ART HISTORY INSPIRATIONS

 

Georgia Standards

 

South Carolina Standards

 

Key Vocabulary

 

Materials

• White mixed media paper cut into circles
• Paint (tempera or acrylic)
• Brushes
• Water cups
• Drawing materials such as graphite, charcoal, markers, colored pencils, etc.
• Scraps of colored paper for collaging
• Glue 
• Scissors 
• Pencils with erasers
• Computers/student devices with Internet access
• Digital copy of the Elements of Art to project for students

• For optional extension at end of lesson: Epoxy varnish

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

*Classroom Tips: Cover students’ work area. Have students share paint and water supply on the work area. Fill two buckets with water–empty one by filling student water cups 1/3 full, then use it to dump dirty water in; the second bucket will be your fresh water supply as needed. 

 

• Display an image of Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze. Do not show students the title of the painting.
• Ask students to work collaboratively to engage in the See, Think, Wonder Artful Thinking Routine. 
• First, students will identify what they see in the image. Emphasize that they should make objective observations about the image (i.e. physical features, colors, textures, etc.). 
• Next, ask students to identify what they think about the image. Emphasize that students should be creating inferences using visual evidence from the image. 
• Finally, ask students what they wonder about the image. 
• Facilitate a class-wide discussion around students’ observations, inferences, and questions.
• Provide the name of the painting and tell students that it depicts George Washington as a general during the Revolutionary War.  
• Tell students that visual art documents history. This painting is just one example.
• Ask students to reflect on why historical paintings were made. Students may reflect on how technology has changed the way we document history and culture (e.g., personal cameras and smart phones weren’t invented yet, etc.). 

 

Work Session

ART HISTORY RESEARCH

• Review the Elements of Art with students: Line, shape, color, texture, value, form, and space.
• Arrange students in small groups. Assign a different element of art to each group. Have each group see if they can identify how the element of art is used in the painting, Washington Crossing the Delaware.
• Tell students that they will select an artist that intrigues and inspires them (see “Additional Resources” below).
• Students will research the artist and write an expository paragraph. 
• Students should include the following information: 
• The artist’s name
• The years he/she lived
• Where he/she is from
• At least two interesting facts about the artist
• What was going on in the world at the time he or she was making art
• What the topic or subject of the artwork is (portraits, landscapes, abstract, ect.)
• Description of the artist’s style–students should reference two or three of the elements of art in their descriptions to describe the art.
• Why they picked the artist/what intrigued or inspired them about the artist.
• Teachers can add any additional information to requirements.
• The paragraph must have an introduction and conclusion. Students should use descriptive details and transitional words and phrases to make their writing flow.

 

CREATING ARTWORK INSPIRED BY ART HISTORY

• Next, students will create a piece of artwork that is inspired by their artist. 
• Pass out circle paper. Students should add an original drawing, painting, or collage that is inspired by the artist. Students should include the name of the artist somewhere in their artwork.
• Tell students to use their artist’s style and subject matter as inspiration. For example, if a student picked Jacob Lawrence, their artwork would probably depict people by using bold colors and lines and geometric shapes.

 

Optional extension:

• Once students have completed their artwork, students can glue their artwork onto their stools or chairs. 
• Students will paint a color around the rim of their stools or chairs to “frame” it and seal them with an epoxy varnish. 
• Students can adhere their paragraphs under the stool or chair with hot glue.

 

Closing Reflection

 

• Students should either share in small groups or share with the class how their artwork was inspired by the artist that they researched.
• Provide an opportunity for students to conduct a gallery walk and view each other’s work.
• Allow students to reflect on the process by having them identify and share “two grows and a glow” with a partner.

 

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess students’ learning through observing students discussion of George Washington Crossing the Delaware, conferencing with students during the research and writing process, and asking students how their artwork is inspired by their artist during the art-making process.

 

 

Differentiation

Acceleration: 

• Incorporate Social Studies content by having students select an artist from a particular geographic region and/or time period that they are studying in class.
• Students can compare and contrast German-American painter, Emanuel Leutze’s version of Washington Crossing the Delaware to African American painter, Jacob Lawrence’s version created about 100 years later. Students can analyze Lawrence’s painting through the historical context at the time it was created. Resource: Can a Painting Tell More Than One Story? #MetKids Looks at Washington Crossing the Delaware
• Have students arrange their artwork in historical order.
• Expand the expository paragraph into a full essay.

 

Remediation: 

• Choose one artist or art movement to study as a class and conduct research in small groups, chunking it so that different groups are responsible for different information. 
• Provide a graphic organizer to help students structure their writing.

 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

*Teacher note: Teachers should review artists/movements prior to allowing students to research independently. Some material may not be appropriate for children. Where to find artists on Google Arts and Culture: Artists Where to find art movements on Google Arts and Culture: Movements Where to find artwork based on historical events on Google Arts and Culture: Historical events Where to find artwork based on historical figures on Google Arts and Culture: Historical figures Where to find artwork based on geographical location on Google Arts and Culture: Geographical location

 

*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: Debi West. Updated by Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright:  June 2024 @ ArtsNOW