The following lesson plans are designed for an eighth grade classroom. The period for each class is 52 minutes. The lesson may need to be adapted in certain ways for your classroom, but this will give you the basic format of the course. I have taken one artist, Charles Bird King, to show how the unit should work. These three lessons will take you from the observation of artwork, discussion, journal entries and sharing and a transition to the next artist. Simply repeat the pattern with the other artists.
By the time you are at this point, you’ll have already read the
Undaunted Courage
section of the textbook, discussed the importance of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and explained to the students that the expedition ushered in a new era in the settling of the American West.
Sample Lesson Plan One- The Great Chiefs come to Washington
Objectives
-
- Students will view paintings
Petalesharro, Generous Chief, Pawnee
(1821
)
and
Young Omahaw, War Eagle, Little Missouri and Pawnees
(1822).
-
- Students will share their own interpretations of the art
-
- Students will make connections between artwork and Lewis and Clark
-
- Students will be given background on artist/artwork
Materials
- Slides or pictures of artwork
Initiation
Begin the class by reminding students about how the
Undaunted Courage
excerpt mentioned that Jefferson had invited many Native Americans to Washington through Lewis and Clark. What would the chiefs look like what would they wear? Have students speculate for a few minutes in a class discussion before putting up the artwork in front of the class. Now put up the painting
Petalesharro, Generous Chief, Pawnee
(1821).
Procedure
Begin interpreting the painting by asking students to silently look for one minute. Then simply ask, “What do you see?” Follow up with the phrases discussed in the “A Note of Viewing” section of the unit. Let the students talk about the painting themselves for a few minutes before using the provided background information to give students some more information on the painting.
Follow the same procedure with the second King painting. “What do you see?” “What makes you say that, etc. Allow students to make their own discoveries before giving them the background information or the titles. But once you have shared some of that information with them, ask them to compare the paintings. What do they see in the paintings that are similar? What aspects are different? The students might mention the peace medals figures in both paintings are wearing. They might also mention the robe like clothing that the figures wear. What do the figures remind them of? Does anyone see ancient Rome in either of the paintings?
The more the students look, the more they will have to say about these and all of the paintings. Not only will they see more and want to share more, but they will gain an appreciation for art that they might not otherwise have. Children will discover that the feeling of looking at a painting and sharing one’s own interpretation is a wonderful one. Encourage and nurture this new power.
Closure
Have students choose one of the paintings and write ten adjectives describing it. Go around the room and share the students’ ideas.
Sample Lesson Two-Journal Writing
Objectives
-
- Students will review knowledge shared from yesterday’s viewing
-
- Students will review use of first person narrative in fiction writing
-
- Students will write Native American soliloquies in journals
Materials
-
- Students’ journals
-
- Images of paintings
Initiation
Begin today’s lesson by recalling some of the information shared in yesterday’s class. Put the images up for students and simply ask, “Who can share something that we said about one of these images yesterday.” Students will give you a dozen responses. Now that all the children are on the same page, ask someone to share what they think one of the paintings might say if they could speak. Some student will be glad to help you with this and even if it is the class clown who wants to be in the spotlight, make sure he or she speaks in the first person. The content of the sentence is not the point, the point of view is. Take about ten or fifteen minutes to make sure students know the difference between first person narrative and the other points of view.
Procedure
Today’s journal entry will be a Native American soliloquy. Tell students that they are one of the six Native Americans depicted in the King paintings. They have been invited to Washington and have come to meet with the president. What might the character say?
Would they be nervous or excited? Happy or sad? Have the students write a full page in their journal.
Closure
To finish up today’s lesson ask a volunteer to read what they have written so far. Students should finish what they have not yet finished for homework.
Sample Lesson Three-The Paintings’ Voices
Materials
-
- Students’ journals
-
- Images of paintings
-
- Native American music
Initiation
Try to find some music to play briefly for students at the beginning of class today. There are lots of recordings of modern Native American music available in libraries and on the Internet.
Procedure
Make sure you have the images up on the screen again today. Students will use the TAG method discussed under the “journal writing” section of this unit. Today’s lesson should be a fun one as students get to share their creative writing with each other.
Once again, write TAG vertically on the board. Next to T write “Tell something you liked.” Next to A write “Ask a Question” and next to G write “Give some advice. Have students stand up in front of the class for this portion of the lesson. They should identify the painting they are portraying and read so that both the student and the painting can be viewed. Class participation is important at this point of the lesson. Give students a chance and they will come through for you.
Closure
Bring students back to the main point of the unit by talking about how they portrayed the Native Americans in their journals. Are there any connections between how students write the soliloquies and how the artist portrayed the natives? Follow this three-lesson procedure for the remainder of the artists mentioned in the course.