Landscapes and Reading

LANDSCAPES AND READING

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will create a landscape drawing that includes the various physical features that students identify from a written passage. Students’ landscape drawings will include a background, middleground, and foreground and will demonstrate their understanding of an informational text.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 4-5
CONTENT FOCUS: VISUAL ARTS & ELA
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"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can create a landscape that has a background, middle ground, and foreground.
  • I can visually show supporting details from an informational text in my artwork.
  • I can write about my artwork using specific details from my art.

Essential Questions

  • How can I create a landscape that has a background, middle ground, and foreground?
  • How can I visually show supporting details from an informational text in my artwork?
  • How can I write about my artwork using specific details from my art?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 4:

ELAGSE4RI1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. 

ELAGSE4RI2 Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

ELAGSE4W2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

ELAGSE4SL1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.

ELAGSE4SL2 Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

Grade 5:

ELAGSE5RI1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. 

ELAGSE5RI2 Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.

ELAGSE5W2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

ELAGSE5SL1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions

ELAGSE5SL2: Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

Arts Standards

Grade 4:

VA4.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.

VA4.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes. 

VA4.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, processes, and concepts of two dimensional art. 

VA4.CN.2 Integrate information from other disciplines to enhance the understanding and production of works of art.

VA4.CN.3 Develop life skills through the study and production of art (e.g. collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, communication).

Grade 5:

VA5.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.

VA5.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes. 

VA5.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, processes, and concepts of two dimensional art.

VA5.CN.2 Integrate information from other disciplines to enhance the understanding and production of works of art.

VA5.CN.3 Develop life skills through the study and production of art (e.g. collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, communication).

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 4:

4.RI.MC.5.1 Ask and answer inferential questions to analyze meaning beyond the text; refer to details and examples within a text to support inferences and conclusions. 

4.RI.MC.6.1 Summarize multi-paragraph texts using key details to support the central idea. 

4.W.MCC.2.1 Write informative/explanatory texts that: a. introduce a topic clearly; b. use information from multiple print and multimedia sources; b. group related information in paragraphs and sections; d. provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.

4.C.MC.1.2 Participate in discussions; ask and respond to questions to acquire information concerning a topic, text, or issue.

4.C.MC.3.1 Compare and contrast how ideas and topics are depicted in a variety of media and formats.

Grade 5:

5.RI.MC.5.1 Quote accurately from a text to analyze meaning in and beyond the text. 

5.W.MCC.2.1 Write informative/explanatory texts that: a. introduce a topic clearly; b. use relevant information from multiple print and multimedia sources; c. provide a general observation and focus; d. use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform or explain the topic.

5.C.MC.1.2 Participate in discussions; ask and respond to probing questions to acquire and confirm information concerning a topic, text, or issue.

5.C.MC.3.1 Compare and contrast how ideas and topics are depicted in a variety of media and formats.

Arts Standards

Grade 1:

Anchor Standard 1: I can use the elements and principles of art to create artwork.

Anchor Standard 2: I can use different materials, techniques, and processes to make art.

Anchor Standard 3: I can improve and complete artistic work using elements and principles.

Anchor Standard 4: I can organize work for presentation and documentation to reflect specific content, ideas, skills, and or media.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Informational text - A text written with the purpose of communicating factual information.
  • Supporting detail - Information from a text that supports the main idea.
  • Summary - A condensed version of a larger text that conveys the main idea of the text.
  • Arts Vocabulary
  • Landscape - A depiction of a natural scene in art that has a background, middle ground, and foreground.
  • Background - The part of a landscape that is farthest away.
  • Middle ground - The part of a landscape that is in the middle of the background and foreground.
  • Foreground - The part of the landscape that is closest to the viewer.

 

Materials

  • White paper
  • Pencil
  • Colored pencils

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

  • Have students pair up with a partner. One partner will turn away from the board; the other partner will face the board. Project a landscape painting such as Frederick Edwin Church’s, Heart of the Andes. The partner facing the board should describe the image using as much detail as possible. The partner turned away from the board should draw what his/her partner describes. 
  • All students should look at the image. Have students compare their drawings to the image on the board–How accurate were they? 
  • Explain that in writing, the author must use descriptive language and detail to help the reader understand what they are trying to communicate.

 

Work Session

  • Tell students that they will be creating landscape drawings. Explain that a landscape shows an image of nature that has a background, middle ground, and foreground. 
  • Pass out an informational text to students that describes a geographic location, such as the Appalachian Mountains. Tell students that they should make note of details as they listen and follow along with the text as it is read aloud. Students should annotate the passage as the passage is read aloud. 
    • Ask students to listen for the physical features that are described–mountains, rivers, trees. What animals do they see? What colors stand out to them?
    • Have students compare their annotations with other students in a small group.
    • Go over the details that students identified in the passage as a class. Create a class list of details on the board or on an anchor chart where all students can see the list.
  • Project the parts of a landscape diagram. Tell students that they will be drawing a landscape of the passage that they just read together using pencil and adding detail and color with colored pencils. Remind students that they should have a background, middle ground, and foreground.
  • Students should write a summary of their artwork that includes specific details from the text that are shown in their landscape artwork.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Conduct a gallery walk so that students can view each other’s interpretations of the landscape described. 
  • Then, show students a photograph of the actual location. Facilitate a discussion around the similarities and differences between their landscape drawings and the actual location.

 

Assessments

Formative

  • Student identification/annotation of details in informational passage
  • Discussion comparing and contrasting photocation of the location with students’ landscapes

 

Summative

  • Student landscape drawing–drawings should show specific details from the text
  • Student written summaries of their landscape drawings

 

Differentiation

Acceleration: Assign students different locations in an area such as a state or a country (science connection–assign different ecosystems, or social studies connection–assign different locations within a state or region being studied). Students should create a landscape from a different ecosystem or location. If students create a landscape based on a location or region, create a large outline of a map and have students place their landscape where it would geographically belong (i.e. coastal versus mountainous).

Remediation

  • Provide students with the reading passage already annotated. Students will still follow along with the reading. 
  • Partner students with stronger readers to read through text for details.
  • Chunk passage into smaller portions, such as paragraphs. Assign students one paragraph to read and annotate.
  • Have students work in small groups to create their landscapes.

Additional Resources

Parts of a landscape diagram

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Ideas contributed by: Katy Betts

Revised and copyright: September 2023 @ ArtsNOW

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