when creating your work?
What are you really happy with?
Did you/have you faced any challenges? Did you overcome them?

Differentiated Learning

Extension - Students who complete series and parallel circuits with ease can be given the Exploring Circuits Task Card and experiment with different connections.

Provisional Learning Support - Students less confident in this area of science or who are uncomfortable exploring new concepts on their own may benefit from working in pairs to create their circuits.

Assessment - Each student's design can be assessed using the rubric in the Art of Light Design Brief. This can be retained alongside a photo of the artwork as a portfolio task if desired.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

What did you learn about your teaching today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

STEAM - The Art of Light

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