39 Public Communication of Environmental Issues and Hazards (Posters)

Wednesday, 27 June 2001
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

USING ART TO TEACH SCIENCE, SOME MATERIALS AND IDEAS TO SHARE

Paper number: 39-3
Program: GENERAL SESSIONS
Time: 4:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Authors

Abstract

Introducing science lessons with art works has long be proven to be an useful way to catch the attention of the students. From the artistic use of minerals, rocks, geological structures and almost every geological feature, to the presence of them as subjects for painters and sculpters, a full world of opportunities is available. Some examples are presented that include:

a- The use of Escher´s and Vermeer´s painting for the teaching of cartography.

b- The use of different resources (objects, paintings, engravings, etc) to teach about economic geology.

c- The use of different resources (paintings, engravings, installations) for the teaching of crystallography.

These materials prove, not only that they may be useful, but also that the subjects covered in the class have recalled the atention of persons other than scientists (that is to say artists, writers, historians). The reason of that may be the subject of an interesting discussion with the students.