Animals as Artists & Architects
*This course is intended for lower elementary students
Class Schedule
Wednesdays 5:00-5:50 pm PST
November 5, November 12, November 19, (no class November 26), December 3, December 10, December 17
Note: Classes are listed in PST, click below to convert time to your time zone.
Course Overview
Did you know that beavers can build lodges up to 40 feet long? Or that bowerbirds use plastic bottle caps and other recycled objects to build and decorate structures that they don’t even use as nests? If you are curious about the ways animals use the world around them to build, design, and create art, this class is for you! In each class, we will learn about animal artists and architects, including birds, insects, fish, and mammals, and you will get a chance to do some architecture and art yourself! Each class will be its own adventure.
Student Outcomes:
- Students learn how and why different animals create art and structures in the wild
- Students see animals and nature in new ways
- Students find connections between themselves and their world and the natural world
Student Experience
Artist
Inventor
Environmental Citizen
Naturalist
Your Teacher: Sam Rubin
Sam Rubin has wanted to be a teacher ever since he was in Kindergarten, and after graduating from Pomona College with a B.A in Linguistics and Cognitive Science, his dreams became a reality when he began teaching at The Nueva School in Hillsborough, CA. Sam spent 3 years at Nueva teaching Kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th grades, focusing on design thinking, investigation, and JEDI work when designing emergent curriculum.
Sam holds a Master’s of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Washington in Seattle, where he studied outdoor education and innovative curriculum development. When not learning and teaching, Sam spends his free time hiking, reading books about mythology, and doing puzzles with friends!
