Making a Bird’s-Eye View
Grades
This lesson plan was written for grades 6–8.
Objectives
Students will create a bird’s-eye view of their classroom, school, or community.
Materials
Materials needed are:
- bird’s-eye views of Texas cities projected for the class to see or a computer lab with Internet access;
- Bird’s-Eye Views All Around You Worksheet;
- various art materials (i.e. construction paper, crayons, markers, pencils, colored pencils).
Procedure
1. Have students access information about the history of Texas bird’s-eye views.
2. Read the explanation about how and why the views were created and discuss the reasons why a bird’s-eye view of the students’ classroom, school, and community might be helpful and to whom. Have students chart their answers on the Bird’s-Eye Views All Around You worksheet.
3. Allow students to explore the bird’s-eye views on the Amon Carter Museum’s Texas Bird’s-Eye Views Web site. Challenge students to look for ways the views could be used and by whom.
4. Read the section “The Artistic Process.” Have students develop an individual plan to collect data for their classroom, school, or community bird’s-eye view.
5. Allow students to choose an audience and create a bird’s-eye view of their classroom, school, or community using the data they have collected.
6. Display the completed views in a gallery, whether it is in the classroom, hallway, or school lobby.
Assessment
Have students answer the following questions for their bird’s-eye views:
- Who is the audience for the view?
- What useful information about the location can be gained from your view?
- How could the audience use your view?
TEKS Connections
Social Studies
- 6.21B analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing influences and conclusions
- 6.22B create written and visual material such as journal entries, reports, graphic organizers, outlines, and bibliographies
- 7.21B analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing influences and conclusions
- 7.22D create written, oral, and visual presentations of social studies information
- 8.27C identify examples of American art, music, and literature that transcend American culture and convey universal themes
- 8.30B analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing influences and conclusions
- 8.31D create written, oral, and visual presentations of social studies information
Language Arts
- 6.22B interpret important events and ideas gathered from maps, charts, graphics, video segments, or technology presentations
- 6.23A interpret and evaluate the various ways visual image makers such as illustrators, documentary filmmakers, and political cartoonists represent meanings
- 7.22B interpret important events and ideas gathered from maps, charts, graphics, video segments, or technology presentations
- 7.23A interpret and evaluate the various ways visual image makers such as illustrators, documentary filmmakers, and political cartoonists represent meanings
- 8.22B interpret important events and ideas gathered from maps, charts, graphics, video segments, or technology presentations
- 8.23A interpret and evaluate the various ways visual image makers such as illustrators, documentary filmmakers, and political cartoonists represent meanings
Art
- 6.1A illustrate themes from direct observation, personal experience, and traditional events
- 6.2A express a variety of ideas based on personal experiences and direct observations
- 6.3A identify in artworks the influence of historical and political events
- 7.1A illustrate ideas from direct observation, imagination, personal experience, and school and community events
- 7.2A create artworks based on direct observations, personal experience, and imagination
- 7.3B analyze selected artworks to determine cultural contexts
- 8.1A illustrate ideas from direct observation, imagination, and personal experience and from experiences at school and community events
- 8.2A create artworks integrating themes found through direct observation, personal experiences, and imagination
- 8.3B identify cultural ideas expressed in artworks relating to social, political, and environmental themes
This lesson plan was created by Wendy Coleman, Fort Worth ISD educator, to accompany the Texas Bird’s-Eye Views Web site produced by the Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas, and was made possible by a generous grant from Burlington Northern Santa Fe Foundation representing BNSF Railway Company.