Justin M. Boucher
Lesson #1- An introduction to Artistic interpretation.
Pat Lyon at the Forge
Goal
To introduce my students to the process of viewing and interpreting art.
Objectives
As a result of this lesson the students will be able to,
1. Observe and Describe specific details of the painting,
Pat Lyon at the Forge.
2. Define and explain what these specific details are (i.e. what is a forge) and how they contribute to the painting.
3. Imagine how these basic details and elements contributed/effected life in the early 1800s.
Materials
Pat Lyon at the Forge
(in a format which all students can see- a slide, poster, or overhead would do nicely), pen, paper, board, marker
Anticipatory Set
Students will have 7 minutes to answer the question “What is Art?” in at least 5 lines.
Procedure
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1. The teacher will collect the answers, and explain that he will be putting a painting up, and asking them simply to describe what they see.
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2. The teacher will then display the painting in a format which all students can see and the students will simply describe what they see. If the students need prodding, or discussion gets stale, the teacher can draw their attention to specific details in the painting, which have not already been noted. Asking open-ended questions designed to solicit insightful responses will do this.
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3. While this is going on the teacher will clarify historical inaccuracies in what the students say, but will not betray any background to the painting, or lead them in any specific analytical direction.
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4. Once the basic details and action are exhausted, the teacher will guide the class into the question of meaning, through questions like why does he use that tool? What would that item be used for? Or what is he making? At this point the teacher will expect predominantly literal answers, but any answers, which deal with deeper artistic meaning will be honored and praised as well.
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5. The teacher will then pose the question, “what does this painting tell us about life in the 1800s?” and open the floor for discussion among the students.
Closure
To wrap up the lesson the teacher will ask the students to brainstorm what they learned/saw today.
Assessment/Homework
For homework the students will be asked to write one page to answer the question “Do you think this painting is completely accurate, like a photograph? Why or Why not?” This assignment will allow the teacher to gauge where each student is in terms of his or her ability to understand art as a source.
Lesson #2- Moving from observation to analysis.
War News from Mexico
Goal
To help the students view genre paintings as a source of history.
Objectives
As a result of this lesson the students will be able to,
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1. Observe and Describe specific details of the painting including the importance of figure placement,
War News from Mexico
.
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2. Explain the history behind specific elements of the painting.
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3. Evaluate the painting as a source of history.
Materials
War News from Mexico
(in a format which all students can see), pen, paper, board, marker, lecture notes on Manifest Destiny, the War with Mexico, and the Penny Press
Anticipatory Set
Students will have 7 minutes to describe a newspaper in at least 5 lines.
Procedure
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1. The teacher will brainstorm the qualities of a modern newspaper with the students (adding if necessary the concept of accuracy, and objectivity in reporting).
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2. As in the previous lesson, the teacher will then put the painting up and the students will simply describe what they see. If the students need prodding, or discussion gets stale, the teacher can draw their attention to specific details in the painting, which have not already been noted. Asking open-ended questions designed to solicit insightful responses will do this.
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3. If the importance of figure placement is not mentioned naturally by the students in their observations, the teacher will bring it up before the end and ask, “What does the placement of the woman and the African Americans say?”
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4. Once the basic details and action are exhausted, the teacher will lecture on the history of the Mexican War, Manifest Destiny and the Penny Press
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5. When this is complete the teacher will put the painting back up and ask if there is anything else that they see now that they have that information.
Closure
To wrap up the lesson the teacher will ask the students to discuss whether or not this painting is a good historical source.
Assessment/Homework
For homework the students will be asked to write one page to answer the question “Do you think this painting is a good historical source? Why or Why not?”
Lesson #3- Hypothesizing Motives.
Bargaining for a Horse.
Goal
To allow the students to hypothesize as to the motives and influences of the artist
Objectives
As a result of this lesson the students will be able to,
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1. Observe specific details from the
painting Bargaining for a Horse
and explain how certain artistic factors (figure placement, visual echoing, and line) affect the meaning of the painting.
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2. Compare their observations and their explanations with a historical source explaining Yankeeism, answering the question, “What is the artist trying to tell us about these people?”
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3. Hypothesize as to the motive of the artist.
Materials
Bargaining for a Horse
(in a format which all students can see), pen, paper, board, marker, informational packet about Yankeeism
Anticipatory Set
Students will have 7 minutes to answer the question “Are Paintings completely accurate sources of history?” in at least 5 lines.
Procedure
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1. The teacher will discuss with the students their answers.
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2. The teacher will then explain that this class will center on another painting, and that initially we are once again looking simply for observations.
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3. The teacher will then put the painting up and the students will simply describe what they see. If the students need prodding, or discussion gets stale, the teacher can draw their attention to specific details in the painting, which have not already been noted. Asking open-ended questions designed to solicit insightful responses will do this. At this point the teacher will also start introducing questions geared toward the artistic elements of the painting by introducing the notion of line (diagonal vs. horizontal) and echo (of color and shape).
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4. While this is going on the teacher will clarify historical inaccuracies in what the students say, but will not betray any background to the painting, or lead them in any specific analytical direction.
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5. Once the basic details and action are exhausted, the teacher will pose the question “What do you think the painter is saying about the people in the painting?”
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6. Teacher will then pass out packet on Yankeeism, and explain that the painting is centered on Yankeeism.
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7. The class will read the packet together.
Closure
To wrap up the lesson the teacher will ask the students to briefly discuss how this class was different from the last.
Assessment/Homework
For homework the students will be asked to write one page to answer the question “What do you think the artist thinks about the people in the painting?” This assignment will introduce the notion of the painter’s motive in a situation where they have ample evidence to attempt an answer.
Lesson #4- Artistic Analysis.
Stump Speaking.
Goal
To allow the students to analyze a painting as a work of art and as a historical source
Objectives
As a result of this lesson the students will be able to,
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1. Observe specific details from the painting
Stump Speaking
and explain how certain artistic factors (figure placement, visual echoing, and line) affect the meaning of the painting.
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2. Hypothesize as to the motives of the artist, and the message of the artist based on information from earlier in the unit
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3. Evaluate a genre painting as a work of art and as a work of history.
Materials
Stump Speaking (in a format which all students can see),
Pat Lyon at The Forge
,
Forging the Shaft,
pen, paper, board, marker,
Anticipatory Set
Students will have 7 minutes to answer the question “What makes a ‘good’ painting?” in at least 5 lines.
Procedure
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1. The teacher will discuss with the students their answers.
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2. The teacher will put up Stump Speaking and ask for observations and analysis, guiding students where necessary. The teacher will not give any of the historic background of this painting, but will ask questions based on his knowledge of that background.
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3. Once the basic details and action are exhausted, the teacher will break the class into small groups (3 or 4) and ask them to discuss and answer the question “What is the Artist trying to show?”
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4. The students will be given the chance to work on this and when it is complete, they will be asked to share their answers.
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5. The teacher will discuss with the students their answers.
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6. (This section could serve as an introduction to the final assignment as well) When the students have finished their work and discussion the teacher will then put up
Neagle
and briefly discuss what observations were made when last the class worked on it.
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7. When the students have fully explored the Neagle work, the teacher will put up John Furguson Weir’s
Forging the Shaft
. Following a similar procedure as before, but this time adding questions that draw comparisons between the two i.e. how are these paintings different? How has life changed from 1827-1877?”
Closure
To wrap up the lesson the teacher will ask the students to discuss briefly whether or not this is good art, and a good historical source.
Assessment/Homework
For homework the students will be asked to write one page to answer the question “Is this painting good art? Is this good history? Why or why not?”