Merryn, grade four

Leigh Drake

Photography is a medium my students love to use and one of my favorites to teach. For this lesson, I wanted students to use photography as a documenting tool to create delicate scenes that depict the details of nature.

A Focus on Natural Materials
I began the lesson by asking students to collect items from nature. I explained that these materials would be used as an art form to create a natural scene.
We looked at Andy Goldsworthy’s work and observed how he used natural materials to create beautiful scenes. We discussed how he documented and preserved his work.

Understanding the benefits of using a camera and the need to document and preserve their work is essential for studentsʼ ongoing development.

We also talked about the importance of the camera in documenting our work. Nature is such a fragile element, and because the items we are working with are living, we know that the appearance of something made from nature can change rapidly.

Brainstorming Session
Students brainstormed and researched scenes that they would like to create using natural materials. They were inspired by storybook concepts, places theyʼve traveled to, and images of their own homes. They created thumbnail sketches of what these scenes would look like.

Students arranged the natural items on their sketches so they could see what else they needed, and they provided each other with feedback during a classroom critique.

Ethan, grade five. 

The Final Compositions
Each student was given a black piece of matte board to use as a backing. They drew a basic outline of their design onto the matte board using very light pencil. Students then arranged their natural items to fill up their scene. I advised them not to glue down their items until they were absolutely sure of their placement.

After finishing their compositions, students could either use the digital cameras in the classroom or their own devices to photograph their work, taking multiple photos from above. Students found it helpful to place their scenes on the floor to photograph from a bird’s-eye view. They uploaded their photos to iPiccy (a free photo-editing site) to finalize their designs. I then collected their images to share with their peers via my smartboard for a final critique activity.

Zanayia, grade five.

Reflection
Students learned a lot about patience while placing their natural objects and gathering the necessary materials.

I believe that understanding the benefits of using a camera and the need to document and preserve their work is essential for studentsʼ ongoing development as artists and the creation of their own art portfolios.

Nature is a concept that my students can relate to, seeing the beauty they can create from natural materials. I hope that it will inspire them to continue creating outside the classroom using nature as their newfound art medium.

Leigh Drake is a visual arts educator at Old Donation School in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and a contributing editor for SchoolArts. leigh.drake@vbschools.com