Art in the Science Classroom

There are many times in science classes where teachers discuss abstract concepts that don’t really carry any context or can be difficult to relate to something familiar the students may know. For example, in an earth science class where students will learn about different geological formations, how the formations have been or are being created, and of what the formations are made. Not every formation is going to be available to where someone teaches but using works of art can be a vehicle to transport students to the places depicted. By incorporating art work, like In the Moraine, teachers are able to show students how different formations look in different areas of the world. It would also be nice to have a discussion about the example I referenced earlier where students discuss how the formation was created, what rocks make up the formation, and other ideas. It would also be interesting to do a compare and contrast between the painting and what rock formations look like in the area in which the students live. So not only does incorporating art provide context to some topics that will be taught, but it can also serve as a starter for discussions about course topics. I feel there are many applications where a teacher could use art in the classroom.

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In the Moraine, Dogtown Common, Cape Ann, 1931

Marsden Hartley