WGU LDM1 Task 1: Integrated Arts Activities| Passed on
First Attempt |Latest Update with Complete Solution
Grade Level: First Grade, New York State
Part A: Visual Arts and Mathematics 1st Grade Standards
A.1-2.
● New York State Learning Standards for the Arts, The New York State Education Department
VA:Cr1.1.1a: Engage collaboratively in exploration and imaginative play with materials
Visual Arts - Creating: Conceiving and developing new artistic ideas and work -1.
Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Enduring Understanding 1.1: Creativity and innovative thinking are essential life skills that can be
developed
● New York State Next Generation Mathematics Learning Standards, New York State Education
Department
NY-1.MD Measurement and Data
Measure lengths indirectly and by iterating length units
1. Order three objects by length; compare the lengths of two objects indirectly by using a third
object.
2. Measure the length of an abject using same-size “length units” placed end to end with no gaps or
overlaps. Express the length of an object as a whole number of “length units.”
A.3-3a Learning Activity123
**During the learning week, the teacher will align the Read Aloud period with the theme related to
Measurement and Data, counting, and comparison to get students to begin thinking about how we find
and compare lengths.
*Before the learning activity, the teacher will have read two texts by Mark Weakland: “How Tall? Wacky
Ways to Compare Height” and “How Long? Wacky Ways to Compare Length”. After each read-aloud, the
teacher will prompt students with scaffolding questions such as, “What helpful tool did the main character
use to find a measurement?” and “How did the main character find the measurement?”
Students will create non-standardized measurement tools inspired by the shapes, sizes, and colors
observed in Piet Mondrian’s Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow to find and compare the lengths of
1
Weakland, M., & Sinkovec, I. (2014a). How tall? : wacky ways to compare height. Picture Window Books, A Capstone Imprint.
Weakland, M., & Sinkovec, I. (2014b). How tall? : wacky ways to compare height. Picture Window Books, A Capstone Imprint.
2
Dr. Stephanie Chadwick. (2016). Mondrian, Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow – Smarthistory. Smarthistory.org.
https://smarthistory.org/mondrian-composition-ii-in-red-blue-and-yellow/
3
Piet-Mondrian.org. (2011). Composition with Red, Yellow and Blue, 1942 by Piet Mondrian. Piet-Mondrian.org.
https://www.piet-mondrian.org/composition-with-red-yellow-and-blue.jsp
1
,four tangible, physical in-classroom items. The teacher will open a whole-class discussion by displaying
Piet Mondrian’s Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow oil on canvas, 1930, Kunsthaus, Zurich and hang
an I See / I Wonder chart beside the artwork. Then, the teacher will summarize the artist’s history and
explain the concept of abstract art.
The teacher will allow 2-3 minutes of silent observation. The teacher will perform a formative
assessment to understand students’ awareness of colors, shapes, sizes, and similar figures. The teacher
will write students observation’s and prompt students for deeper analytical thinking, such as, “Are any
shapes longer or shorter than another” and “How can we describe how many shapes make one side of the
artwork”? Selecting the work is appropriate for first-grade students because, at this stage, they have
interacted with the primary colors and basic geometric shapes (rectangles and squares) and can
confidently identify each while noticing the bold separating lines throughout the canvas.
The teacher will pair students in heterogeneous groups and provide each group with a materials
bin containing red, black, blue, and yellow markers, rectangular and square-shaped wooden blocks, a
child-safe scissor, and an activity worksheet. Students will use the wooden blocks to draw straight lines of
consecutive rectangles, squares, or a pattern of both. Students will color their non-standardized tool using
solid colors from the materials bin.
Students will work for about ten minutes with their partners to create a Mondrian-inspired
non-standardized measuring tool. The teacher will walk around the room to perform a formative
assessment checking that students are designing a non-standardized measuring tool comprising only
square or rectangular shapes. The teacher will check in with students and prompt questions that ask
students to explain their color choices and design strategy.
Upon completing coloring and cutting their Mondrian-style ruler, the teacher will model how
students can use the tool to explore measurement. The teacher will demonstrate that students can
2
, understand an object’s length and height can be measured by laying multiple same-sized units end-to-end,
their non-standardized measuring tool. The teacher will instruct students to observe how to measure the
length of the classroom window. The teacher will ask for a volunteer to assist in marking the length. The
teacher will lay the Mondrian-style ruler along the length of the window and ask the student volunteer to
lay their finger at the point where the measurement tool ends. The teacher and student will repeat this
action until the tool reaches the farthest end of the window’s length. Then, the teacher will ask the student
to state the number of times the unit is laid end-to-end across the length of the window. The teacher
models the partnered problem-solving activity expectation by posing the inquiry and collecting student
responses. Last, the teacher will model the intentional conversation for confirming that the partners have
come to an agreed solution, i.e., to state that the window (or any of the objects to be measured) is “five
Mondrian mini-art lengths long.”
During the independent learning activity, students will choose four in-classroom objects, i.e.,
storage cubbies, desk legs, table tops, and each other, to practice measuring for finding length. Students
will complete the provided worksheet by writing on the line supplied adjacent to each number the item
they are measuring and its measurement in terms of Mondrian mini-art lengths.
To wrap up the lesson, the class will come together on the learning carpet with their measurement
worksheet and materials bin to conclude the activity. The teacher will ask student volunteers to describe
the items they measured and how long they found them to be using the non-standard measuring units, i.e.,
‘Mondrian mini-art lengths.’ The teacher will ask other students on the rug to share if they saw a similar
measurement for the same item and how the data compares and contrasts. The teacher will ask students to
share what they observe between the comparisons of the lengths and what patterns they notice among the
various objects. The final formative assessment is to have students explain, from their experience, if using
Mondrian mini-arts is an appropriate non-standardized measuring tool. The teacher will ask students to
brainstorm other non-standardized measuring items to implement when exploring object widths.
A. 3b Explanation
Using Mondrian’s art as a model, students’ rulers will demonstrate an understanding of the artist’s
use of solid bold primary colors and lines and how it is distinct compared to works that include scenes,
profiles, and blends of colors. Students’ rulers will demonstrate an awareness that, like Mondrian’s work,
their ruler is free from designs and scribbles; and highlights one solid color per box. Next, students will
cut out their non-standardized ruler (rectangular or square shape) in preparation for the measuring activity.
Allowing students freedom through a guided design model to create their non-standardized measuring
tool will evoke active engagement and ownership of their learning through the cross-curricular hands-on
investigation and exploration activity.
Selecting Piet Mondrian’s Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow oil on canvas is appropriate to
integrate with the math activity explained below because both offer students an entry point in exploring
an abstract style of art that incorporates geometric shapes while investigating, observing, and comparing
lengths of objects using non-standardized units. Both the visual arts component of the learning activity
and the mathematical aspect ask students to consider their conclusions theoretically, thereby challenging
the idea that we need to find exact findings in the art we are observing or the problems we are solving.
3
First Attempt |Latest Update with Complete Solution
Grade Level: First Grade, New York State
Part A: Visual Arts and Mathematics 1st Grade Standards
A.1-2.
● New York State Learning Standards for the Arts, The New York State Education Department
VA:Cr1.1.1a: Engage collaboratively in exploration and imaginative play with materials
Visual Arts - Creating: Conceiving and developing new artistic ideas and work -1.
Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Enduring Understanding 1.1: Creativity and innovative thinking are essential life skills that can be
developed
● New York State Next Generation Mathematics Learning Standards, New York State Education
Department
NY-1.MD Measurement and Data
Measure lengths indirectly and by iterating length units
1. Order three objects by length; compare the lengths of two objects indirectly by using a third
object.
2. Measure the length of an abject using same-size “length units” placed end to end with no gaps or
overlaps. Express the length of an object as a whole number of “length units.”
A.3-3a Learning Activity123
**During the learning week, the teacher will align the Read Aloud period with the theme related to
Measurement and Data, counting, and comparison to get students to begin thinking about how we find
and compare lengths.
*Before the learning activity, the teacher will have read two texts by Mark Weakland: “How Tall? Wacky
Ways to Compare Height” and “How Long? Wacky Ways to Compare Length”. After each read-aloud, the
teacher will prompt students with scaffolding questions such as, “What helpful tool did the main character
use to find a measurement?” and “How did the main character find the measurement?”
Students will create non-standardized measurement tools inspired by the shapes, sizes, and colors
observed in Piet Mondrian’s Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow to find and compare the lengths of
1
Weakland, M., & Sinkovec, I. (2014a). How tall? : wacky ways to compare height. Picture Window Books, A Capstone Imprint.
Weakland, M., & Sinkovec, I. (2014b). How tall? : wacky ways to compare height. Picture Window Books, A Capstone Imprint.
2
Dr. Stephanie Chadwick. (2016). Mondrian, Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow – Smarthistory. Smarthistory.org.
https://smarthistory.org/mondrian-composition-ii-in-red-blue-and-yellow/
3
Piet-Mondrian.org. (2011). Composition with Red, Yellow and Blue, 1942 by Piet Mondrian. Piet-Mondrian.org.
https://www.piet-mondrian.org/composition-with-red-yellow-and-blue.jsp
1
,four tangible, physical in-classroom items. The teacher will open a whole-class discussion by displaying
Piet Mondrian’s Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow oil on canvas, 1930, Kunsthaus, Zurich and hang
an I See / I Wonder chart beside the artwork. Then, the teacher will summarize the artist’s history and
explain the concept of abstract art.
The teacher will allow 2-3 minutes of silent observation. The teacher will perform a formative
assessment to understand students’ awareness of colors, shapes, sizes, and similar figures. The teacher
will write students observation’s and prompt students for deeper analytical thinking, such as, “Are any
shapes longer or shorter than another” and “How can we describe how many shapes make one side of the
artwork”? Selecting the work is appropriate for first-grade students because, at this stage, they have
interacted with the primary colors and basic geometric shapes (rectangles and squares) and can
confidently identify each while noticing the bold separating lines throughout the canvas.
The teacher will pair students in heterogeneous groups and provide each group with a materials
bin containing red, black, blue, and yellow markers, rectangular and square-shaped wooden blocks, a
child-safe scissor, and an activity worksheet. Students will use the wooden blocks to draw straight lines of
consecutive rectangles, squares, or a pattern of both. Students will color their non-standardized tool using
solid colors from the materials bin.
Students will work for about ten minutes with their partners to create a Mondrian-inspired
non-standardized measuring tool. The teacher will walk around the room to perform a formative
assessment checking that students are designing a non-standardized measuring tool comprising only
square or rectangular shapes. The teacher will check in with students and prompt questions that ask
students to explain their color choices and design strategy.
Upon completing coloring and cutting their Mondrian-style ruler, the teacher will model how
students can use the tool to explore measurement. The teacher will demonstrate that students can
2
, understand an object’s length and height can be measured by laying multiple same-sized units end-to-end,
their non-standardized measuring tool. The teacher will instruct students to observe how to measure the
length of the classroom window. The teacher will ask for a volunteer to assist in marking the length. The
teacher will lay the Mondrian-style ruler along the length of the window and ask the student volunteer to
lay their finger at the point where the measurement tool ends. The teacher and student will repeat this
action until the tool reaches the farthest end of the window’s length. Then, the teacher will ask the student
to state the number of times the unit is laid end-to-end across the length of the window. The teacher
models the partnered problem-solving activity expectation by posing the inquiry and collecting student
responses. Last, the teacher will model the intentional conversation for confirming that the partners have
come to an agreed solution, i.e., to state that the window (or any of the objects to be measured) is “five
Mondrian mini-art lengths long.”
During the independent learning activity, students will choose four in-classroom objects, i.e.,
storage cubbies, desk legs, table tops, and each other, to practice measuring for finding length. Students
will complete the provided worksheet by writing on the line supplied adjacent to each number the item
they are measuring and its measurement in terms of Mondrian mini-art lengths.
To wrap up the lesson, the class will come together on the learning carpet with their measurement
worksheet and materials bin to conclude the activity. The teacher will ask student volunteers to describe
the items they measured and how long they found them to be using the non-standard measuring units, i.e.,
‘Mondrian mini-art lengths.’ The teacher will ask other students on the rug to share if they saw a similar
measurement for the same item and how the data compares and contrasts. The teacher will ask students to
share what they observe between the comparisons of the lengths and what patterns they notice among the
various objects. The final formative assessment is to have students explain, from their experience, if using
Mondrian mini-arts is an appropriate non-standardized measuring tool. The teacher will ask students to
brainstorm other non-standardized measuring items to implement when exploring object widths.
A. 3b Explanation
Using Mondrian’s art as a model, students’ rulers will demonstrate an understanding of the artist’s
use of solid bold primary colors and lines and how it is distinct compared to works that include scenes,
profiles, and blends of colors. Students’ rulers will demonstrate an awareness that, like Mondrian’s work,
their ruler is free from designs and scribbles; and highlights one solid color per box. Next, students will
cut out their non-standardized ruler (rectangular or square shape) in preparation for the measuring activity.
Allowing students freedom through a guided design model to create their non-standardized measuring
tool will evoke active engagement and ownership of their learning through the cross-curricular hands-on
investigation and exploration activity.
Selecting Piet Mondrian’s Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow oil on canvas is appropriate to
integrate with the math activity explained below because both offer students an entry point in exploring
an abstract style of art that incorporates geometric shapes while investigating, observing, and comparing
lengths of objects using non-standardized units. Both the visual arts component of the learning activity
and the mathematical aspect ask students to consider their conclusions theoretically, thereby challenging
the idea that we need to find exact findings in the art we are observing or the problems we are solving.
3
