Wheelchair Muralists Explore Mobility and Creativity







Koltin creates patterns with the push-handle of the Art Roller by "Artz for All"


at the VSA Florida Booth during the Adaptive Fitness Expo

     


Gary discovers how easily the wishbone bridge of the Art Roller attaches to his wheelchair with Velcro. 
 Koltin shows off to his family how draw with the Little Art Roller.


Wheelchair Muralists Explore Mobility and Creativity

Written by:  Liz Ebanks
National Art Teacher Award Recipient

 Koltin and Gary jumped out of their red wagon to make their mark on the asphalt with new friends.  The boys raced over to draw with the giant sticks of chalk. Koltin zoomed around the VSAFL tent as a first time wheelchair user intent on mastering the canvas with the Art Rollers. Whereas, Gary focused on listening, and practiced disengaging the break and coordinating turning the wheelchair. Then, Gary zoomed out of the tent creating loops of chalk around a crowd of young girls. Everyone took a turn at sharpening their coordination and moving around the asphalt canvas with the new Art Rollers.  Regardless of ability or age the products engage students in movement.  The boys fear and anxiety were displaced by exhilaration and a new perspective of what it means to be in a wheelchair.  Together the friends coordinated on layering chalk designs.  The wheelchair artists' mural flooded the asphalt with swirls of pastels celebrating mobility, creativity, and discovery at VSA Florida's Booth during the Adaptive Fitness Expo in St. Petersburg, Florida on October 9, 2010.  The new Art Rollers were part of "The Arts For All" adaptive equipment designed by Dwayne Szot for young wheelchair muralists regardless of age or ability. The boys confidence soared as they explored maneuvering the wheelchair as a giant paint brush to create a pastel mural on the pavement. 

VSA Florida Teaching Artist Liz Ebanks coordinated the chalk mural as part of her young artist talent search.  Gary intently concentrated on drawing a track to the booth with the wheelchair outfitted with the new art equipment.  The Adaptive "Arts For All" Equipment introduced disabled students to independence, concentration, and dexterity while creating art.  The portable, lightweight plastic equipment enhances typical kids initial interactions with wheelchair users through positive role play.  Parents loved watching their children collaborate on where to place the next design element.  The kids loved choosing their color palette and placing the three to five jumbo sticks  in the Art Roller's chalk drawer.  The wheelchair was striped of its stigma and became, a tool of empowerment.


The kids practiced with the adaptive tools all morning developing gross coordination.  Highways of chalk emerged and collided into laughter when the learner's struggled not to shift the wheelchair haphazardly about the pavement.  Improvisation was required by the novices as they explored mobility from a wheelchair.  Friends shared tools and exchanged colored chalk to create the expressive mural. 

The Art Rollers are just one of many adaptive tools VSA Florida offers to connect typical learners and wheelchair users to explore creativity.  VSA Florida's mission is to create a society in which people with disabilities can learn through, participate in and enjoy the arts.  For some students art is their first opportunity to celebrate their unique contribution to the community.  This initial positive experience leads to confidence that can be transferred to other academic subjects.  For other learners art is a catalyst to communicate expressively.

 

Compassion is modeled when learners assist other participants in attaching the Velcro straps of the art roller to the wheelchair.   Responsible learners guide newbies to draw once they release the breaks on the chair.  Quickly wheelchair learners were challenged when they could not drive straight between the lines.  The young muralist learned that they could better reach the wheelchair wheels after they removed the arm supports.  Some participants were humbled when they escaped the tent and tried to merge without colliding with the wheelchair basketball  players and kayaks.

Young independent artists love selecting their favorite colors of chalk to doodle with on the pavement. For many participants the Art Roller doodles were analogous to grabbing a fistful of markers to draw with on a sketch pad.  Quickly, the simple orange Velcro strips strapped the larger Art Roller onto any wheelchair.  The padded blue bar comfortably went under the participants legs. 
Then, the lightweight PVC like plastic Wishbone Bridge is connected to the chalk drawer with a key and interlocking post.  This made the equipment very easy to transport in a car or over your shoulder.  Moreover, everyone  loves how easy it is to clean up after using the non-toxic chalk.

The Adaptive Fitness Expo offered wheelchair soccer, Tai Chi, and Yoga to promote health and fitness for participants with disabilities.  Most classes were offered inside in the air conditioning or under the beautiful shady trees.  Hand crank bikes peddled through the exhibitors booths silently while the rock climbing wall was a hit with all of the guests at Walter Fuller Park.  The AFE raffle and lunch gave everyone a chance to network and play table top tennis inside the Recreation Center.

Adaptive Fitness Expo volunteers hosted a great raffle

in which VSA Florida Artist Karen Michaels contributed a

vibrant photograph of the autumn leaves entitled, "Day is Done."

Back at the VSA Florida booth all of the kids autographed the  table cloth that was generously donated by the Tampa Museum of Art.  The table cloth provided participants the opportunity to practice handwriting their names and bond with family.  Quickly a foam sticker alphabet emerged on the table top.  Then, a vowel shortage occurred that challenged the children to sort through the puzzle like mass of letters with parents.  Next, the centers of the letter "O" was used to transform "L's" into "I's."  Smiles of confidence began to shine through the table top of autographs.

Ken shared with the novices how to draw
a circle as an seasoned wheelchair user.

 Ken an accomplished wheelchair artist shared with the novices how to draw a perfect circle with a wheelchair.  Learners were challenged to firmly hold one wheel still while rotating the other wheel.  The learner's watched intently as Ken masterfully created a perfect circle with the enormous pieces of chalk from his wheelchair.

A beautiful smooth continuous arc was drawn when the movement was made at a constant speed.  This surprised and delighted the wheelchair learners as a challenge. The adaptive chalk rollers connected all the participants regardless of wheelchair experience.  Quickly, we all learned which basic shapes would be the hardest to create as wheelchair newbies.  Participants were encouraged and guided through each step of the process by VSA Florida Teaching Artist Liz Ebanks.  The "Arts  For All" Adaptive Art Rollers enabled the muralists to contribute to the VSA Florida chalk mural and celebrate mobility and creativity.


VSA Florida is working to increase arts, education and cultural opportunities in inclusive settings for and by Floridians with disabilities.  For more information on VSA Florida Inclusive programs or borrowing the Art Rollers visit http://www.vsafl.org/ Grants provide VSA Florida with the funding for the wheelchair artists to create more community murals using the adaptive equipment.

 As a National Art Teacher Award Recipient, I love empowering students with my inclusive art techniques to create phenomenal chalk murals with the Zotz Art Tools  I am happy to assist you in providing adaptive arts at camps, festivals, schools, and museums.  I always welcome opportunities to make art accessible to children of all abilities with my Award Winning Art Workshops in Tampa.  Igniting children's imaginations to triumph over disability is my specialty.  The kids love showcasing their artistry when I frame their masterpiece for the community and family.
Email: liz@rescueteam.com 

For more information on ordering Szot's innovative adaptive art rollers visit http://zotartz.com/

Here's a link to VSA's Adaptive Resources and Tools webpage.  An assortment of  suppliers for assitive technology and products to improve communication, hearning, vision, and mobility are listed at this link: 
 http://www.vsarts.org/x1022.xml

If you enjoyed this post you may also, like my link below to my
DOLPHIN ADVENTURE- Mural Showcased in Florida Capitol:
http://lizebanksartgallery.blogspot.com/search/label/Winter%20Inspires%20Kids%20to%20Adapt


TIP: I highly recommend this link to discover how, "athletes with spinal cord injury are pushing the boundaries of possibility through discovering how to surf, skate, and ski again" with this link to
Life Rolls On: 
http://www.liferollson.org/site/pp.asp?c=egLLKTNJE&b=932743

DISABILITY AWARENESS TIP: Consider using people first language when addressing artists that are first time wheelchair muralists as they role play and practice social etiquette.  This introduces a safe opportunity for participants to mirror new communication skills with friends.  Stereotypes about disabilities are cast aside.  The children discover how they would like to be treated as a wheelchair user.  It's wonderful to watch students reflect on how they can contribute to the conversation about the supports and accomodations with respect.

Rainforest Adventure Celebrates Adaptive Approaches

Rainforest Adventure  Leads to Froggy Valentine's 
Written by:  Liz Ebanks
National Art Teacher Award Recipient

Liz Ebanks Copyright
"Let's Jump On Recycling"
Gyotaku Demo #2
Close Up
Collage Mixed Media

You guys are the most amazing fans.  Thank you, so very much for joining me on my last post
 RAINFOREST EXPLORERS SPOTLIGHT UPCYCLING: 

http://lizebanksartgallery.blogspot.com/2010/10/froggy-valentines-discussion-questions.html

You really, know how to make a girl feel special on Valentine's Day.  The inspiration for this lesson was I kissed a frog.  Let's make a leap now into how the  Inclusive Froggy Valentine's Lesson outlined below helped boost hospital patient's spirits with students'  heartfelt written messages.  The apprentices repurposed Valentine's Day candy wrappers by integrating them into their traditional Japanese Gyotaku prints.  During our rainforest adventure explorers discovered how adaptations help amphibians evolve.  

My classroom became a haven for discovering adaptations through diverse learning.  All of the learners benefited from selecting among adaptive tools to create their artwork.  I will share with you a few tips on how I designed my rubric to measurably strengthen my young artists portfolios.  Achievement gaps were closed with my Integrated Teaching Approach.  Engaging readers through dramatic reenactment and play fostered confident leaders. 

Grasping the rubber tree frog the champions eagerly participated with delight in reading out loud and role playing. Young writers and actors showcased their skill in character development by composing captions for each frog. Tackling reading comprehension with new found success was a memorable experience for my Special Needs Students. Their quest for adventure compelled a discussion about community involvement in protecting the rain forests for future generations. The explorers contributed to conservation efforts with their new art movement which combines Traditional Japanese Printmaking and Upcycling. 

Imaginative problem-solvers gave new life to candy wrappers by repurposing them into their artwork- Upcycling.  Attendance greatly improved as learners immersed in success during art class.  Focusing on reducing  the lumbering of the rainforest the environmental stewards communicated effectively their feelings about the amphibians extinction with art. The enthusiasm to excel in art was transferred to other academic subjects.  The Exceptional Students' amazing journey to rescue the World's Ten Most Endangered Frog's was celebrated in Washington, D.C. at the Cannon House.

(Gyotaku: The Japanese Art of Fish Printing Transformed)
Adapted by Liz Ebanks
Plan ID: 3661
Featured on:
http://www.artsonia.com/teachers/lesson plans/plan-print.asp?id=3661


  Thanks, for showing your support by joining our Upcycling movement.  Each child can see the number to the guests that have visited the gallery daily. 


Click on this link to your guest pass to the Children's published portfolios in the Artsonia Gallery.
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?school=105372&sdt=7/1/2009&edt=7/1/2010nd


The direct links to the children's gallery and intro are:
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=263154


http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=105372

Objective:  As Environmental Stewards and Cultural Ambassadors students will: Gain an understanding of the relationship between different cultures and their visual arts. Simulate an traditional art form established by Japanese fishermen centuries ago. Develop knowledge and skill of the processes and techniques of combining Japanese style Gyotaku prints and collage. Develop group skills, working together in buddy pairs and small groups based on abilities to produce individual Upcycled Froggy Valentine’s. Practice reading out loud about the world’s ten most endangered frogs and practice writing Valentine messages to hospital patients. Contribute to preserving the ecosystem by leading the recycling and collection program at the school.

Description:By acquiring knowledge of historical and cultural qualities unique to this particular art form students can gain an understanding of how Gyotaku reflects a part of Japanese history. Students will position a rubber frog, prepare it, ink it, apply the paper, and c complete the frog print for display by gluing it to their handcrafted  lily pad prints. During this process they will also compose write, and edit Valentine messages to place on their preliminary frog’s captions to enhance their rice paper prints. The students will be lead through a discussion about the importance of recycling in their community and how this helps the ecosystem.. Students will collect recycled plastic and aluminum before each class from throughout the campus. In addition, the students will take turns reading out loud about the world’s ten most endangered frogs from the National Geographic Kids web page. Finally, the students will embellish their frog’s warts and lily pads with recycled candy wrappers while mastering upcycling to create Froggy Valentine’s..


Subject Integration » Art History Content Standards:

1-G (9 - 12) Students apply media, techniques, and processes with sufficient skill, confidence, and sensitivity that their intentions are carried out in their artworks
1-H (9 - 12) Students conceive and create works of visual art that demonstrate an understanding of how the communication of their ideas relates to the media, techniques, and processes they use
1-I (9 - 12) Students communicate ideas regularly at a high level of effectiveness in at least one visual arts medium
2-G (9 - 12) Students demonstrate the ability to form and defend judgments about the characteristics and structures to accomplish commercial, personal, communal, or other purposes of art
2-I (9 - 12) Students create artworks that use organizational principles and functions to solve specific visual arts problems
2-J (9 - 12) Students demonstrate the ability to compare two or more perspectives about the use of organizational principles and functions in artwork and to defend personal evaluations of these perspectives
2-K (9 - 12) Students create multiple solutions to specific visual arts problems that demonstrate competence in producing effective relationships between structural choices and artistic functions
3-G (9 - 12) Students describe the origins of specific images and ideas and explain why they are of value in their artwork and in the work of others
3-H (9 - 12) Students evaluate and defend the validity of sources for content and the manner in which subject matter, symbols, and images are used in the students' works and in significant works by others
4-H (9 - 12) Students describe the function and explore the meaning of specific art objects within varied cultures, times, and places
4-I (9 - 12) Students analyze relationships of works of art to one another in terms of history, aesthetics, and culture, justifying conclusions made in the analysis and using such conclusions to inform their own art making
5-G (9 - 12) Students identify intentions of those creating artworks, explore the implications of various purposes, and justify their analyses of purposes in particular works
5-H (9 - 12) Students describe meanings of artworks by analyzing how specific works are created and how they relate to historical and cultural contexts
5-I (9 - 12) Students reflect analytically on various interpretations as a means for understanding and evaluating works of visual art

 
Using the Teacher Assessment Rubric, critique the students’
Firstly, give verbal feedback to the students individually within their small groups often.
Secondly, reinstate the feedback visually by making a grayscale photocopy of each student’s work and circle areas that need strengthening with brief written reminders.

Use Elmer's Glue™ as a tactile clue on the water lily to demonstrate where shading can be darker on the leaf vs, midtones and highlights.
Reward students for reading out loud to the class about the "World's Ten Most Endangered Frogs" with the opportunity to hold the class rubber frog.
Offer Valentine's Day Stamps and Stencils for their Froggy Valentine's Day message caption for the students that are following directions.  Empower your young artists to overcome hand dexterity and fine motor challenges by using stamps and stencils as supports.  Students crave the challenge of being the first participant to select their favorite caption bubble shape.  This encourages students to dedicate more time to reading and writing the caption message. 

Reward students for completing and editing the project with Valentine's Day Stickers.
Make constructive critiques as private as possible by securing the critique behind the students work.  Remember to make your modifications to the instruction to compliment the IEPs.
Ask the artist what they were trying to communicate with their artwork.  Consider asking  students that are reserved if they have given their frog a name or a personality.  Provide the ice breaker by offering these types of prompts.   Young writers and actors can showcase their skill in character development.. Challenge students to handwritten their captions.Materials (what you need):Transparent Markers Rice paper/newsprint/ newspaper/ thin craft paper
Latex gloves
Various sizes of brushes
Retardant
Plastic/ newspaper to cover the work surface
Several brayers
Valentine's Day Stickers
Valentine's Day Stamps
Valentine's Day Stencils for Thought Bubbles & Lined Captions
Baby Wipes
1 Set of Color Copies of "The World's Most Endangered Frogs" (Optional)
Student Computer Access to Internet (Optional)
Water soluble block printing ink or acrylic paint
Rubber frogs (various sizes, shapes, and varieties
Elmer’s Glue ™
Variety of Hand grips (Check w/ American Arthritis Foundation or create some out of clay)
Plastic cups for holding water  


Procedure: Obtain several rubber frogs from an art supply store, toy store, zoo, or order them over the Internet. Nasco ™ and Dick Blick ™ make rubber fish replicas for Gyotaku printing. If you prefer not to use a real fish in the printing process a rubber subject may be an asset to your classroom. As the teacher I selected to adapt my lesson to include a rubber frog because, my classroom was held in a portable without easy access to a sink to clean up after a real fish. Due to, extremely cold weather causing power shortages at the school and greater difficulty getting a freshly caught, fish I decided to use a rubber frog for the lesson. However, I did bring a variety of real lily pads for the students to make prints of during the second class.


Preparation:

Provide a separate tray for each frog and lily pad, so that they can always be placed back on the same tray.

 Once, the lily pad prints are dry tape them, down to cardboard with masking tape. This will give the students a more stable work surface when they try to glue their frogs to the lily pads.

Place the ink/ acrylic paint, brayer, markers, and paper towels out at each small groups table. (Be sure to include various interchangeable hand grips for each group to experiment with if needed by the students.)
Students can wash/wipe off the frog between prints if they want different colors. Just make sure the frog is dried off before printing again. Likewise, if using acrylic paint you may wish to offer retardant to the students needing more time.

Traditional Chokusetsu-ho Printing Technique:
The rubber frog must be clean and dry.
Lay the frog on a dry surface.TIP:    Placement can create a strong composition and contribute to the storyboard in a group of gifted learners.  Facilitate effective problem-solving skills by giving verbal praise. Foster independence by encouraging each student to place the frog themselves in a unique position.  Apply any type of water-based ink to the frog with a soft brush, sponge, or a foam 

Label the tray with the type of frog.

Offer latex gloves to the students to wear. (If there are no latex allergies.)
String a clothesline across the room and have clip type clothespins available, for hanging your prints to dry.


TIP:  Consider accommodating students with difficulty writing small enough within the space of the caption bubble.  Students may excel if given the opportunity to compose their text on a computer were they can adjust the size of the font.  
Demonstrate a variety of ADAPTIVE TECHNIQUES for students to explore as well as how to use each hand grip.


Always recognize the growth of the entire class in receiving and offering constructive feedback during a critique; Offer rewards for completing each stage of the process.

If a student is absent consider asking another classmate to collaborate with them on the background or mid-ground.Be supportive by writing a comment as a fan of the young artists at www.artsonia.com (All comments must first be preapproved by each student’s parent/guardian.) Student Assessment Rubric:
Published on http://www.artsonia.com/

Assessment with Inclusion:

brush.

Apply paint/ink gently but, in all directions. Use a brush for some of the harder-to-define areas such as the toes, eyes, etc.

Place the paper over the inked frog with one hand so it does not move. Then, gently press the paper down over the entire frog with the brayer in a rolling motion. Direct the students to work as a team to make sure that they have pressed all of the parts.

Assign the group to take turns as individuals peeling back the paper slowly at one corner and continuing across. Recommend the other three students work as a group to hold down the other three corners until it is time to lift them.

Invite the teacher aide to assist by working with each team of students. Sometimes it may be helpful to have someone hold onto the frog so it does not slip or slide.

When you look at a smudged print try to translate that into the character jumping or leaping into action.

ADAPTIVE APPROACH TIP:  If you see a blank spot where the ink did not transfer onto the paper or the student did not press hard enough to transfer the ink,  you may wish to suggest the student embellish that area with recycled paper or colored pencil. . Sometimes, these areas can be great opportunities to place recycled foil candy wrapper warts or eyes.  Artists thrive when they discover the possibilites are endless when Upcycling.  Children can harness their imagination to repurpose found objects and give them a new meaning within each composition.  Advocate lifelong learning in reducing waste by focusing on identifying solutions to conserve natural resources and limit the lumbering of rainforests.  Leaders will identify sustainable business practices to trim supply costs.  Guide the students in establishing links to how they can contribute to the raninforests' regeneration to protect the ozone. 

Engage the students in the opportunity to enhance the backgrounds of their prints to reflect the natural habitat of their frog. Offer water-soluble markers, recycled paper, glue, and cotton balls to create reeds, cat tails, lily pads, clouds. Invite fashion designers to design a trendy custom wardrobe for their frog.  Foster success by encouraging students to discover which adaptive tools they can achieve the best results with in the art studio. Experiment with adaptive techniques like straw blowing paint and stamping. Guide explorers along this rainforest adventure with a toolbox loaded with a wide assortment of inexpensive adaptive tools that they can recreate at home.  Confidence and giggles will erupt.  Lead students to discuss how amphibians evolved to thrive in diverse environments by adapting to different challenges like predation.

  

Resources:

Print:

Hiyana, Yoshio, The Art Of The Japanese Fish, Universty of Washington Press, Seattle, 1964

Web:

Arts Edge; Gyotaku: The Japanese Art of Fish Printing

http://www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org/

Eugene Oregon Water and Power Authority

Catch of the Day

http://www.catchofthedayoregon.com/fish_pic/fish_pages/fish1.html

Educational Broadcasting Organizations

http://www.thirteen.org/edonline.nttidb/lessons/sf/fishsf.html

Guardian Co.

http:// guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2008/jan/09/conservation.endangeredspecies

National Geographic Explorer (Student Magazine)- Freaky Frogs

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/0403/articles/mainarticle.html

Follow Up Activities:

"Soda Jerk"

Liz Ebanks Copyright

Collage Teacher Demo #3

Close Up

Recycled Wrappers

Extensions:

• Cut recycled paper into frogs using a template from your favorite print.
• Explore painting by blowing with a straw, or make ink blot butterflies. 
• Add three dimensional elements. 
• Make handmade paper to print on.
• Experiment with different types of paper.  
• Study another printing method in Japan that became world reknown.  
• Create Japanese color woodblock prints. This method can also be used to print crabs, squid, starfish, shells, and plants. 

What type of habitat does it live in? Is it important commercially? On what does it feed? Where would it fit in a food web (chain)? What threats does it face as an endangered species? Are frogs bioindicators? What can we do as a class to help reduce the strain on the ecosystem?

ADAPTIVE APPROACH TIP: Consider offering a variety of adaptive resources and supplies for young artists to explore their approach to adapting to overcome disabilies. These positive experiences with adaptive tools are instrumental in creating confident and independent entrepreurs.

HINT: Now, all I need is an Apple iPad Touch as an Educator for Christmas to assist me in showcasing my talented students.

TIP: Here's a glimpse at my published Rubric showing how I graded students in the excerpt below. Constructing a rubric that is consistent can be an invaluable performance assessment tool to evaluate students. By creating a rubric I helped young artists build an enduring understanding of originality and demonstrating adaptation in their portfolio. A strong rubric provides students with constructive feedback and an opportunity to revise. I highly recommend Teaching Artists review Bloom's Taxonomy and google rubric templates. Simply put, a well written rubric communicates the teacher's expectations to the students in an objective measurable way.

Note:  Temporarily, due to problems with the Blogger Code the Rubric is not displayed in the correct format.  This part of the blog is underconstruction.  Thanks, for your patience.

Originality: Was the student creative in dealing with any holes, blank spots, and smudges?

Poor                              Fair                             Good                            Superior

No Attempt                Copied                 Three Attempts           4 Unique Attempts

compensate

As a National Art Teacher Award Recipient and Wildlife Artist I love helping others as a Collaborative Educator. I am happy to assist you in your training needs at camps, festivals, schools, and museums. I always welcome opportunities to help entertain children with my Award Winning Art Workshops in Tampa. Igniting children's imaginations to triumph over disability is my specialty.
Email: liz@rescueteam.com

If this post caught your attention you might also like this link on Navigational Life Skills entitled, "PIRATE TREASURE MAPS" http://lizebanksartgallery.blogspot.com/2010/09/community-ambassadors-gasparilla-pirate.html

(Gyotaku: The Japanese Art of Fish Printing Transformed)
Adapted by Liz Ebanks
Plan ID: 3661
Featured on:
http://www.artsonia.com/teachers/lessonplans/plan-print.asp?id=3661

Thanks, for showing your support by joining our Upcycling movement. Each child can see the number ot the guests that have visited the gallery daily.

Click on this link to your guest pass to the Children's published portfolios in the Artsonia Gallery.
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?school=105372&sdt=7/1/2009&edt=7/1/2010nd

The direct links to the children's gallery and intro are:
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=263154

http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=105372

Rainforest Explorers Spotlight Upcycling

Left:  Upcycled Artist Trading Card Wallet
Liz Ebanks Copyright 2010
Created out of Cereal Box
Teacher Demo Gasparilla Festival of Arts

Right:  "Soda Jerk"
Liz Ebanks Copyright 2010
Artist Trading Card
Collage of Wrappers and Acrylic



Written by: Liz Ebanks

National Art Teacher Award Recipient

ROUND UP YOUR RECYCLABLES FOR UPCYCLING!

UPCYCLING CHALLENGES ARTISTS TO:

• RETHINK
• REUSE
• RECYCLE
• REPURPOSE

  Leadership leaped out of my rainforest explorers when my lesson sparked conversations about the Worlds' Most Endangered Frogs.  Students discussed how to reduce their carbon footprint in the community with upcycled art and cut costs through recycling at school.  Honoring readers, writers, and conservationists the opportunity to share the spotlight with artists in the classroom is my passion.  The young artists green art movement to repurpose discarded Valentine's Day candy wrappers inspired the class to protect Kermit the Frog's endangered wild friends. 

We challenge your kids to get creative in taking personal responsibility as artists to reduce landfill wastes in your community. By recycling glass, aluminum, plastic, and cardboard at your local redemption center less energy is drained from the ecosystem by emerging technologies.  These emerging technologies break down the recyclable waste by converting them into green waste.This process requires the recyclables to be sorted at the redemption center before the components of the glass, aluminum, cardboard, and plastic are remolded.  When we upcycle we redefine the purpose of the object giving it a new life before it is returned to the redemption center to be recycled.  Therefore, less rainforests are lumbered for raw materials.  Our upcycling encourages the community to contribute to the growth of the ecosystem. Thanks, for showing your support for environmental stewardship.  By becoming involved in  community upcycling you are developing premier leadership and problem-solving skills that translate to future sustainable businesses. Frogs have an arsenal of lethaI chemical weapons in their skin that pharmaceutical companies are just beginning to discover destroy cancer, pain, and many other diseases.  Frogs are the ultimate recyclers they harvest biochemical toxins by stuffing themselves with insects that contain trace amounts of these chemicals and concentrating them in their skin's secretions.    I hope you enjoy these discussion questions and crossword puzzle.

"Ten Most Endangered Frogs In The World"

Discussion Questions

Based on Internet Readings:
Guardian Co.

http:// guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2008/jan/09/conservation.endangered species

National Geographic Explorer (Student Magazine)- Freaky Frogs



http://www.national geographic.com/explorer/0403/articles/main article.html

Vocabulary List:                             

amphibian,

mutation,

toxins,

native,

extinct,

ultraviolet,

fungus,

Antarctica,

predator,

ozone layer,

climate change,

Reading Comprehension:

1. Scientist are constantly finding new _________ , or kinds of frogs.

2. What are amphibians?

3. List some of the frogs that the class read about today.


4. Which frogs are the ten most endangered frogs in the world?

Answer:

Panamanian Golden Frog,
Harlequin Mantella,
Corroboree Fog,
Wyoming Toad,
Kihansi Spray Toad,
Lehmann's Poison Frog,
Interior Robber Frog,
Mountain Chicken Frog,
Table Mountain Ghost Frog,


5. What continent are frogs not found on?


6. What does it mean to become extinct?



7. List some of the reasons that frogs are having a difficult time?



8. Normally a layer of Earth's air blocks most UV light. This is called the _______ _______.



9. What contributed to the holes in the ozone?



10. Disease can also be caused by ___________. ___________ live off of other living creatures.



11. How are the _________/poisons that frogs make helping scientist make medicines.



12. What kind of change increases deadly fungal diseases in frogs?

Frog Crossword Puzzle

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=879

Across:

1.  Source of potential or actual harm to something

4. Spore producing organism

5. To use or manage wisely

9. Characterized by high amounts of rainfall

10. No loner in existence, having ceased to exist


Down

2.  The art of Japanese fish painting

3.  Animals that spend part of their life in water and part on land

6.   Non visible electromagnetic radiation

7. To save or collect for reuse

8. Poisonous substances harmful to humans

12.  Carnivorous animal or destructive organism

13.  Amphibians known as exceptional jumpers

As a National Art Teacher Award Recipient I am happy to assist you in your training needs at camps, festivals, schools, museums, and birthday parties. Igniting children's imaginations to triumph over disability is my specialty. I always welcome opportunities to help entertain children with my Award Winning Art Workshops in Tampa.  Commissions are welcome. liz@rescueteam.com

If you enjoyed this post you may like my link entitled,
"FROGGY VALENTINE'S LESSON"
http://lizebanksartgallery.blogspot.com/2010/10/cut-school-cost-froggy-valentine-lesson.html

Thank you, for embarking with me on my last post, entitled, "PIRATE TREASURE MAP" at this link:
http://lizebanksartgallery.blogspot.com/2010/09/community-ambassadors-gasparilla-pirate.html

TIP:  Offer slower processing students Teacher Demos that model each step of the Upcycling process. 

TIP:  Consider pre-sorting the recyclables into goups of colors so that each team of artists has an equal color palette to upcycle.  By pre-sorting this will minimize distractions and disruptive behavior.