Curating an Exhibition: Selection and Theme
Students act as curators, selecting works and organizing them to tell a specific story or explore a theme.
Key Questions
- Explain the criteria that should be used to select pieces for a themed collection.
- Design a concept for an exhibition that tells a specific story.
- Justify the inclusion of particular artworks in a curated collection.
Ontario Curriculum Expectations
About This Topic
Action for a Sustainable Future is the culminating topic where students apply their scientific knowledge to create change. They explore the concept of a 'circular economy' and the 'R's' of sustainability (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot). The focus is on moving from awareness to action, looking at how personal and collective choices can reduce our ecological footprint.
In the Ontario curriculum, this topic encourages students to design solutions for their school or local community. They might look at reducing plastic waste in the cafeteria, starting a school garden, or promoting active transportation like biking. This topic emphasizes that while environmental challenges are large, human ingenuity and cooperation can solve them. This topic is most effective when students engage in collaborative design thinking and 'pitch' their sustainability solutions to a real audience.
Active Learning Ideas
Inquiry Circle: The Waste Audit
Small groups safely sort a day's worth of classroom or cafeteria waste. They categorize it into 'true garbage,' 'recycling,' and 'compost,' then calculate the percentage of waste that could have been diverted.
Role Play: The Sustainability Council
Students act as members of a school board committee. They are given a budget and must decide which green initiative to fund (e.g., solar panels, a composting program, or a bike rack expansion), defending their choice.
Gallery Walk: Innovative Solutions
Students research a Canadian company or person creating sustainable technology (e.g., edible packaging, ocean-cleaning drones). They create a 'solution poster' and rotate to learn about different innovations.
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionRecycling is the most important thing we can do for the environment.
What to Teach Instead
Explain that 'Reduce' and 'Reuse' are much more effective than recycling, which still requires energy and resources. A 'Waste Hierarchy' sorting activity helps students see that stopping waste at the source (Refuse) is the top priority.
Common MisconceptionOne person's actions don't make a difference.
What to Teach Instead
Show how small actions, when multiplied by a school or a city, have a massive impact. Using a 'Sustainability Calculator' to show the collective impact of the whole class switching to reusable water bottles provides powerful visual proof.
Suggested Methodologies
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Frequently Asked Questions
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More in The Critic's Eye: Analysis and Curation
The Art of the Critique: Giving Feedback
Learning to provide constructive feedback using specific artistic vocabulary and objective criteria.
3 methodologies
The Art of the Critique: Receiving Feedback
Students practice actively listening to and interpreting feedback on their own work, and using it for revision.
3 methodologies
Curating an Exhibition: Arrangement and Interpretation
Students explore how the arrangement of objects and accompanying text influence the viewer's journey and interaction with art.
3 methodologies
Art and Social Change: Activism
Exploring how contemporary artists use their work as a tool for social activism to address environmental, political, and social issues.
3 methodologies
Art and Social Change: Cultural Identity
Students investigate how artists use their work to explore and affirm cultural identity, heritage, and personal narratives.
3 methodologies