"Winter Sediment Coring"
Provided by: Jill Pelto Gallery |Published on: June 7, 2023
Articles/Websites Grades 6-8, 9-12
Synopsis
- This watercolor painting depicts two female scientists taking a sediment core from a frozen lake in Norway.
- This piece beautifully connects art and science in a way that will inspire.
Subjects: Science, Visual and Performing Arts
Authors: JIll Pelto
Region: Europe, Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This artwork is visually engaging and beautifully composed.
- Several important discussions can be launched from viewing this artwork, including ones about women in STEM, scientific approaches, and the importance of art to spread awareness.
Additional Prerequisites
- Teachers should consider how this artwork could be incorporated into their lessons, as it has many possibilities.
Differentiation
- Art students can use this resource to observe shading, highlights, fine details, and monochromatic coloring schemes.
- This piece would make an excellent component in a gallery walk activity. Post several pieces of scientific art by Jill Pelto around the room for students to observe and discuss. Students can leave their comments and ideas on post-it notes near the pieces, then respond to other's comments, too.
- Have students read more about Jill Pelto on her website and discuss in groups the purpose of her work and why she might have created this specific piece.
- As an extension, have students research another aspect of scientific work and depict it in an artistic piece of their own.
- This artwork could be used as a hook for lessons about the gender bias in the sciences, decomposition, limnology, aquatic ecology, or paleoclimatology.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
Jill Pelto
Jill Pelto is an artist and scientist whose work focuses on communicating human-environment connections. She incorporates scientific research and data directly into her watercolor paintings — from local trends to global changes. Jill’s artwork was featured on the cover of TIME Magazine in July 2020 and has inspired online features in Smithsonian and PBS News Hour. Jill has created a science-art activity based on this idea and has worked with K-12 students across the U.S. and beyond. By pairing graphical information with visual imagery, Jill hopes students can learn about and connect to climate change topics (good, bad, and in-between) in ways that educate and are emotionally relevant. This data-art activity is flexible and allows students to make their own graph art to share topics they care about.
All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.
