STORYTELLING THROUGH MOSAICS

STORYTELLING THROUGH MOSAICS

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will use literacy strategies to interpret works of art and to create a mosaic using watercolor that illustrates a key detail from a literary passage. Students will use their finished mosaics to create a retelling of the passage.

 

Learning Targets

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

“I Can…”

  • I can use shape and color to create a mosaic that demonstrates a key detail of a passage.

  • I can describe the process I used to create my mosaic

  • I can draw conclusions about images and use visual evidence to support my reasoning.

Essential Questions

  • How can I use the elements of shape and color to create a mosaic that demonstrates a key detail of a passage?

  • How can I describe the process I used to create my artwork?

  • How can I use visual evidence to explain my reasoning?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 4:

ELAGSE4RL1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

 

ELAGSE4RL3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).

 

ELAGSE4RL7 Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation of the text identifying similarities and differences.

 

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

 

ELAGSE4SL1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

 

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.

 

ELAGSE5SL1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

 

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.RE.1 Use a variety of approaches for art criticism and to critique personal works of art and the artwork of others to enhance visual literacy.

 

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.RE.1 Use a variety of approaches for art criticism and to critique personal works of art and the artwork of others to enhance visual literacy.

 

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.RL.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.RL.MC.7.1 Explore similarities and differences among textual, dramatic, visual, or oral presentations. 

 

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.2.1 Articulate ideas, perspectives and information with details and supporting evidence in a logical sequence with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. 

 

4.C.MC.3.2 Create presentations using videos, photos, and other multimedia elements to support communication and clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings. 

 

Grade 5:

5.RL.MC.7.1 Compare and contrast textual, dramatic, visual, or oral presentations to identify similarities and differences.  

 

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.3.2 Create presentations that integrate visual displays and other multimedia to enrich the presentation. 

 

 

 

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 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

  • Detail - Information from the passage that supports the main idea.

  • Setting - When and where a story takes place.

  • Character - A person, figure, or animal depicted in literature.

  • Summary - A brief description of a passage that captures the main idea.

 

Arts Vocabulary

  • Shape - One of the seven Elements of Art; it is a flat, enclosed area that has two dimensions, length and width. Artists use both geometric and organic shapes.

  • Watercolor wash - A layer of watercolor that completely covers a surface and is translucent.

  • Mosaic - An art form that is a picture or pattern produced by arranging small colored pieces of hard material, such as stone, tile, or glass.

  • Composition - The way the elements of art are arranged in an artwork.

  • Warm colors - Red, orange, yellow.

  • Cool colors - Green, blue, violet.

  • Complementary colors - Colors across from each other on the color wheel (Example: Orange and blue).

  • Analogous colors - Colors next to each other on the color wheel (Example: red, orange, yellow).

 

 

Materials

  • 9x12-inch black construction paper
  • 9x12-inch white multi-media or watercolor paper
  • Watercolor set
  • Paintbrushes (preferably flat brush)
  • Water cups with water
  • Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Liquid glue or glue sticks

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Settings

  • Show students an image of an ancient Roman mosaic.
  • Ask students to go through the “See, Think, Wonder” strategy.
  • Have students compare their findings with a partner. Have groups share their findings. 
  • Students should be able to use visual evidence to support any “think” statements.
  • Explain that mosaics are made up of tiny pieces of material to create an image or design. Mosaics use the element of art, shape.

 

Work Session

      • Explain that students will be focusing on shape, space, and color in their mosaic. Go over the different types of shapes (organic, free-form, and geometric - see link in Resources).
      • Read a descriptive passage to students such as an excerpt from the book, Tiger, Tiger by Dee Lillegard. Ask students to close their eyes as they listen to the passage and listen for details that tell about the characters and the setting.
      • Discuss the setting and the characters after reading the passage.
      • Ask students to do a “quick draw” of one of the things that stood out to them from the passage. Students’ quick draw should demonstrate a key detail from a character or setting. 
      • Students should share their quick draw with a partner and explain why they chose that detail from the passage.
      • Explain that students will be making the tiles for their mosaic out of watercolor paper. 
      • Show students a color wheel. Discuss the different ways we can organize colors into color schemes: warm, cool, complementary, and analogous.
      • Students will paint their paper the colors that they need for their mosaic.
      • Once the watercolor wash is mostly dry, students should cut out shapes for their mosaic.
      • Students should draw their “quick draw” on their black paper and then glue their shapes down onto the black paper. Tell students that it is alright if their composition changes from their quick draw to their mosaic. This is part of the design thinking process!

       

       

      Closing Reflection

      • Students should respond to the following prompts in written form - How did you make your artwork (procedural writing)? What details from the text did you show and why? What are you most proud of in your artwork?
      • Students should then organize themselves in the order of the story that their mosaic shows (beginning, middle, end) to retell the story.

       

       

      Assessments

      Formative

      • Student discussion around ancient Roman mosaic - See, Think, Wonder strategy using visual evidence to support reasoning
      • Students’ quick draw and pair share to demonstrate whether students comprehend the text

         

        Summative

        • Mosaic should demonstrate students’ understanding of text.
        • Writing responses should demonstrate that students can explain the process that they used to create their artwork.
        • Students should be able to arrange their mosaics in the order of story to demonstrate comprehension.

         

        Differentiation

         

        Acceleration: 

        • Read the passage until a “cliff-hanger”. Have students who have finished mosaic write and illustrate what they think will happen at the end of the story.

        Remediation: 

        • Point out key details in the text that students could illustrate. Facilitate discussion around why these are key details. Write the detail on the board along with an image that students could illustrate. 
        • Instead of having students write the process they used to create their art, ask students to write a sentence stating what detail they showed from the text and why they chose that detail.

         

         ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

        Color wheel

        Examples of ancient Roman mosaics

        Mosaics and Literacy presentation

        *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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