UNDERSTANDING INFORMATIONAL TEXT THROUGH LANDSCAPE ART 6-8

UNDERSTANDING INFORMATIONAL TEXT
THROUGH LANDSCAPE ART

MOSAICS AND MATH

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will demonstrate their understanding of informational texts by using text evidence to create a landscape artwork.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 6-8
CONTENT FOCUS: VISUAL ARTS, ELA, SOCIAL STUDIES
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can visualize supporting details in an informational text to create a landscape artwork.

  • I can annotate an informational text to identify the most important details.

  • I can synthesize the information presented in two different texts.

Essential Questions

  • How can I visualize supporting details in an informational text to create a landscape artwork?

  • How can I identify the most important details using annotation?

  • How can I synthesize the information presented in two different texts?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 6

ELA

ELAGSE6RI1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 

ELAGSE6RI2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

 

SOCIAL STUDIES

SS6G1 Locate selected features of Latin America.

SS6G4 Locate selected features of Canada.

SS6G7 Locate selected features of Europe.

SS6G11 Locate selected features of Australia.

 

Grade 7

ELA

ELAGSE7RI1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

ELAGSE7W8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. 

 

SOCIAL STUDIES

SS7G1 Locate selected features of Africa.

SS7G5 Locate selected features in Southwest Asia (Middle East).

SS7G9 Locate selected features in Southern and Eastern Asia.

 

Grade 8

ELAGSE8RI1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

ELAGSE8RI2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

 

SOCIAL STUDIES

SS8G1 Describe Georgia’s geography and climate.

Arts Standards

Grade 6

VA6.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art. 

VA6.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.

VA6.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence.

 

Grade 7

VA7.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art. 

VA7.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.

VA7.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence. 

 

Grade 8

VA8.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art. 

VA8.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.

VA8.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence.

 

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 6

ELA

Reading - Informational Text (RI) - Meaning and Context 

Standard 6: Summarize key details and ideas to support analysis of central ideas.

6.1 Provide an objective summary of a text with two or more central ideas; cite key supporting details.

 

Grade 7

ELA

Reading - Informational Text (RI) - Meaning and Context 

Standard 6: Summarize key details and ideas to support analysis of central ideas.

6.1 Provide an objective summary of a text with two or more central ideas; cite key supporting details to analyze their development. 

 

SOCIAL STUDIES

7.1.1.PR Identify select African physical systems and human characteristics of places.

7.2.1.PR Identify select Asian physical systems and human characteristics of places.

7.3.1.PR Identify select Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica physical systems and human characteristics of places.

7.4.1.PR Identify select European physical systems and human characteristics of places.

7.5.1.PR Identify select North American physical systems and human characteristics of places.

7.6.1.PR Identify select South American physical systems (e.g., landforms and bodies of water), and human characteristics of places (e.g., countries and cities).

 

Grade 8

ELA

Reading - Informational Text (RI) - Meaning and Context 

Standard 6: Summarize key details and ideas to support analysis of central ideas.

6.1 Provide an objective summary of a text with two or more central ideas; cite key supporting details to analyze their development.

 

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 5: I can interpret (read) and evaluate the meaning of an artwork.

Anchor Standard 7: I can relate visual arts ideas to other arts disciplines, content areas, and careers.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Informational text - Nonfiction writing that has the purpose of informing the reader
  • Synthesize - To combine two or more sources of information into one coherent source of information
  • Annotate - To take notes on a text
  • Physical feature - A landform such as a mountain, river, desert, etc.
  • Text evidence - Information that comes directly from the text that supports the main idea of the text

Arts Vocabulary

  • Space - One of the seven Elements of Art; techniques artists use to create the illusion of depth on a 2D surface
  • Landscape - A type of art that shows a wide expanse of land–usually a countryside–and shows depth through a background, middle ground, and foreground
  • Foreground - The part of a landscape that is closest to the viewer
  • Background - The part of a landscape that is farthest from the viewer
  • Middle ground - The part of a landscape that is in between the background and the foreground
  • Texture - One of the seven elements of art; how something feels or looks like it feels
  • Printmaking - Printmaking is a process by which the artist creates an image that has texture and transfers that image repeatedly onto another surface like paper.
  • Collagraph printmaking - A form of printmaking in which texture is built up on a surface by layering materials. The artist then transfers the image through a process like a rubbing onto another surface like paper.

 

Materials

    • Computer paper
    • Cardstock
    • Cardboard or additional cardstock for background
    • Scissors
    • Glue sticks
    • Pencils
    • Crayons or oil pastels (teacher tip: soak oil pastels or crayons in warm soapy water overnight; paper labels will easily come off the next day)
    • Informational text that describes a geographic location students are studying in Social Studies such as the Sahara Desert (7th grade SS, GA)
    • Optional - colored pencils

     

     

    Instructional Design

    Opening/Activating Strategy

    • Project a landscape painting such as Landscape from Saint Remy by Vincent Van Gogh. 
      • First, students will identify what they see in the image. Emphasize that they should make objective observations about the painting (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 painting. 
      • Finally, ask students what they wonder about the image. 
      • Ask students to work collaboratively to engage in the See, Think, Wonder protocol (Harvard University Project Zero - Artful Thinking Strategies). 
      • Facilitate a class-wide discussion around students’ observations, inferences, and questions.

     

    Work Session

      • Explain that the artwork students are looking at is an example of a landscape painting. Landscape paintings show a wide expanse of land–usually a countryside–and show depth through a background, middle ground, and foreground. 
      • Show students the diagram of a landscape. Explain that the background is what is farthest away from the viewer, the foreground is directly in front of the viewer, and the middle ground everything in the middle. 
      • Ask students to try to identify the background, middle ground, and foreground in Landscape from Saint Remy by Vincent Van Gogh.
      • Explain to students that texture in art is how something feels or looks like it feels. Ask students to identify textures in the landscape painting.
      • Tell students that they will be creating their own landscape artwork based off of an informational text. Provide each student with a copy of the informational text that connects to a region students are studying in Social Studies (if applicable). 
      • With partners, have students annotate the text as they read, looking for details that describe how the region looks such as landforms, colors, etc. 
      • Facilitate a discussion with students around what details they might include in the background, what details they might include in the middle ground, and what details they might include in the foreground. 
      • Instruct students to locate and research an additional informational text on the same region. 
        • Students should use their knowledge of research practices to identify a reliable source. Students should annotate the text as they did previously. 
        • Students will synthesize the details that they found in the two sources to create their landscape artwork. 
      • Introduce students to the term Collagraph Printmaking. 
        • Printmaking is a process by which the artist creates an image that has texture and transfers that image repeatedly onto another surface like paper. 
        • Tell students that the printing press is an early example of printmaking. 
      • Explain the process of creating their artwork. 
        • Students will draw a rough draft of their landscape on blank paper using evidence from both texts. Students’ rough drafts should have a background, middle ground, and foreground.
        • Out of cardstock, students will cut out landforms like mountains and physical features like forests that they included in their rough draft. 
          • Students should glue the landforms down to a piece of cardstock or cardboard starting with the background and moving to the foreground. 
          • Students should use overlapping as they glue each layer down.
        • Once they have created their landscapes, students will create a rubbing by placing a piece of computer paper over their landscape. Using a crayon or oil pastel, they will rub across the surface to pick up the texture of the landscape.
      • Students can then add in details and additional texture using colored pencil, crayon, or oil pastel.

       

      Closing Reflection

      • Students will write a one paragraph artist statement about their work. They should include a relevant title for their landscape and what they showed in their artwork citing text evidence from both sources.
      • Allow students to conduct a gallery walk within small groups to compare and contrast how they and their classmates visualized the text. Emphasize that students should look for similarities and differences in artwork and how that reflects the sources that students used.

      Assessments

      Formative

      Teachers will assess learning by determining whether students are able to identify the background, middle ground, and foreground in the example landscape and whether students can identify all the important supporting details from both texts that describe how the region looks.

       

       

      Summative

      CHECKLIST

      • Students’ landscapes included a background, middle ground, and foreground. 
      • Students’ landscapes visualize the details from both texts that describe how the location looks.
      • Students’ artist statements include a relevant title for their landscapes and what they showed in their artwork citing text evidence from both sources.

       

       

      Differentiation

      Acceleration: 

      • Allow students to research the landscape paintings of Vincent Van Gogh or another landscape artist. Students can create their artwork in the style of Van Gogh (Post-Impressionism) or another artist of their choice. 

      Remediation: 

      • Allow students to work with partners to create their landscapes. Each partner can create their own rubbing. 
      • Provide students with an “answer key” of the passage to use to check their annotations. 
      • Have students only use one text rather than two.
      • Provide students with a graphic organizer to fill out with landforms, physical features, and agriculture as they read the text. 

       

       ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

       

      *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:  2023  @ ArtsNOW

       
      Back to Modules

      ARTISTIC EXPLORATIONS 6-8


      ARTISTIC EXPLORATIONS 

      ARTISTIC EXPLORATIONS

      Learning Description

      In this lesson, students will learn about how portrait artists convey characteristics through color and style. Students will then use what they learned to create an artwork to express the changes that a character in a text undergoes due to a conflict or event in the text.

       

      Learning Targets

      GRADE BAND: 6-8
      CONTENT FOCUS: VISUAL ARTS & ELA
      LESSON DOWNLOADS:

      Download PDF of this Lesson

      "I Can" Statements

      “I Can…”

      • I can identify and explain how a character changes throughout a text due to a conflict or event. 

      • I can use color and style to describe a character in a text.

      Essential Questions

      • How does a character change throughout a text due to a conflict or event? 

      • How can I use color and style to describe a character in a text?

       

      Georgia Standards

      Curriculum Standards

      Grade 6

      ELAGSE6RL3 Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves towards a resolution.

       

       

      Grade 7

      ELAGSE7RL3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how settings shape the characters or plot).

      ELAGSE7RL6 Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.

       

      Grade 8

      ELAGSE8RL3 Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

       

       

       

       

       

      Arts Standards

      Grade 6

      VA6.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art.

      VA6.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.

      VA6.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence.

      VA6.CR.4 Incorporate formal and informal components to create works of art.

       

      Grade 7

      VA7.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art.

      VA7.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.

      VA7.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence.

      VA7.CR.4 Incorporate formal and informal components to create works of art.

       

       

      Grade 8

      VA8.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art.

      VA8.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.

      VA8.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence.

      VA8.CR.4 Incorporate formal and informal components to create works of art.

       

       

       

       

       

      South Carolina Standards

      Curriculum Standards

      Grade 6

      Standard 8: Analyze characters, settings, events, and ideas as they develop and interact within a particular context.

      8.1 Describe how a plot in a narrative or drama unfolds and how characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution; determine the impact of contextual influences on setting, plot and characters.

      Grade 7

      Standard 8: Analyze characters, settings, events, and ideas as they develop and interact within a particular context.

      8.1 Analyze how setting shapes the characters and/or plot and how particular elements of a narrative or drama interact; determine the impact of contextual influences on setting, plot, and characters. 

      Grade 8

      Standard 6: Summarize key details and ideas to support analysis of thematic development.

      6.1 Determine one or more themes and analyze the development and relationships to character, setting, and plot over the course of a text; provide an objective summary.

      Standard 8: Analyze characters, settings, events, and ideas as they develop and interact within a particular context.

       

      Arts Standards

      Artistic Processes: Creating-I can make artwork using a variety of materials, techniques, and processes.

      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.

      Artistic Processes: Responding- I can evaluate and communicate about the meaning in my artwork and the artwork of others.

      Anchor Standard 5: I can interpret (read) and evaluate the meaning of an artwork.

      Artistic Processes: Connecting- I can relate artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context.Anchor Standard 7: I can relate visual arts ideas to other arts disciplines, content areas, and careers.

       

      Key Vocabulary

      Content Vocabulary

      • Characterization - The process throughwhich an author develops anddescribes the personalities of thecharacters in a story
      • Theme - A central or underlying idea ormessage that the author conveys
      • Point of view - The perspective fromwhich a story is narrated or presented
      • Perspective - An individual's particularway of seeing, understanding, orinterpreting something
      • Internal conflict - When a characterexperiences a struggle or dilemmawithin themselves
      • External conflict - The struggle or clashbetween a character and an externalforce, which can be another character,society, nature, or

       

       

      Arts Vocabulary

      • Color - One of the seven elements of art; reflected or absorbed light
      • Style - The distinctive and recognizable way in which an artist expresses themselves through their artwork
      • Subject - The primary object, scene, or concept that the artwork is about
      • Portrait - An artist’s depiction of a person

       

       

      Materials

        • Pencils
        • Scissors
        • Tape or glue sticks
        • Colored pencils and/or markers
        • Blank color wheel
        • Cube template
        • Color and Feelings/characteristics graphic organizer

         

         

        Instructional Design

        Opening/Activating Strategy

        • Organize students in small groups of 2-3. Give each group a copy of one of the following artworks. Multiple groups can have the same image. 

        ○ The Scream by Edvard Munch 

        ○ Weeping Woman by Pablo Picasso 

        ○ Rembrandt Laughing by Rembrandt van Rijn 

        ○ Self Portrait in a Cap by Rembrandt van Rijn 

        ○ Sorrowing old man ('At Eternity's Gate') by Vincent Van Gogh 

        • Ask students to identify and write down what they think the person in the artwork might be thinking and feeling. Direct students’ attention to the style, color, and subject of the artwork. 
        • Then, ask students to write down how they came to that conclusion using evidence from the image. Encourage students to talk about how the artist uses color. 
        • Project each of the images on the board. Students will share their conclusions with the class. 
        • Explain to students that they will be creating artwork that shows how a character in a literary work changes over the course of the text.

         

        Work Session

        • Review perspective and point of view with students. 
        • Each student should select a character from the text being studied. 
        • Students should determine what the catalyst for change is that the character experiences in the text, such as an internal or external conflict, a specific event, etc. 
        • Show students an image of a color wheel. Tell students that color can communicate different things to different people, and that artists use color as a means of 

        communication. Show students Woman with Folded Arms by Pablo Picasso. Ask students how Picasso uses color as a tool of communication. 

        • Provide each student with a blank color wheel. In the same small groups at the activating strategy, have students label their color wheels with the colors and the 

        feelings/characteristics they associate with that color. Students can use multiple words for each color. Use blue as an example–it can represent sadness, melancholy, calm, peacefulness, etc. 

        • Next, pass out cube templates. Tell students that they will write a summary of the event, conflict, etc. that propelled change in the character on the bottom inside of what will become the cube/box. 
        • On each of what will be the sides of the cube, students should briefly explain how the character changed due to the event, conflict, etc. See here. 
        • Next, students will create four artworks on the reverse side of each character change explanation that illustrate the character of choice at four different points in the text. Each artwork should represent the character at different points in the text as he/she has changed. These will be on the outside of the cube/box when the box is constructed. See here.

        ○ Students should think about how artists from the activator portrayed different characteristics and emotions. 

        ○ Students should also use their color wheels to help them determine what colors they will use in each illustration. 

        ● Finally, students should use tape or glue to put the cube together. Artwork should be on the outside of the cube and explanations on the inside. See here.

        Closing Reflection

        Group students in groups of 4-5. Students should see if they can determine which character from the text each of their classmates selected for their artwork. 

        Then, students should present their artwork stating which character they selected, identifying the catalyst for change, and explaining how each of their illustrations show the change the character experienced.

        Assessments

        Formative

        Teachers will assess understanding through the following questions: 

        • Are students able to explain how artists communicate characteristics and emotions visually? 
        • Are students able to identify an event or conflict that leads to change in a character and explain how that character changes over the course of the text? 
        • Are students able to connect color to emotions/characteristics?

         

        Summative

        CHECKLIST 

        • Does students’ artwork: 

        ○ Identify the event or conflict that leads to change in a character? 

        ○ Demonstrate visually and verbally how the character changes throughout the text? ○ Use color to communicate feelings and characteristics of the character? ● Are students able to present their artwork stating which character they selected, identifying the catalyst for change, and explaining how each of their illustrations show the change the character experienced?

        Differentiation

        Acceleration: Students should select one of the artworks discussed in class. Students should conduct an independent study on the artwork and artist. Students should create their artwork in the style of this artist. 

        Remediation: 

        ● Allow students to orally explain how the event or conflict changed the character. ● Allow students to use bullet points or a numbered list to explain how the event or conflict changed the character. 

        ● Allow students to work in small groups on the same artwork and character. Each student can create one small artwork that they will cut out and glue onto the box to make the collaborative artwork.

         

        ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

        ● Artworks: 

        ○ Woman with Folded Arms by Pablo Picasso 

        ○ The Scream by Edvard Munch 

        ○ Weeping Woman by Pablo Picasso 

        ○ Rembrandt Laughing by Rembrandt van Rijn 

        ○ Self Portrait in a Cap by Rembrandt van Rijn 

        ○ Sorrowing old man ('At Eternity's Gate') by Vincent Van Gogh 

        ● Cube template 

        ● Color wheel 

        ● Color and Feelings/characteristics graphic organizer

         

        *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: 2024 @ ArtsNOW
        Back to Modules

        VISUALIZING ECONOMIC SYSTEMS 6-7

        VISUALIZING ECONOMIC SYSTEMS

         

        VISUALIZING ECONOMIC SYSTEMS

        Learning Description

        In this lesson, students will explore how they can express the characteristics of different economic systems through line, shape, and color. Students will then write about their artwork explaining how their artwork shows the different characteristics of each economic system.

         

        Learning Targets

        GRADE BAND: 6-7
        CONTENT FOCUS: VISUAL ARTS & SOCIAL STUDIES
        LESSON DOWNLOADS:

        Download PDF of this Lesson

        "I Can" Statements

        “I Can…”

        • I can describe the characteristics of a command, market, and mixed economy.

        • I can use line, shape, and color to express the characteristics of different economic systems.

        • I can explain the connection between my artwork and the characteristics of different economic systems.

        Essential Questions

        • What are the characteristics of a command, market, and mixed economy?

        • How can I use line, shape, and color to express the characteristics of different economic systems?

        • How can I explain the connection between my artwork and the characteristics of different economic systems?

         

        Georgia Standards

        Curriculum Standards

        Grade 6

        SS6E, SS6E7, SS6E10 

        Analyze different economic systems. a. Compare how traditional, command, and market economies answer the economic questions of 1-what to produce, 2-how to produce, and 3-for whom to produce. b. Explain that countries have a mixed economic system located on a continuum between pure market and pure command.

         

        Grade 7

        SS7E1, SS7E4, SS7E7

        Analyze different economic systems. a. Compare how traditional, command, and market economies answer the economic questions of 1-what to produce, 2-how to produce, and 3-for whom to produce. b. Explain that countries have a mixed economic system located on a continuum between pure market and pure command.

         

        Personal Finance and Economics

        SSEF3 Analyze how economic systems influence the choices of individuals, businesses, and governments. 

        1. Analyze how command, market and mixed economic systems answer the three basic economic questions (what to produce, how to produce, and for whom to produce) to prioritize various social and economic goals such as freedom, security, equity, growth, efficiency, price stability, full employment, and sustainability.

         

         

         

         

        Arts Standards

        Grade 6

        VA6.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art. 

        VA6.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.

        VA6.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence.

        VA6.CR.4 Incorporate formal and informal components to create works of art.

         

        Grade 7

        VA7.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art. 

        VA7.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.

        VA7.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence. 

        VA7.CR.4 Incorporate formal and informal components to create works of art.

         

        High School

        VAHSAD.CR.4 Incorporate formal and informal components to create applied design art products and/or designs.

         

        VAHSAD.RE.3 Engage in the process of art criticism to make meaning and increase visual Visual Art Georgia Standards of Excellence 

         

        VAHSAH.RE.3 Compare and contrast works of art, artists, cultures, and eras based on visual and contextual evidence.

         

        VAHSAH.CN.1 Evaluate the influence of historical, political, economic, social, cultural, religious, and technological factors on the development of selected works of art from prehistoric to contemporary times and in a variety of societies 

         

        VAHSCR.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art. 

         

        VAHSAH.PR.1 Identify and discuss related themes throughout the history of art (e.g. power and authority, sacred spaces, human figure, narrative, nature, spiritual objects) as expressed in different media within each culture and time period (e.g. two-dimensional work, three-dimensional work, architecture, multi-media).

         

        VAHSAH.RE.1 Identify and describe how artistic expression is conveyed visually through subject matter, media, technique, and design (e.g. composition, color scheme). Visual Art Georgia Standards of Excellence 

         

        VAHSAHRE.2 Discuss aesthetic issues (e.g. why humans create, criteria for defining an object as art, the effect of how content affects value, standards of beauty and beauty’s role in defining art, how needs are fulfilled by art in varied societies). 

         

        VAHSAH.RE.3 Compare and contrast works of art, artists, cultures, and eras based on visual and contextual evidence. 

         

         

         

         

        South Carolina Standards

        Curriculum Standards

        Economics and Personal Finance

        Standard 1: Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental economic concepts at an individual, business, and governmental level.

        EPF.1.IN Research and utilize evidence to explain how various economic systems address the basic economic questions regarding distribution of resources.

         

         

        Arts Standards

        Artistic Processes: Creating- I can make artwork using a variety of materials, techniques, and processes.

        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.

        Artistic Processes: Responding- I can evaluate and communicate about the meaning in my artwork and the artwork of others.

        Anchor Standard 5: I can interpret (read) and evaluate the meaning of an artwork.

        Artistic Processes: Connecting- I can relate artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context.

        Anchor Standard 7: I can relate visual arts ideas to other arts disciplines, content areas, and careers.

         

         

         

         

        Key Vocabulary

        Content Vocabulary

        • Market economy - An economic system in which all economic questions are answers by consumers and producers
        • Command economy - An economic system in which all economic questions are answered by the government
        • Mixed economy - An economic system in which economic questions are answered by both the government as well as producers and consumers

         

         

        Arts Vocabulary

        • Line - One of the Elements of Art; the path of a moving point
        • Shape - One of the Elements of Art; a two-dimensional or flat object; an enclosed line
        • Color - One of the Elements of Art; how light is seen as reflected or absorbed on a surface
        • Symbol - An image that has meaning

         

         

        Materials

           

           

          Instructional Design

          Opening/Activating Strategy

          • Display the painting, Chairman Mao en Route to Anyuan by Liu Chunhua (7th grade Social Studies) or The Bolshevik by Boris Kustodiev (6th grade Social Studies). Direct students to engage in the Artful Thinking “Step Inside” protocol. In this protocol, students ask themselves: 
          • Allow students time to discuss in small groups.
          • Provide context for the painting shown: Chairman Mao and the communist revolution in China or the Russian Revolution of 1917. 
          • Engage students in a conversation about what they know about economic systems in communist and socialist countries.

           

          Work Session

          ***Teacher note: If students have not learned about market, command, and mixed economies, pause the arts integrated lesson to teach these economic systems.

          • Provide students with a graphic organizer on the three main economic systems. 
            • One column has the economic system, one has a place for students to write characteristics, and one has a place for students to draw symbols, lines, shapes, and colors that represent characteristics of that economic system.
          • Show students images of lines, shapes, and colors. 
            • Examples: A straight line might symbolize complete control while a very wavy/curly line might symbolize total freedom; a slightly wavy line would represent a mixture of both a straight and very wavy/curvy line. A solid primary color (red, blue, yellow) or white or black might symbolize something that is absolute while gray or a secondary color, which is a mix of primary colors (orange, purple, green), might symbolize a mix of two economic systems.
            • In collaborative groups, direct students to identify what they think these lines, shapes, and colors represent. 
            • Help students connect these elements of art to characteristics of the three main economic systems. 
          • Show students an example of an abstract artwork such as Cossacks by Wassily Kandinsky versus a representational artwork like Chairman Mao en Route to Anyuan or The Bolshevik. 
            • Discuss with students how abstract artists use the Elements of Art (line, shape, form, value, space, color, and texture) to communicate meaning while representational artists use recognizable images to communicate meaning. Ask students what they see in Chairman Mao en Route to Anyuan or The Bolshevik that might symbolize meaning.
          • Explain to students that they will use symbols, lines, shapes, and colors to create an artwork that represents each economic system. 
            • Students will use these elements of art to represent something representational or abstract. Whichever they choose, they should be able to explain how their use of symbols, lines, shapes, and colors communicate the characteristics of each economic system.
          • Demonstrate to students how to create a trifold with their paper. Each section will represent a different economic system. 
          • Allow students time to complete their artwork.
          • Students should then write an artist statement in paragraph format that answers the following questions:
            • What are the three economic systems and what are their characteristics?
            • How did you show the characteristics of each economic system using symbols, lines, shapes, and colors (students should  be specific citing each characteristic and how it was represented.

          Closing Reflection

          • After students have created their artwork, students should present in collaborative groups how they represented each economic system using line, shape, and color.

          Assessments

          Formative

          Teachers will assess student learning using the following criteria:

          • Are students able to explain the characteristics of command, market, and mixed economic systems?
          • Are students able to identify symbols, lines, shapes, and colors that represent the characteristics of the economic systems?

           

          Summative

          CHECKLIST

          • Does the student’s final artwork demonstrate an understanding of the three economic systems through the use of symbols, lines, shapes, and colors?
          • Does the artist statement demonstrate a logical connection between the characteristics of each system and the symbols, lines, shapes, and colors that the student used?

          Differentiation

          Acceleration: Students can choose an economic system of one of the countries they are studying. Students will use what they learned in the economic systems artwork to create one large piece of art specifically about their selected country’s economic system. Students can work with partners or independently.

          Remediation: 

          • Provide guided notes in the graphic organizer under the “characteristics” section.
          • Allow students to work in groups of three–each student will create an artwork for one economic system. Students will put their artwork together once they’ve finished.
          • Allow students to explain how they showed the characteristics of their system(s) in their artwork orally.

           

           ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

           

          *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:  2023 @ ArtsNOW
          Back to Modules

          USING TEXTURE TO CREATE PHYSICAL FEATURES 6-7

          USING TEXTURE TO CREATE PHYSICAL FEATURES

           

          USING TEXTURE TO CREATE PHYSICAL FEATURES

          Learning Description

          In this lesson, students will use the Element of Art, Texture, to create an artwork that shows thephysical and political features of a region that they are studying. Students will be able to predictwhere people live and why based on their knowledge of physical and political features.

           

          Learning Targets

          GRADE BAND: 6-7
          CONTENT FOCUS: VISUAL ARTS & SOCIAL STUDIES
          LESSON DOWNLOADS:

          Download PDF of this Lesson

          "I Can" Statements

          “I Can…”

          • I can identify important physical features, landforms, and political features in an area that I am studying.
          • I can use texture to visually communicate the various physical features I am studying.
          • I can work collaboratively with a group to create a mixed media artwork that shows the various physical and political features I am studying.
          • I can use what I know about physical features to predict where people choose to live and wh

          Essential Questions

          • How can I identify important physical and political features in an area that I am studying?
          • How can I use texture to visually communicate characteristics of various physical features that I am studying?
          • How can I work collaboratively with a group to create a mixed media artwork that shows the various physical features, landforms, and political features I am studying?
          • How can I use what I know about physical features to predict where people choose to live and why?

           

          Georgia Standards

          Curriculum Standards

          Grade 6

          SS6G1 Locate selected features of Latin America.

          SS6G3 Explain the impact of location, climate, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Latin America.

          SS6G4 Locate selected features of Canada.

          SS6G5 Explain the impact of location, climate, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Canada.

          SS6G7 Locate selected features of Europe.

          SS6G9 Explain the impact of location, climate, natural resources, and population distribution on Europe. 

          SS6G11 Locate selected features of Australia.

          SS6G12 Explain the impact of location, climate, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Australia.

           

          Grade 7

          SS7G1 Locate selected features of Africa.

          SS7G3 Explain the impact of location, climate, and physical characteristics on population distribution in Africa.

          SS7G5 Locate selected features in Southwest Asia (Middle East).

          SS7G7 Explain the impact of location, climate, physical characteristics, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Southwest Asia (Middle East).

          SS7G9 Locate selected features in Southern and Eastern Asia.

          SS7G11 Explain the impact of location, climate, physical characteristics, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Southern and Eastern Asia.

           

           

           

          Arts Standards

          Grade 6

          VA6.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art. 

          VA6.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.

          VA6.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence.

          VA6.CR.4 Incorporate formal and informal components to create works of art.

           

          Grade 7

          VA7.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art. 

          VA7.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.

          VA7.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence. 

          VA7.CR.4 Incorporate formal and informal components to create works of art.

           

           

           

           

           

          South Carolina Standards

          Curriculum Standards

          Grade 7

          Standard 1: Analyze the cultural, economic, environmental, physical, political, and population geographies of contemporary Africa.

          Standard 2: Analyze the cultural, economic, environmental, physical, political, and population geographies of contemporary Asia.

          Standard 3: Analyze the cultural, economic, environmental, physical, political, and population geographies of contemporary Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica.

          Standard 4: Analyze the cultural, economic, environmental, physical, political, and population geographies of contemporary Europe.

          Standard 5: Analyze the cultural, economic, environmental, physical, political, and population geographies of contemporary North America.

           

           

           

          Arts Standards

          Artistic Processes: Creating- I can make artwork using a variety of materials, techniques, and processes.

          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.

          Artistic Processes: Responding- I can evaluate and communicate about the meaning in my artwork and the artwork of others.

          Anchor Standard 5: I can interpret (read) and evaluate the meaning of an artwork.

          Artistic Processes: Connecting- I can relate artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context.

          Anchor Standard 7: I can relate visual arts ideas to other arts disciplines, content areas, and careers.

           

           

           

           

          Key Vocabulary

          Content Vocabulary

          • Physical feature - Natural features on the surface of the earth such as mountains and valleys

          • Political feature - A feature on a map that represents human-made boundaries like countries or cities

          • Population distribution - How population is spread throughout a region

           

          Arts Vocabulary

          • Actual texture - How something actually feels (like a sculpture)
          • Implied texture - How something looks like it would feel/how an artist wants the viewer to imagine something might feel if the viewer was there in person (example: textures portrayed in a landscape drawing or painting)
          • Actual texture - How something feels
          • Mixed media - Using different materials in one artwork

           

           

          Materials

            • White butcher paper
            • Markers
            • Pencils
            • Various materials such as aluminum foil, leaves, sticks, napkins, tissue paper, construction paper, plastic wrap, string, cotton balls, plastic bags, sand paper, etc.
            • Teacher tip: Introduce texture in art with students–ask students to bring in scrap/recyclable materials that have a variety of textures; don’t tell students what they will be doing with the materials!
                • Liquid glue
                • Teacher tip: Pour a small amount of liquid glue on a disposable plate; cut up basic kitchen sponges for students to use to apply glue to art
                  • Scissors

                   

                  Instructional Design

                  Opening/Activating Strategy

                  • Show students the artwork Sphinx’s Atelier by Robert Rauschenberg. Conduct the Harvard Project Zero Artful Thinking Strategy: See, Think, Wonder with students. First, students will identify what they see in the image. Emphasize that they should make objective observations about the artwork (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 artwork. Finally, ask students what they wonder about the image. 
                  • Facilitate a class-wide discussion around students’ observations, inferences, and questions.
                  • Ask students what they think the artwork would feel like if they could touch it. After students have shared, explain that how something feels or looks like it feels in art is called Texture. Actual texture is when someone can actually feel the texture the artist wants the viewer to see, as in a sculpture. However, actual texture can also be used on artwork like Sphinx’s Atelier because the artist intended the artwork to have a texture that could be felt. Ask students why they think an artist might make this choice.

                   

                   

                  Work Session

                    • Show students images of physical features from the regions that they are studying in class. Ask students to identify the textures that they see in the images. Ask students what types of everyday materials could they use to communicate these textures (for example, students might say aluminum foil for the Andes Mountains in South America).
                    • Next, explain to students that they will be creating an artwork about a region they are studying. Students will need to have an understanding of the physical and political features present in that region before beginning.
                    • Organize students into collaborative groups. Assign each student in the group a different region of the continent, country, or state they are studying. Together, students should label a map of the continent, country or state with the physical features and any important political features such as cities that they are required to know from the standards.
                    • Then, students should make notes on their map of what types of textures they would see at each of the physical features. 
                    • Next, students should re-draw and label their continent, country, or state on white butcher paper. 
                    • Students should then look through the materials available to them and gather materials that they could use to create each of the physical features using glue and scissors.
                    • Each student in the group should choose a section of the region about which they will make their artwork. For example, if the students are learning about South America, one student would be responsible for physical and political features in the western region of the continent, such as the Andes Mountains. Another student would be responsible for the eastern region including the Amazon Rainforest. 
                    • Each student will create the physical and political features on the portion of the map artwork they chose to represent through in their region

                    Closing Reflection

                    • Students should write an “artist statement” that includes the following information:  
                    • Allow students to conduct a gallery walk comparing and contrasting the way students communicated the physical features in the same region and in different regions. 

                    Assessments

                    Formative

                    • Teacher will assess understanding of learning by determining:

                      • Are students able to identify the important physical and political features in the regions they are studying?
                      • Are students able to explain what actual texture is and connect it to physical features?

                       

                      Summative

                      • CHECKLIST

                        • Does students’ artwork: 
                          • Include the important physical and political features in the standards?
                          • Include a range of textures to communicate the various physical features?
                        • Does students’ artist statement explain: 
                          • What they showed in their assigned area of the region and why they used the materials that they chose to represent the physical features
                          • How they used texture to communicate what the region’s physical features are like
                          • Predictions about where most people live and why

                      Differentiation

                      Acceleration: Students should make a corresponding population density map artwork. Students can choose what they want to use to represent population density–color, shape, line, symbol, etc. Students should then compare the population density map artwork to the physical and political features map artwork and make inferences about why the population is dense in some areas and sparse in others.

                      Remediation: 

                      • Provide students with a graphic organizer that states the physical feature and guided notes on the description. Add a column on the left for students to write words that describe the textures and colors that they would see.
                      • Allow students to work with partners to create their section of the artwork.
                      • Provide photos of the region for students to use as a guide as they create their artwork.
                      • Allow students to share their artist statement orally.

                       

                       ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

                       

                      *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:  2023 @ ArtsNOW
                      Back to Modules

                      Grades 6-8:
                      Circuitry & Dance

                      DANCE

                      Circuitry & Dance

                      Program Description

                      This program was originally a 6-day unit on circuitry and dance. Because of Covid-19, it was adjusted to fit a virtual audience. Students looked at the elements of dance through the concept of a simple circuit.

                       

                      Learning Targets

                      “I Can…”

                      • Explain how a circuit works.
                      • Explain the elements of a circuit and how they work together.
                      • Relate the elements of a circuit to dance elements.
                      • Communicate a message through choreography and movement.

                      Essential Questions

                      • How are circuits & choreography related?
                      • How can I use movement to illustrate the concept of a simple circuit?

                      Curriculum Standards

                      S5P2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to investigate electricity.
                      b. Design a complete, simple electric circuit, and explain all necessary components.
                      c. Plan and carry out investigations on common materials to determine if they are insulators or conductors of electricity.

                      S8P2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the law of conservation of energy to develop arguments that energy can transform from one form to another within a system.
                      b. Plan and carry out an investigation to explain the transformation between kinetic and potential energy within a system (e.g., roller coasters, pendulums, rubber bands, etc.).
                      d. Plan and carry out investigations on the effects of heat transfer on molecular motion as it relates to the collision of atoms (conduction), through space (radiation), or in currents in a liquid or a gas (convection).

                       

                      Arts Standards

                      ESD4.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process. 

                       

                      1. Explore a variety of choreographic structures, forms, and designs (e.g. AB, ABA, canon, call-response, narrative, complementary/contrasting shapes, symmetry).
                      2. Demonstrate proper dance technique while performing choreography.

                      Implement the use of props within choreography.

                       

                      ESD4.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

                       

                      a. Use movement to express an idea or feeling.

                      b. Understand how theatrical elements (e.g. costuming, lighting) contribute to the meaning of dance.

                      Content Vocabulary

                      • Source: A supply of moving electrons
                      • Voltage: electromotive force or potential difference expressed in volts.
                      • Resistance: A physical property of materials. If a material has a high resistance, it opposes the passage of a steady electric current. The lower the resistance, the easier it is to force electrons to leave atoms and move through the material.
                      • Load: A component that consumes power supplied by a power source.
                      • Current:  the time rate of flow of electric charge
                      • Wire: filament made of flexible metal
                      • Conductor: creates a pathway for electrons
                      • Insulator:  prevents the flow of electrons
                      • Pathway: a path, course, route, or way for an electrical current to flow

                      Arts Vocabulary

                      • Level: one of the aspects of movement (high, middle, low)
                      • Pathway: designs traced on the floor or through the air as a dancer moves through space.
                      • Sustained Movement: smooth and unaccented.
                      • Suspended Movement: occurs in a moment of resistance to gravity.
                      • Percussive Movement: movement with sharp starts and stops.
                      • Vibratory Movement: movement with rapid, repeated bursts of energy.
                      • Swimming Movement: movement with a repeated cycle of fall and recovery like a pendulum.
                      • Locomotor: movement that travels through space.
                      • Non-Locomotor: movement that does not travel through space.

                      Summative Assessment

                      • Students create a paper circuit that works using series circuit concepts.
                      • Students create a wearable circuit using the LilyPad Arduinos and conductive thread.
                      • Students create choreography that demonstrates the concept of energy traveling through a circuit

                      Materials

                      • LEDs
                      • Copper Tape
                      • Paper (card stock*, copy paper, construction paper)
                      • Coin Cell Batteries (one per person)
                      • Conductive Thread
                      • Lilypad LEDs
                      • Felt
                      • Thread
                      • Sewing Needles
                      • Battery holders
                      • Makey Makeys

                      *preferred

                      Visual Arts Activating Strategy (5-10 min)

                      Each day we began our class with a 15-minute dance-inspired warm-up exercise. The purpose of this activating strategy is to get their heart rates up and have them working with some of the dance skills we will be using throughout the program.

                       

                      Visual Arts Main Activity

                      PROCESS:

                       

                      Day 1:

                      • Warm up
                      • Group discussions “What is a circuit”
                        • This discussion focused on a simple circuit (switch, wire, power source, load)
                      • Group tested out ideas of what each element would look like as a movement.
                      • Group discussed Alternating Currents vs Direct Current.
                      • Group created a circuit movement inspired by an Alternating Current Circuit.  Each element in the circuit was expressed through movement and put together to form simple choreography.
                      • STEM Connection
                        • Students created “Paper Circuits” using copper tape, an LED, and a coin cell battery. This demonstrated the simple circuit we learned about.

                       

                      Day 2:

                      • Warm up
                      • Group review of “What is a circuit”
                      • Students performed group choreography illustrating AC created the previous day.
                      • Group discussed Source, Voltage, Resistance, and Load.
                      • Each student created a movement to represent each of these vocabulary words.
                      • Students taught each other their movements.
                      • Students were assigned to practice overnight.
                      • STEM Connection
                        • Students used various objects to explore with Makey Makeys.

                       

                       

                      Day 3:

                      • Warm up
                      • Group review of “What is a circuit” and shared what they created the day before.
                      • Teacher put the choreography together and students created and practiced a dance to illustrate the power of circuitry.
                      • Students used an Electric Circuit toy to create a human circuit as part of their choreography.
                      • Students listened to various songs to choose the music that best related to their choreography.
                      • STEM Connection
                        • Students learned about wearable circuits and began working on their own design.

                       

                      Day 4 (Online):

                      • Warm up/ Introduce specific dance movement (~30 minutes) (Clip)
                      • Group review of circuitry vocabulary.
                      • Students were given 5 minutes to create a new movement for their circuit vocabulary.
                      • Students shared out.
                      • Group review of what was in their bags (Felt, Coin Cell Batteries (one per person), Conductive Thread, Lilypad LEDs, Felt, Thread, Sewing Needles, & Battery holders for the long-term project to create a wearable circuit)

                       

                      Day 5:

                      • Warm up/ Introduce specific dance movement (~30 minutes)
                      • Group review of circuitry vocabulary.
                      • Group review of paper circuits and Series vs Parallel circuits.
                      • Students created “Positivity Posters” using the Paper Circuits
                      • Students also created movements that represent the message conveyed in the Positivity Poster.
                      • Demonstration of how to create a paper circuit. (Clip)

                       

                      Day 6:

                      • Warm up: Students are led through a warmup
                      • Vocabulary review in choreography- Source, current Load current source
                      • Student shared Positivity Poster and Choreography (Clip)
                      • Group Performed student choreography (Clip)

                       

                      Reflection Questions

                      • What do we know about circuits?
                      • How did our paper circuits reflect our choreography?
                      • How did your positivity poster and choreography work together?

                       

                      Additional Resources

                       

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