Using Visual Arts to Stimulate Science Learning
Using Web Based Technology to Breathe Life into Science Lessons
Sep 5, 2008
Most students have a difficult time looking at a science concept picture in a textbook and understanding what the image is depicting. Pictures in science textbooks do not address multiple learning styles; they are designed primarily for visual/spatial learners.
More learning styles can be addressed through the use of visual arts to teach science. This can be accomplished through the use of three dimensional animations of science concepts. Animations are readily available on the Internet to provide visual arts representations of science concepts.
These three dimensional visual art representations help students develop a better idea of what is actually happening in a cycle, as opposed to viewing pictures which require spatial learning ability. Visual arts representations do not need to be in actual three dimensions, they only need to convey a three dimensional idea.
Visualizing Science as Cycles
The best way to represent many scientific concepts is through the use of circles or cycles. Cycles are used to describe many science concepts. The following are examples:
Water Cycle
The water cycle is one of the most common science circles used to represent a scientific concept. Students read about it, draw pictures, look at diagrams, and more; however do they truly understand? They see pictures and drawings as two dimensional representations and it is difficult for them to grasp the three dimensional way the water cycle actually works.
Students develop a better understanding by using a three dimensional animation found on the web, such as Thirstin’s Water Cycle found on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) website.
Rock Cycle
The rock cycle is another example of describing the changes in rocks as circle. Allowing students to look at rocks and diagrams of the rock cycle provides a two dimensional view of this scientific concept.
Using an animated rock cycle helps students develop a better understanding of the processes different rocks (such as: igneous and metamorphic) go through as they travel through the rock cycle. The Interactive Rock Cycle Animation by Classzone.com provides an excellent three dimensional aspect for students to develop a better understanding.
The use of Google Earth is another three dimensional visual art tool that can be used by students and teachers to view the effects of erosion around the world. Students can make connections of rocks in their various cycle stages though the use of this tool.
Carbon Cycle
The carbon cycle is a third example of a scientific concept described in a circle. Students can develop a better understanding of how this cycle works when viewed through the visual art lens of an animation.
The Global Carbon Cycle animation at Nodvin.net (chapter 3) demonstrations provides three dimensional representations of forces which affect the carbon cycle and how this cycle interacts with the natural environment.
Web Based Technology Uses
By projecting scientific animations described above and any of the other hundreds of animations found on the Internet on the board using a multimedia projector, students can view the motion inherent in all cycles.
Teachers and students can use the scientific cycle animations to stimulate discussions, debates, embed in presentations, and many more options. This, in turn, allows dry material in textbooks to come alive and breathe interest and life back into science lessons.
Visit Multimedia Advantages When Teaching K-12 Science for additional ideas and animation resources to help students develop a better understanding of scientific concepts.
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