Eighth grade students worked together in groups of 3-4 students in order to complete a research and painting project on a native Pennsylvania flowering plant. They chose a flowering plant from a list of native Pennsylvania plants. Then they completed a short research project about the characteristics of their plant and crafted an essay about it based on their research findings. Following this they selected an image of the plant's flowers. They created a two-step enlargement grid to be able to draw their flowers on larger paper. They divided their image into sections for each person that fit the size ratio of their final project paper. Next they investigated the artistic style of Chuck Close using informational websites, videos, images, and an interview with him. They then painted their flowers in a similar manner. The final pieces were then assembled to make a formal collaborative piece.
