Art is the Queen of all Sciences Celebrating the creative thinker through Art and Science Trans-disciplinary learning. TPL project by Heather Bish Eaglehawk Secondary College

Art is the Queen of all sciences, communicating knowledge to all of the generations of the world. Appropriately a quote by Leonardo Da Vinci is the impetus for this project.

Focussing on creative, problem solving, my project attempts to embrace this concept through the creation of trans-disciplinary exemplars for use in the Da Vinci Studios (Art and Science shared spaces) of the Bendigo Education Plan.

Based on the notion that Da Vinci would be painting one minute, designing a flying machine and then dissecting a body the next, the Da Vinci studios were designed to cater for and promote the creative, problem solving learners. Why Da Vinci?

Creating art and science trans-disciplinary units which would inspire engage and challenge these students, ensures the effective and full utilisation of these spaces as well as the recognition and reinforcement of the unique nature of these thinkers. It acknowledges the importance of catering for the needs of these creative learners by the provision of specially planned curriculum.

Trans-disciplinary learning is expected to be around a Big Question or Issue. The BEP Curriculum Development team has recently specified and identified that sustainability be a key overarching issue.

Students engaged in creative inquiry and thinking in a practical manner sharing the same space could be incredible and extremely empowering. As students explore the issues surrounding sustainability they have the opportunity to be involved in doing something about the particular issue which in turn has a positive impact on their mental health

Because the units were to be undertaken in the Da Vinci studios they needed to be predominantly practical or have a practical component meet the requirements of the VELS (Victorian Essential Learning Standards) Needs to be real and connect to the students world. In essence this project is in response to both a school and regional priority area and change.

The project was important as it had a capacity to impact on The individual student Teams of staff The Regional Colleges

The design and content of the particular units for my project came from an increased knowledge of what constituted a trans-disciplinary unit but was stimulated from my (art teachers) interests and ideas.

As extra time was allocated by Eaglehawk Secondary College, I embarked on developing four units It was fortuitous that three of the four units I started to work on were already in line with the recent directive of sustainability. Each unit begins with an end in mind. Leading the learner to a desired important outcome relating to sustainability, while developing their thinking skills. Responsible behaviours relating to the future were my common theme.

I created E5 unit plans with resources for each of these units Level 5 Who will win the Survival Race? Level 5 Did You See That? Level 6 The Importance of Oil and Water Level 6 Have We Gone Too Far?

Level 5 Who will win the Survival Race? The impact of human progress on the survival of a species. How do animals survive with changes to their environment? This unit explores the impact of human progress on the survival of a species and aims to create an awareness of responsible behaviours. This was trialled in a year 7 Arts Class. This unit broadened to include humanities as the BEP developed its curriculum map to include Inquiry. The Science explicit learning related to classification. (As the infrastructure for teaching and planning in teams was not in place yet, the science and humanities explicit teaching was undertaken separately but by the same group of teachers communicating when possible) It remains a work in progress.

Did You See That? A microscopic approach to the Art of noticing and recreating detail This unit was pitched at level 5 (year 8). In this unit students learn about observation skills and drawing skills as they relate to both Art and Science, particularly the use of the Microscope. The arts are explored as an enhancing tool to create strategies for noticing, describing and recreating the detail observed on the microscope. This unit involved a variety of games and activities aimed at increasing visual awareness while engaging this age group It remains a work in progress. It was trialled with a year 8 group with interesting results.

The Importance of Oil and Water Thinking about the big issues affecting us as well as the Da Vinci studio concept I thought …. the Importance of Oil and Water was a very appropriate issue to introduce to problem solvers. I envisaged science experimentation in both substances as well as the comparison. I later saw very strong links for the humanities in both the geography area as well history. How to decrease reliance on oil and preserve water requires inquiry thinking and creative problem solvers. The importance of Oil and Water, was only trialled from an Art perspective, with year 9 Art students experimenting with oil and water based materials..... It was engaging and fun but at this stage did not create effective inquiry or connect to the other disciplines required. These Issues remain very Big and Important and possibly require separate focus It remains a work in progress.

Have we gone too far? With many advances in science and technology there are risks and side effects which impact on other species and the future of the planet. The ethics of human progress and the impact of developments in technology on the earth and its inhabitants must be monitored. Has man gone too far? Has the increase of technology impacted on other species on earth? How? Just because we can should we? How has the development of technology impacted on plant life, human life, animal life, climate etc. How has technology developed? What is sustainable? What must be done? What can be done?

This unit was trialled by year 10 Art General elective students concurrently with the compulsory English component Just Because We Can Should We? written by Julie Sturges Eaglehawk Secondary College assisted by Fiona Buley of the Loddon Mallee Regional Office who provided a broad range of the science explicit learning activities.

Artists express and communicate controversial and topical reactions to the important things that are happening at any particular time. The issues of biotechnology, genetic engineering etc certainly require art commentary. Have we gone too far? expresses the view that technological progress and change must be monitored. As custodians of the planet we have a responsibility. What is acceptable? Cloning? Genetic engineering. Biotechnology? Stem cell research…Farming of body parts. Use of DNA. Sustainable renewable resources.

In times of dramatic change Scientists and Artists problem solve!!! Do we have a problem? What we can do? (Science) Solutions and awareness (Art, Science). How can we share our response to issues? (Art, English and Humanities) Can we make a difference ? EMPOWERMENT!

As Da Vinci inferred in his quote, when we look at the history of the world we look at the art work. Artists document issues of the time and communicate to all the generations of the world. Thank you Julie Sturges, Tony Carroll, Fiona Buley, Barbara Tadich, Michelle Nevins, Darrell Boschert, Rebecca Brown, Deslee Douglas, Lindy Ryan, Carolyn Williams, Peta Hutchison, John Johns, Sue Knight, Judy Chalmers, Maggie Mai and the Arts KLA for your support. Go Leonardo! Imagine what you would have done if you had access to the net Heather Bish 08