GOTTA “HAND” IT TO OUR ARTISTS

GOTTA “HAND” IT TO OUR ARTISTS

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will create a “self-portrait” to show who they are in a unique way! Rather than a standard self-portrait with traditional facial features, students will trace their hand adding colored patterns on the inside. These patterns will be inspired by the art of the Ndebele ([NDI] + [BEL] + [EE]) people to represent what makes them unique. Students will then add writing to explain their “self-portrait”.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: K-1
CONTENT FOCUS: VISUAL ARTS, ELA,
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"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can create artwork inspired by the artwork of the Ndebele people.

  • I can use visual art to tell others about myself

  • I can use the elements of line, shape, and color to create a unique artwork.

  • I can explain my artwork through writing.

Essential Questions

  • How can art be used to tell about oneself?

  • How are lines, shapes, and colors used to create art?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Kindergarten:

ELAGSEKW2 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.

 

ELAGSEKSL1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

 

ELACCKSL5:  Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.

 

Grade 1:

ELACC1W2:  Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.

 

ELAGSE1SL1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

 

ELACC1SL4:  Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.  

 

ELACC1SL5:  Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

 

Arts Standards

Kindergarten:

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

 

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

 

VAK.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, and processes of two-dimensional art.

 

VAK.CN.1 Investigate and discover the personal relationships of artists to community, culture, and the world through making and studying art.

 

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

 

Grade 1:

VA1.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.

 

VA1.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.

 

VA1.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, and processes of two-dimensional art.

 

VA1.CN.1 Investigate and discover the personal relationships of artists to community, culture, and the world through making and studying art.

 

VA1.CN.2 Integrate information from other disciplines to enhance the understanding and production of works of art.

 

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Kindergarten

WRITING - Meaning, Context, and Craft

Standard 2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

2.1 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts that name and supply information about the topic.

 

COMMUNICATION - Meaning and Context

Standard 1: Interact with others to explore ideas and concepts, communicate meaning, and develop logical interpretations through collaborative conversations; build upon the ideas of others to clearly express one’s own views while respecting diverse perspectives.

1.2 Practice the skills of taking turns, listening to others, and speaking clearly.

1.4 Participate in conversations with varied partners about focused grade level topics and texts in small and large groups.

 

Grade 1

WRITING - Meaning, Context, and Craft

Standard 2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

2.1 Explore print and multimedia sources to write informative/explanatory texts that name a topic, supply facts about the topic, and provide a sense of closure. 

 

COMMUNICATION - Meaning and Context

Standard 1: Interact with others to explore ideas and concepts, communicate meaning, and develop logical interpretations through collaborative conversations; build upon the ideas of others to clearly express one’s own views while respecting diverse perspectives.

1.2 Practice the skills of taking turns, listening to others, and speaking clearly.

1.4 Participate in conversations with varied partners about focused grade level topics and texts in small and large groups.

 

Arts Standards

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

 

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Ndebele Tribe - A Bantu ethnic group in Southern Africa, primarily found in Zimbabwe and South Africa. They are known for their distinctive artistic traditions, particularly their colorful beadwork and house painting

Arts Vocabulary

  • Elements of Art - The fundamental components that artists use to create visual works
  • Line - An element of art that defines space, contours and outline
  • Shape - A two-dimensional enclosed object
  • Color - An art element with three properties: hue, value and intensity; reflected or absorbed light; warm colors (red, orange, yellow); cool colors (blue, green, violet)
  • Self-Portrait - A visual representation of oneself
  • Pattern - One of the principles of design; the repetition of specific visual elements such as line or shape
  • Value - The lightness or darkness of a color

 

Materials

     

     

    Instructional Design

    Opening/Activating Strategy

    • Using an image of Ndebele artwork, ask students to work collaboratively to engage in the See, Think, Wonder protocol. 
      • First, students will identify what they see in the image. Emphasize that they should make objective observations about the artwork (i.e. lines, colors, shapes, 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.

     

    Work Session

      • Discuss the importance of a handprint, thinking about how each hand print is unique, just as each person is unique. 
      • Ask students to choose three things about themselves that make them unique.
        • Allow students to pair share; model for students how to take turns.
        • Ask several students to volunteer to share one thing about their partner that makes them unique.
      • Tell students that they will be using the art of the Nbedele people to inspire a “self-portrait” that shows what makes them unique.
        • Have students follow along with this chant saying: 

      Ndebele, Ndebele,  

      With their hands they made their art! Colors, lines and shapes,  

      These are the elements from which to start!
      Rhythm-ong ©

      • Show students on a map where the Ndebele people are from–primarily South Africa and Zimbabwe.
      • Facilitate a brief discussion about the art of the Ndebele Tribe, looking closely at their colored patterned artworks. 
        • Direct students to describe the types of lines used to create patterns. 
        • Then, ask students to describe the color combinations that the artists use.
      • Pass out paper. Demonstrate to students how to trace their hand with a pencil onto their paper. Students will go over their hand outline in black marker. Assist students with this task as needed.
      • Using black markers, students will create a line design inside the hand. Project an image of the art of the Nbedele people to remind students of the types of pattern and lines they used in their art.
      • Tell students to select three colors–one for each characteristic that makes them unique. 
      • Students will then begin the coloring process. Tell students to color in the spaces between the black lines with the colors they selected, paying close attention to each individual shape created. Encourage students to “paint” with their markers by coloring their “brush strokes” in the same direction.
      • Students will then embellish their art with oil pastel blending techniques using a cool (green, blue, violet) or warm (red, orange, yellow) color palette. They will go around the hand with their darkest value color first (red or violet), medium value (orange or blue), then lightest value (yellow or green) to create a “glow”. 
      • Finally, students will write complete sentences (as age appropriate) to tell about each color and why they used it.

       

      Closing Reflection

      • In small groups or with a partner, students will present their artwork to their classmates. 
        • Students should share how the artwork of the Ndebele people influenced their pattern choices.
        • Students should share the colors they used and why they selected them.

      Assessments

      Formative

      Teachers will assess student understanding through student discussions of the art of the Nbedele people; students’ use of line, shape, color and pattern; and students’ ability to select colors that have personal meaning.

       

       

      Summative

      CHECKLIST

      • Students can use the elements of line, shape, and color to create a unique artwork. 
      • Students can use the characteristics of the artwork of the Ndebele people to inspire their artwork.
      • Students can use visual art to tell others about themselves.
      • Students can explain their artwork through writing.

       

       

       

      Differentiation

      Acceleration: 

      • Have students add expressive words or vocabulary words into the artwork. These words can be hidden or obvious and give each piece a more individual feel. 
      • Teachers can also tie this lesson in with Australian Aborigines art or prehistoric handprint art.

      Remediation: 

      • Allow students to orally explain their artwork rather than writing about it. 
      • Provide sentence starters for students.
      • Provide a hand outline template for students to use rather than tracing their own hands.

       

       ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

       

      • Classroom Tips: Using markers as opposed to paint, makes this lesson very doable in any classroom setting. The success lies in teaching your students how to appropriately “paint” with markers keeping their “strokes” going in the same direction.
      • Images of Ndebele artwork
      • Khan, Gulshan, et al. “Ndebele Art.” Getty Images, www.gettyimages.com/photos/ndebele-art. Accessed 26 June 2023.

      *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 and updated by: Debi West and Katy Betts

      Revised and copyright:  May 2024 @ ArtsNOW

       
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