Art and Biology

[Rhea]

slr1765 gave me the idea of putting some art assignments into my dd15's Biology plan. (Dd loves creating, loves being challenged, but last year did hardly any art once the school year started because she was so busy. I'm hoping this will keep the artist within well fed.)

 

Here's what I have so far. Any ideas? The more the merrier so that she can pick and choose.

 

After the 1st week, Poster: Characteristics of Life

 

After The Cell, Painting: Think "Van Gogh does cell art". Minimum size 2' x 2'.

 

After Genetics, Sculpture: Make a sculpture that represents something you learned in genetics. It must mix art with function. For example, it could be a centerpiece for a necklace, a child's stuffy, or a bookend. What and how is up to you.

 

After Taxonomy, "Field" Sketching: Create your own unique animal and name it following all the rules of taxonomy. Represent this animal on paper as though you had sketched it and taken notes in the field - notes you would be proud to show your fellow scientist back home.

 

I would love ideas!

 

Rhea

[LoriM]

In my high school biology course, I had to replicate lab sketches with precision and color them with colored pencil. Less art than copy work, but still...very challenging. My teacher was particular. Ratios had to be perfect in enlargements...extraordinarily neat lettering, etc.

 

So, I had my dds do something similar. They are both more artistic than I am, so it wasn't as challenging for them, but they really enjoyed it. Full set of sketches to match the dissection series we did.

 

I have a resource I use with my middle schoolers...http://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Nature-Journal-Discover-Seeing/dp/1580174930 Several of them really enjoy keeping a journal.

[stephanier.1765]

I think the ideas you already have are brilliant. Van Gogh and the cell...seriously brilliant! If my child was artistic, we would definitely be following on your heels. You should see the poster he did yesterday on the Scientific Method. :001_huh: Sigh, well at least it served it's purpose. Regardless, I'm still looking forward to see what other ideas this thread produces.

[Amy in TX]

In my high school biology course, I had to replicate lab sketches with precision and color them with colored pencil. Less art than copy work, but still...very challenging. My teacher was particular. Ratios had to be perfect in enlargements...extraordinarily neat lettering, etc.

 

My dd will be using Singapore's Biology Matters curriculum for gr. 10 biology this year, and it emphasizes the importance of accurate sketching. This goes along with the traditional view of drawing as an important method of communication, that everyone should be trained in.

 

So it would seem that art and biology are naturally connected in a basic way. I wish I had emphasized drawing training more in the earlier school years, & am trying to remedy that now, both with the 10th grader and the youngers.

 

:)

[Rhea]

In my high school biology course, I had to replicate lab sketches with precision and color them with colored pencil. Less art than copy work, but still...very challenging. My teacher was particular. Ratios had to be perfect in enlargements...extraordinarily neat lettering, etc.

 

Thank you for sharing that. That's an aspect I hadn't considered and should be a part of her biology credit.

 

So, I had my dds do something similar. They are both more artistic than I am, so it wasn't as challenging for them, but they really enjoyed it. Full set of sketches to match the dissection series we did.

Do you mean that as they dissected (not at the same time, of course) they would sketch what was before them?

 

Thank you Lori! :001_smile:

 

Rhea

[Rhea]

Art and Biology,Biology is a science that renders itself perfectly fine to ART through graphics, drawings, images, sculpture, even music inspired by genetic information. Here we provide links to art and information about the relationship between art and biology.

 

This made me laugh! Not only had I not thought to google "art and biology" but I was nervous about posting that I was giving art assignments based on what was being learned in biology. I guess I was worried that here at TWTM forums it would seem... not serious enough for H.S. or something. :001_unsure:

 

I think the ideas you already have are brilliant. Van Gogh and the cell...seriously brilliant! If my child was artistic, we would definitely be following on your heels. You should see the poster he did yesterday on the Scientific Method. :001_huh: Sigh, well at least it served it's purpose. Regardless, I'm still looking forward to see what other ideas this thread produces.

 

Stephanie, do I remember correctly that you are artistic? Maybe you could lead the way. Put up two canvases and get out the paints. :001_smile:

 

While working on dd's biology class I found myself looking at a cross section of a cell thinking, "I want to make a stuffy of that!"

 

I bought myself a special stuffy a couple years ago - it's a brain cell. My excuse for spending the money was, "This way even on the worst day I'll know I have at least one brain cell." :lol:

[Rhea]

My dd will be using Singapore's Biology Matters curriculum for gr. 10 biology this year, and it emphasizes the importance of accurate sketching. This goes along with the traditional view of drawing as an important method of communication, that everyone should be trained in.

 

So it would seem that art and biology are naturally connected in a basic way. I wish I had emphasized drawing training more in the earlier school years, & am trying to remedy that now, both with the 10th grader and the youngers.

 

:)

 

I just had to bold that sentence. :iagree:

 

We're using Biology Matters too, in part. My neighbor passed it over to me and the more I looked it over the more I liked it.

 

Rhea

[Guest]

I love your ideas and am keeping them for my daughter a year from now when we have to do biology (she's not looking forward to it).

 

There is a flourishing industry in comic strip and/or manga editions of science, including biology. Maybe she could look up some of this, create her own?

 

When my daughter and I were stopping at science museums as part of a car trip last year, we noticed a lot of science-oriented sculpture and art around the museums here in California. Your local museums may or may not have things like this. Our natural history museum also sponsored, a few years back, a touring exhibition of big, 10 foot or so globes decorated by various artists to publicize science themes. They usually display current science-oriented photography as well. You may be able to find examples of these types of things on the internet and find ideas for other projects.

[Emma]

slr1765 gave me the idea of putting some art assignments into my dd15's Biology plan. (Dd loves creating, loves being challenged, but last year did hardly any art once the school year started because she was so busy. I'm hoping this will keep the artist within well fed.)

 

Here's what I have so far. Any ideas? The more the merrier so that she can pick and choose.

 

After the 1st week, Poster: Characteristics of Life

 

After The Cell, Painting: Think "Van Gogh does cell art". Minimum size 2' x 2'.

 

After Genetics, Sculpture: Make a sculpture that represents something you learned in genetics. It must mix art with function. For example, it could be a centerpiece for a necklace, a child's stuffy, or a bookend. What and how is up to you.

 

After Taxonomy, "Field" Sketching: Create your own unique animal and name it following all the rules of taxonomy. Represent this animal on paper as though you had sketched it and taken notes in the field - notes you would be proud to show your fellow scientist back home.

 

I would love ideas!

 

Rhea

 

OK, I seriously LOVE these! My dd (the artist) would find biology so much more fun if we incorporated some of your ideas. May I ask what bio program you're using and do you have any other ideas planned out? I would love more ideas just like these!

[Corraleno]

We plan to make these cell model pillows, as well as making our own versions of the plush giant microbes, protists, bacteria, etc.

 

Ellen McHenry has a very cool brain hat to make out of paper — I would love to make these out of fleece with embroidered details!

 

Jackie

[mooooom]

I found some genetics worksheets for my dd last year - I just looked to see if I could find them again... can't. But the principle idea was this - you took all these dragon traits (amt of toes, wings/not, spiked head/not, fire breating/not.. etc.) made some traits dominant, made up parents w/ specific traits and then figured out what the children should look like - and then you were supposed to draw the dragon children w/ their inherited characteristics. You wouldn't have to use a dragon, but there were many cool graphic characteristics. I remember my daughter really enjoyed that assignment.

[Rhea]

There is a flourishing industry in comic strip and/or manga editions of science, including biology. Maybe she could look up some of this, create her own?

 

That's a great idea, and she does like Manga. Thinking... thinking...

 

When my daughter and I were stopping at science museums as part of a car trip last year, we noticed a lot of science-oriented sculpture and art around the museums here in California. Your local museums may or may not have things like this. Our natural history museum also sponsored, a few years back, a touring exhibition of big, 10 foot or so globes decorated by various artists to publicize science themes. They usually display current science-oriented photography as well. You may be able to find examples of these types of things on the internet and find ideas for other projects.

I did view some science photography online, but it didn't trigger any ideas. Now, having read your post, I'm thinking that one period could be spent searching out art and biology and writing an essay - or perhaps recreating in pencil one of the science photos.

 

OK, I seriously LOVE these! My dd (the artist) would find biology so much more fun if we incorporated some of your ideas. May I ask what bio program you're using and do you have any other ideas planned out? I would love more ideas just like these!

 

If I come up with more art ideas I'll post them. So far just what I shared and what others have shared on this thread.

 

The spines are Homework Helpers Biology and 'O' Level Biology Matters with workbook. Dd picked HHB off the shelf a few weeks ago and did the chapter on Cells. She liked how to the point it was. She hasn't delved into 'O' yet.

 

Supplements are the Biology Coloring Book and The Cartoon Guide to Genetics. I like how the Biology Coloring Book explains things. It's mostly for further exposure - to have a concept explained in yet another way, and to reinforce. There are many pages in the coloring book that look valuable. Use of it will be limited by time.

 

Then there is the reading that I hope will inspire and bring about a love of science and discovery. (My hopes aren't high, not at all.) The first one she'll be reading is Microbe Hunters, and then Science As A Way of Knowing: The Foundations of Modern Biology. In Microbe Hunters my daughter will get to learn about the humans behind the discoveries, their hopes and failures, squabbles and successes, while learning about microbes. She came to love US History after she delved into the people who lived it, so I think she will enjoy this book. Science As A Way of Knowing is heftier, and doesn't have as much personal stuff about the individuals.

 

And I purchased oodles of things to dissect. :001_smile:

 

Rhea

[Rhea]

We plan to make these cell model pillows, as well as making our own versions of the plush giant microbes, protists, bacteria, etc.

 

Ellen McHenry has a very cool brain hat to make out of paper — I would love to make these out of fleece with embroidered details!

 

Jackie

 

Thanks for the ideas Jackie. Love the brain hat! The cell model pillow is great too.

I love giant microbes. Here's my brain cell:

http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/braincell.html

 

I found some genetics worksheets for my dd last year - I just looked to see if I could find them again... can't. But the principle idea was this - you took all these dragon traits (amt of toes, wings/not, spiked head/not, fire breating/not.. etc.) made some traits dominant, made up parents w/ specific traits and then figured out what the children should look like - and then you were supposed to draw the dragon children w/ their inherited characteristics. You wouldn't have to use a dragon, but there were many cool graphic characteristics. I remember my daughter really enjoyed that assignment.

 

Thanks Moooom, that would be a fun project. If the information for dominant traits in horses is available online, I could make it more personal by having her do one based on horse traits. :001_smile:

[stephanier.1765]

We plan to make these cell model pillows

 

Uh oh, my son is not going to be happy but I am *so* going to make him do one of these. A little home ec never hurt a 14 yo boy. ;)

[tampamommy]

How about incorporating biology-related photography and digital editing (using photoshop or the like) as well?

 

I'd second the motion on detailed, full-color biological drawings, cross-sections, etc.

 

Cross-sections can be sculpted out of clay too.

 

By way of encouragement, biomedical photography and biomedical illustration were two very cool undergraduate majors at the university where I completed my graduate work. Grads from these programs got good jobs! Thought your dd might want to know that combining those two into a career is extremely do-able.:)