Question:
Do children’s picture books relate to microscopy? (Spoiler alert - Yes, they do!)
Next week (January 27 - February 2, 2025) is Crayola Creativity Week and Foldscope is joining in on the fun! This event is designed for classrooms and families to celebrate creativity. Read this blog to get inspired, bring a creative flair to your microscopy lessons, and provide a science connection to your art lessons! Grab your Foldscope Classroom Kit, head to the Crayola website to sign up, download the free resources, read the books, and get creative!
Figure 1. Picture of Foldscopes, books and thinking sheets featured during Creativity Week
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
Background:
Foldscope has always been an advocate for encouraging curiosity and creativity and this year we are excited to see how Foldscopers around the world will celebrate Crayola’s Creativity Week. Our social media feeds will feature our interpretations of the daily prompts. It is our hope that classrooms (and individuals) around the world will join in on the fun and show how easy it is to integrate science and art!
Arts integration is a proven strategy that allows students to show their understanding of content through the arts. At the same time, arts integration gives meaning and substance to the arts. This method of teaching deepens student understanding and appreciation of both the content and the arts in a genuinely engaging way. If you have been thinking about incorporating arts integration strategies into your classroom, Crayola Creativity Week is a great way to give it a try!
Figure 2. Picture of Foldscope’s interpretation of the Visual Voice thinking sheet
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
Materials/Procedure:
It is up to you how your classroom will respond to the books and prompts to create their art. It can be done digitally (by coupling your phone or tablet to your Foldscope and taking pictures or video) or your students can draw what they see in their Foldscopes. We recommend coordinating with your school librarian and media specialist so that you have the books ready for your students.
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Materials:
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Crayola thinking sheets
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Daily featured book
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Science notebook
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Pen, pencil, colored pencils, and/or markers
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Prepared slides or specimens/samples for students to view under their Foldscope
Figure 3. Picture of materials to use during Creativity Week
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
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Procedure:
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Go to the Crayola Creativity Week website to sign up so that you can access the resources.
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Read the book of the day.
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There is also a daily video that features the author to further inspire your students’ creativity!
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Read over the prompts on the corresponding Teacher’s Guide and thinking sheets.
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Look at prepared slides and/or your own specimens and samples under your Foldscope.
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Make a connection between the microscopic images, what you read, and the questions on the thinking sheet.
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Write down your thoughts in your science notebook.
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Draw, describe, or photograph your ideas.
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Share your creativity on the Microcosmos and on social media using the hashtags #Foldscope and #CrayolaCreativityWeek!
Figure 4. Picture of Foldscope’s interpretation of the Dynamic Ideas thinking sheet
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
And don’t worry if you can’t get everything together in time for next week - creativity can be celebrated all year long! As you use your Foldscopes for science lessons throughout the year, encourage your students to think about connections to the Creativity Week books, thinking sheet prompts, or any other works of art (visual or musical) that comes to their mind.
Figure 5. Picture of Foldscope’s interpretation of the Which Words? thinking sheet
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
Connect:
Follow our journey next week and be sure to like, share, and comment on our Creativity Week posts. And don’t forget to share your observations, discoveries, pictures, videos and drawings with the Foldscope community. Submitting your Foldscope images related to Creativity Week to the Microcosmos will help inspire other future scientists and artists to think about science in new and innovative ways! Tag us on social media when you post the results of your explorations, creations, and discoveries! We love to see how Foldscopers around the world are using their Foldscopes in new and innovative ways!
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