Reflecting on My Integrated Arts Lesson
My recent field experience involved implementing a cross-content lesson from a unit plan developed with my mentor teacher. I focused on a Grade 2 lesson integrating mathematics (geometry) and visual arts, specifically exploring 2D and 3D shapes. The activity began with a brief review of common shapes, followed by a collaborative task where students, in pre-assigned small groups, used various art materials (e.g., pipe cleaners, play-doh, construction paper) to construct and decorate different 2D and 3D shapes. The lesson culminated in each group presenting their creations and identifying the shapes’ properties.
After reviewing the video recording of my lesson with my mentor teacher, her feedback was overwhelmingly positive regarding student engagement and the lesson’s flow. She particularly noted how the hands-on, artistic component significantly boosted participation, especially among students who sometimes struggle with abstract math concepts. She suggested a minor adjustment for next time: providing more specific vocabulary prompts for the group presentations to encourage richer mathematical language.
Students were highly engaged in the cross-content learning. The tactile nature of creating shapes with art materials made the geometric concepts much more concrete and accessible. Instead of passively receiving information, they were actively constructing their understanding. For example, forming a cube with pipe cleaners helped them grasp the idea of 12 edges in a way that simply seeing a diagram couldn’t achieve.
The student groupings, based on mixed abilities and social dynamics from our class profile, proved very effective. Stronger students naturally took on leadership roles in each group, guiding their peers in construction and problem-solving. Meanwhile, students who sometimes hesitate to participate in whole-class discussions felt more comfortable contributing within their smaller, supportive teams. This structure fostered peer-to-peer learning and ensured that all voices were heard during the collaborative creation process.
Students responded exceptionally well to the arts integration. The opportunity to use colorful materials and express their creativity transformed a potentially abstract math lesson into an exciting, hands-on project. I observed several students who typically show less enthusiasm for mathematics becoming intensely focused and joyful as they molded shapes from play-doh or carefully assembled pipe cleaner structures. The arts provided a playful entry point into geometry, reducing anxiety and increasing intrinsic motivation.
To meet the needs of all students, I relied heavily on the class profile. For visual learners, the use of vibrant art materials and the tangible nature of the 3D shapes were highly beneficial. Kinesthetic learners thrived on the hands-on construction activity. For students with mild fine motor challenges, I ensured their groups had ample play-doh, which is easier to manipulate, and offered thicker pipe cleaners. The small group format benefited English language learners by providing a less intimidating environment to practice new vocabulary in context, supported by their peers and visual aids. I circulated constantly, providing targeted support and scaffolding where needed, prompting students with questions that encouraged deeper thinking about the properties of the shapes.
What went well was undoubtedly the high level of student engagement and the seamless integration of art into geometry. The students’ excitement was palpable, and their understanding of shape properties deepened considerably through construction. Next time, I will incorporate my mentor’s feedback by providing specific sentence stems or a word bank related to geometric vocabulary (e.g., “Our shape has ___ faces and ___ vertices”) for the group presentations. This will encourage more precise mathematical language and help consolidate their learning even further. I also plan to allocate a bit more time for free exploration with the materials before the structured task, allowing for even greater creative discovery.
