Inquiry Based Lesson: smART Kids

I have had no prior experiences with inquiry based lessons. When I was in the public school system, using technology was a new resource. It wasn't until I was in high school that technology was beginning to be implemented in the curriculum. As a college student I have not yet made a lesson plan for my art students based on a website.

This process allowed me to approach the subject of art in a different way.  I learned that implementing technology in the art classroom can be used successfully.  Inquiry based lessons in the art classroom can be focused on Art History, Art Movements, and like I chose to use, Art Vocabulary. 

Originally, I wanted to create my inquiry lesson plan based on an architecture lesson I had found previously.  I realized that finding kid friendly art websites based on a certain art topic was really difficult.  The sites I found offered games, and activities, but no information for research purposes.  I altered my inquiry based lesson when I discovered the smART Kids website. The site is modified just for kids from the Smart Museum of Art at The University of Chicago. The website offers four different areas for kids to explore; The Artist Studio, where they learn about different artists, Look & Share, where they learn different ways to look at art, Art Detective, where they explore the museum, and Art Speak, where they learn art vocabulary words.  I made my inquiry based lesson based on the Art Speak section of the website.  The student will pick a term off of the art vocabulary list, and answer questions about their art vocabulary word.  One question allows them to explore the website and find artworks in the museum section that uses their vocabulary word.

I will definitely use inquiry based lessons in my future art class.  It's a great way to incorporate technology, research, reading, and writing in the art class.  The lesson also allows for a break in studio work, which is mostly what the art classroom offers.  I am looking forward to researching more educational art sites for use in my future classroom.