Taichung City Guangming Junior High School─Seeing the Color of Taiwan’s Land

1. Ideate topics based on students’ interests
The school hired people to prune the trees in order to maintain or improve the tree shape on campus. When the students diligently cleaned the pruned branches and leaves on the campus and sidewalks, they curiously asked: "What else can these branches and leaves be used for besides burning them?" "Use the branches to make slingshots." "It can be tied into a round sphere." "Teacher, the squashed fruit on the ground over there has red juice! Can the juice be washed off when it touches clothes?" The teacher asked: "Classmates, have you ever heard of plant dyeing?" The students answered: "Yes! I did DIY plant dyeing when traveling with my family" and "How to dye?" The students became interested in plant dyeing. The teacher began to design a plant dyeing theme, leading students to use flowers, grass, trees, stems, leaves, fruits, seeds, etc. in nature to conduct plant dyeing courses, allowing students to observe common plants around them and think about how to use pruned branches and leaves. Plant-based dyeing is combined with students’ life experience to allow plant-based dyes to return to nature in beautiful colors and to be environmentally friendly.
2. The learning process of experience and exploration
This course takes students as the main body of learning, and students actively construct knowledge and operational process skills related to plant dyeing, leading students into the field of plant dyeing, cultivating students' care and respect for life, and stimulating students' environmental awareness. In the process of learning activities, teachers understand students' learning status through observation, discussion, expression of ideas and creation of works, so as to evaluate and assist students' learning and serve as a reference for the next teaching activity. In addition, teachers prepare together with teachers from other fields before class, hoping to induce students to not only study in the art field, but also learn about the history or natural science related to plant dyeing.
3. Explanations that echo the core competencies
This course guides students to participate in art activities through plant dyeing teaching, experience the significance of inheriting culture, art and sustainable use of environmental resources, enhance aesthetic perception, and echo "A1 physical and mental quality and self-improvement". Through the learning process of plant dyeing, students can explore and understand the connection between art and life, appreciate and care for the natural ecological greening of "dye plants", and have a deeper understanding of the concept of sustainable development of symbiosis, coexistence, and mutual benefit with the environment. Demonstrate aesthetic awareness and echo "B3 artistic accomplishment and aesthetic literacy". During the course activities, through artistic practice, students can help and cooperate with each other, share with each other, cultivate teamwork and communication and coordination skills, and work together to complete tasks through division of labor, echoing "C2 Interpersonal Relationships and Teamwork."