Welcome to Picturing Science!

  • Student works intently. It's impossible to draw and talk at the same time.
  • When students really look at their environment they improve their observation skills, which aids in improving their descriptive writing. (Pohnpei FSM)
  • Pohnpei Picturing Science Workshop. Photo by Greg Marchese.
  • Picturing Science works with all ages in the classroom or in the field. (Pohnpei FSM)
  • Three different versions of the same papaya tree. (Pohnpei FSM)
  • Proud middle school students sharing their visual metaphors of change. (Honolulu HI)
  • Student creating observational drawing of his environment.
  • Students share their images and words with each other.
  • Students work using the Picturing Science Method.
  • The Picturing Science method motivates students to personalize science concepts and stay on task.
  • And as a result, produces a product students, and teachers, are proud of.
  • Students are encouraged to work together as well.
  • A teacher works with students to use the Picturing Science Method effectively.
  • Some students choose to work from photographs or their texts.

The Picturing Science project combines photography, science, writing, and art to create a Web-based showcase of student work. The goals of the project are for students to look at their environment through new perspectives and engage creatively with those elements that they study in science classes.


Science
Teachers start with a science unit, often emphasizing issues of local environment and culture. Focusing on a central science theme and an essential science question, students and teachers develop science concepts and help make key vocabulary visually concrete. 		Art & Photography
Students will use observational drawing,painting and photography to document what they observe. They may work individually or in groups. Students work in groups to determine pictures they will take to illustrate their theme. They can use still, digital, or disposable cameras to take these pictures in their environment.		 Writing
Students use guided writing formats, sentence frames, and key science vocabulary to write about their images. Students further develop their writing through brainstorming and using both visual and verbal metaphors. The final result is a showcase of student images and words that ties into the science units studied in the classroom.


In science and art our goal is to clearly OBSERVE and SEE what is in front of you. Therefore the more facts, data and observations gathered the less bias in the perception of what is observed (Perceptions are biased).By learning to use the power of observing/describing and interpreting we give students the opportunity to make sense of their world. Picturing Science uses a five step similar process in both disciplines:



Visual Arts- Making Meaning Process
  1. Initial response
  2. Describe
  3. Analyze
  4. Interpret
  5. Judge/Communicate
 Scientific Process-Making Meaning
  1. See / Observation
  2. Wonder/ Problem
  3. Hypothesis
  4. Test / Data
  5. Judge / Communicate
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Partially funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.