Lessons and Projects
Lesson 1- Our Complex World
Some rights reserved by mcdittx on Flickr
Overview:
Nature is full of details that we often overlook. This introductory lesson explores the natural world through the eyes of Georgia O'Keeffe. Students will examine the natural world through a magnifying glass and discover details and patterns within nature that were previously unknown to them before, opening their eyes to the wide world of details that captured the attention of Georgia O'Keeffe for many years.
Estimated Completion Time:
One 50 Minute Class Period
Class Field Trip- 3 hours
Enduring Ideas/Essential Questions
- How can details help us understand the world around us?
Lesson Objectives:
The Students Will:
- Observe and analyze the artwork of Geogia O'Keeffe and how she chooses to explore the world in which she lives
- Attend a field trip to Botanical Gardens where students make observations about the details in nature, and how he natural world is full of endless details.
- Create sketches from observation and make a final watercolor that explores details in nature.
Tools and Materials:
- Chalk Pastels
- Digital Camera
- Drawing Boards
- Erasers
- Field Trip Permission Form
- Magnifying Glass
- Paintbrushes
- Pencils
- Sealable water cups
- Sketchbooks
- Water
- Watercolor Paint
- Watercolor Paper
Introduction:
To introduce the lesson, students will discuss Georgia O'Keeffe and her flower enlargements. Students will participate in analyzing the discussion questions and recognize the relationship between Georgia O'Keeffe's detailed artworks and the world around us. Students will then take a walk around the school and use their sketchbooks to explore details through chalk pastel rubbings.
Discussion Questions:
- What happens to an object when you look at something through a magnifying glass?
- What details do people often miss in nature?
- How did Geordia O'Keeffe loo at nature differently than others?
Process:
Students will...
- Take a field trip to a nearby Botanical garden.
- Create 10 sketches of different flowers, leaves, or textures while looking at them from under a magnifying glass.
- participate in a demonstration where the teacher shows how to choose the best composition from your sketches and use watercolors to create a detailed enlargement from life.
- Choose the most interesting composition from the sketches and return to create a detailed watercolor using watercolor paper, watercolors, and a magnifying glass.
- Return to the classroom and participate in class critique and discussion on the different points of view students used to explore details in nature.
- Complete self evaluation.
Assessment:
Formative:
- Class discussion- Students will participate in class discussion with their peers, analyze the artwork of Georgia O'Keeffe and the importance of details in her artwork, and its relevance to the world around us.
- Rubbings- Students will participate in an exploration project where they choose detailed objects and create a collage of different rubbings showing their understanding of objects that contain details we sometimes overlook.
- Sketchbook exercises- Students will create 10 sketches at the botanical garden to demonstrate their understanding of using a magnifying glass and creating compositionally strong drawings that focus on the details.
Summative:
- Self Evaluation- Students will complete a self evaluation where they evaluate what they have learned throughout the lesson.
- Project Rubric
Artists:
Georgia O'Keeffe
Lesson 2- Life Under a Microscope
Photo- Laura Keeney
Overview:
After students create studies and analyze the natural world with the naked eye, students will take a step further and begin examining the life that happens that we can't see. Dennis Kunkel, a microscopic photographer, explores details, color and composition through a microscope. Students will analyze the microscopic images of Dennis Kunkel, explore their own images through a microscope, and create artwork based on microscopic details.
Estimated Completion Time:
Five 50 Minute Class Periods
Enduring Ideas/Essential Questions
- Why do people include details in their artwork?
- How can details help us understand the world around us?
Lesson Objectives:
Students will:
- Analyze artwork of Dennis Kunkel and how his artwork explores the world in a unique way.
- Participate in class discussion comparing Dennis Kunkel's artwork and the details that explain him as an artist and scientist.
- Create an artwork based on composition, color, and design of microscopic images.
Tools and Materials:
- Dennis Kunkel Powerpoint
- Erasers
- Glue
- High Magnification Microscopes
- Oil Pastels
- Paintbrushes
- Pencils
- Sketchbooks
- Tissue paper
- Water
- Water Cups
- Watercolor Paints
- Watercolor Paper
Introduction:
Students will look at a variety of objects through high magnification microscopes and describe and explain design characteristics of what they see in the microscope. Students do not know what objects are in the microscope, and they are to describe and write/sketch the details that they see. Every two minutes, students will move to a new microscope and begin a new sketch. Once all students have sketches of the objects under the microscope, students will split into groups and given the task of working together to try and recreate the details of a particular microscopic object form collaborative memory.
Process:
Students will...
- Participate in a powerpoint discussion and analyze how Dennis Kunkel combines Science, Art, and details in his Microscopic Photography.
- Analyze how Dennis Kunkel's art relates to him personally.
- Find and choose objects from home that relate to themselves and bring them in to be examined under a microscope. (i.e., lint they find under their couch, hair they find in their hairbrush, etc)
- Create a composition under a microscope with tiny objects they bring from home.
- Create a multimedia project that focusses on the details of their microscopic object. - Example
- Participate in class discussion on objects chose to represent them and their point of view through details.
- Complete self evaluation.
Assessment:
Formative:
- In Process Sketches- Students will complete quick in process sketches focussing on details. This demonstrates the students ability to focus on the importance of the details in the exercise.
- Student Collaboration- Students will collaborate with others to explore and analyze the different details students focused on in the sketchbook activity.
Summative
- Self Evaluation- Students will complete a self evaluation where they evaluate what they have learned throughout the lesson.
- Project Rubric
Dennis Kunkel
Lesson 3- Culture Through the Details
Photo- Laura Keeney
Overview:
Different cultures throughout history have used details to communicate different ideas and values about their culture of the time. Most of the time, these processes and values still continue today. Once students explore the details of the world around them including the details of life within themselves, now students will explore how details carry on through generations, and how these details exhibit the engrained values within a culture for generations.
Estimated Completion Time:
Seven-Eight 50 minute class periods
Enduring Ideas/Essential Questions
- What can details tell us about the artist or the culture?
Lesson Objectives:
Students will:
- Compare and contrast how different cultures choose to explore details in their artwork
- Conduct research on one of the suggested cultures or one that relates to them personally and explore why these details are important.
- Prepare a presentation with a partner that analyzes cultures and the processes they endure to keep thei heritage and traditions intact.
- Create an artwork in the style of the culture they research that includes their personal history.
Tools and Materials:
- Computers
- Internet access
- Individual Group Project Materials Based on Availability
- Microsoft Powerpoint
Introduction:
Students will enter the classroom with different cultural reproductions at their group tables. In groups, students will compare and contrast how these different cultures use details in their artwork. Students will present their findings to others and as a class analyze, observe, and make hypothesis about why these cultures chose to include details within their artwork.
Process:
Students will...
- Research a culture and their artwork to explore how and why they use details in their artwork and the processes they endure to keep their heritage and traditions intact.
- Create a presentation presenting their research findings to the class.
- Brainstorm and sketch connections between their cultural research and their personal lives. (Venn Diagram or Word Web.)
- Conduct a project proposal to the teacher proposing an art project that includes their research as well as an element of their personal history that relates to the cultural values as well (ie- religion, traditions, importance of materials etc).
- Collect materials necessary after getting approval from the teacher.
- Create an original artwork that includes the ideas and details of the culture they researched as well as a personal element.
- Meet with the teacher on a regular basis for demonstrations, questions, and project development.
- Participate in class discussion and critique that where students are given a chance to explain their project to others.
Assessment:
Formative
- Discussion- Students will collaborate with others and exhibit understanding of the connection between cultures and their details.
- Research- Students will conduct research to exhibit their understanding of the connections between cultural heritage and the artwork it produces.
- Brainstorming and Sketches- Students' brainstorming and sketches will demonstrate understanding of the cultural and personal connections in artwork.
Summative
- Project Proposal: Students will be graded on the relevance between personal connections and that of the culture they researched.
- Self Evaluation- Students will complete a self evaluation where they evaluate what they have learned throughout the lesson.
- Project Rubric
Artists:
Lesson 4- Making Details Personal
Some rights reserved by Cea on Flickr
Overview:
In a culminating project, students will look at the artwork of Chuck Close and David Hockney. Students will analyze what details within their life explain who they are as Humans; as students, as teenagers, as artists, as brothers or sisters, as sons or daughters, or as friends. Students will choose a familiar place or object and digitally photograph the details that show who they are. Students will compile these photographs in Photoshop to create a Hockney style montage compiled of the details that define them.
Estimated Completion Time:
Four 50 Minute Class Periods
Enduring Ideas/Essential Questions
Lesson Objectives:
Students will:
Tools and Materials:
Introduction:
Students will brainstorm places and objects that are important to them. These places should include details that give others hints as to who they are. i.e.- bedrooms, desks, lockers, bookshelves, favorite places, etc). Students will share their ideas with others while discussing the artwork of David Hockney.
Process:
Students will...
Assessment:
Formative
Summative:
Artists:
In a culminating project, students will look at the artwork of Chuck Close and David Hockney. Students will analyze what details within their life explain who they are as Humans; as students, as teenagers, as artists, as brothers or sisters, as sons or daughters, or as friends. Students will choose a familiar place or object and digitally photograph the details that show who they are. Students will compile these photographs in Photoshop to create a Hockney style montage compiled of the details that define them.
Estimated Completion Time:
Four 50 Minute Class Periods
Enduring Ideas/Essential Questions
- Why do people include details in their artwork?
Lesson Objectives:
Students will:
- Compare and contrast the artworks of David Hockney and Chuck Close and how they use details to communicate themselves as artists.
- Particiapate in class discussion exploring ideas, objects, or places that could be used to show details about who they are.
- Create a photomontage on photoshop created from photos they took of a place or object they chose.
Tools and Materials:
- Digital Camera - One for each Student
- Computers
- Photoshop
Introduction:
Students will brainstorm places and objects that are important to them. These places should include details that give others hints as to who they are. i.e.- bedrooms, desks, lockers, bookshelves, favorite places, etc). Students will share their ideas with others while discussing the artwork of David Hockney.
Process:
Students will...
- Participate in a demonstration as to how David Hockney used a camera to create a photomontage of a particular place.
- First choose a location in the school to practice using a digital camera to capture details of a location.
- Then use a digital camera to photograph many different photos of a place or object that is important to them.
- Bring in the photos and upload them to a network folder labeled with their name.
- Participate in a photoshop tutorial.
- Upload photos to photoshop and create a montage of their favorite place.
- Print their final product and frame for display.
- Participate in class critique.
- Complete self evaluation.
Assessment:
Formative
- Brainstorming- Students will demonstrate understanding of how details included in their personal lives can show who they are.
- Demonstration and Tutorials- Teacher will establish an understanding of technology through tutorials and questioning.
Summative:
- Self Evaluation- Students will complete a self evaluation where they evaluate what they have learned throughout the lesson.
- Project Rubric
Artists: