V.T234

From Food Pyramid to Still Life

Students will create still life sketches and drawings of food featuring items from each of the six food groups represented in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food Pyramid. Although USDA replaced the Food Pyramid with the “My Plate” graphic (see page 8), the Food Pyramid is used here (and provided to students) because it will support more artisitic responses from students. The teacher should feel free to substitute the My Plate graphic if desired.

Students’ sketches should reflect the student’s understanding of compositional principles, including overlapping, proportion, placement of objects, and attention to positive and negative space. This item supports the fifth-grade Life Science Standard for the Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms.

This item has not been field-tested by Michigan teachers.

Teacher Booklet

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Student Booklet

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This is an analytic rubric. The column on the left shows the dimension that is being measured in the student’s performance. The levels across the top row indicate the performance level in the dimensions. Occasionally all dimensions and performance levels are exemplified by multiple students in a single recording.

Teacher Scoring Rubric

  • Dimension

  • Sketch includes food from each of six food groups.

  • Drawing reveals student’s understanding and use of compositional principles, including overlapping, proportion, placement of objects, as well as attention to positive and negative space

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4

  • Student includes food from only one food group.

    N/A at this time.

  • Student includes food from two or three food groups.

    N/A at this time.

  • Student includes food from four or five food groups.

    N/A at this time.

  • Student includes food from all six food groups.

    N/A at this time.

  • Student uses one compositional technique (overlapping, proportion, or placement of objects) to show depth. Large areas of empty space show lack of attention to positive and negative space.

    N/A at this time.

  • Student uses two compositional techniques (overlapping, proportion, or placement of objects) to show depth. Large areas of empty space show lack of attention to positive and negative space.

    N/A at this time.

  • Student uses overlapping, proportion, and placement of objects to show depth. Large areas of empty space show lack of attention to positive and negative space.

    N/A at this time.

  • Student uses overlapping, proportion, and placement of objects and shows attention to positive and negative space to create an interesting composition.

    N/A at this time.
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