Direct/Cooperative Lesson: Mini Art History

Topic: Art history

Duration: 3 days
Grade Level: 6th
Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is for students to have exposure to a better understanding of some
of the important artists across time. They get to experience it in a fun way, making bookmark shrinky
dinks.
Materials:
Shrinky Dinks
Colored pencils
Fine-point Sharpies
Hole punch
Ribbon
Beads
Artist fact sheets
Famous artwork coloring pages (miniaturized)
Color photographs of each of the images
Standards/Benchmarks:
PERFORM
ART.VA.I.6.1 Understand the varying qualities of materials, techniques, media technology, and
processes at a developing level.
ART.VA.I.6.2 Develop the concept of proper use of art materials and using tools safely and
responsibly.
ART.VA.I.6.3 Develop a successful visual vocabulary.
ART.VA.I.6.4 Develop reflective thinking skills by observing, analyzing, and critically
evaluating works of art for the purpose of improving technical quality.
ART.VA.I.6.5 Produce and exhibit a final product that demonstrates quality craftsmanship and
technique at a developing level.
CREATE
ART.VA.II.6.1 Identify, design, and solve creative problems at a developing level.
ART.VA.II.6.2 Develop and apply critical thinking strategies through the art making process at
a developing level
ANALYZE
ART.VA.III.6.1 Observe, describe, and analyze visual characteristics at a developing level.
ART.VA.III.6.2 Develop the skill of interpreting artwork, searching for embedded meaning,
function, and personal connections at a developing level.
ART.VA.III.6.4 Develop critical thinking strategies, observing, comparing, and contrasting
artworks.
ART.VA.III.6.5 Develop and defend informed aesthetic opinions about works of art using
artistic vocabulary at a developing level.
ANALYZE IN CONTEXT
ART.VA.IV.6.3 Decode and interpret artwork to discern between prejudice and tolerance, bias,
and fact at a developing level.

Objectives:
1. SWBAT articulate facts and opinions about the artist in their bookmark.
2. SWBAT critique the famous artwork itself compared to their drawing of it as well as critique
their classmates drawings alongside their own as well.
Anticipatory Set:
The students will meet at the front of the room to learn a quick fact about each artist. Then, they are
handed a random coloring book artwork that they will then receive facts on in the second session. The
facts they learn that day are the artists names and the movement of artwork they were involved in
(cubism, impressionism, etc.).
Input:
First, the students will do the anticipatory set. Once they get the artwork they will focus on, they
will get their piece of shrinky dink and hole punch the top-middle in order to add ribbon an beads later.
Secondly, the students will get their fine-point Sharpies to trace the outlines given on the
coloring book pages that were printed for them, this is to ensure the drawing is accurate in scale and
composition.
Wrapping up the first day, we go over what is going to be happening next week, and that these
are going to be fundraisers for Arts and Idols night, which raises money for the art program. They then
learn they get to make pendants to take home, which they will create the third class.
The second day, students come back to color their artworks by layering colored pencils. After
they color in the work, they all get a small fact sheet with a comparison chart on it. They are then
instructed to meet with someone who has a different artist than them, and they compare and contrast
the two artists' work and the facts given about them.
They will then go back to their shrinky dink and either add one fact about the artist, or a quote
said by the artist, to their shrinky dink in black Sharpie.
At the end of the class, the artworks are collected to be taken and baked. The students will finish
the small details on the third class, where they will add beads and ribbon to complete their bookmark.
Modeling:
Students will be given a demonstration on layering colored pencils.
Check for Understanding: Teacher walks around the room checking the colored pencil layering, as
well as asking students about what they talked about during the critique.
Guided Practice:
Closure: At the end of the first day, students learned they would be making pendants, which could be
whatever they choose. So, they were told to gather ideas for what they wanted to make.
Independent Practice: Students are given time to work with a partner to compare and contrast their
artworks/artists on an exit slip.
Adaptations/differentiations: There are no students in the classes making these that have any extreme
disabilities, however, there are some students with ADD and ADHD. The work will be shared with a
partner so that they all can hold each other accountable to getting the task done in a timely fashion,
without major distractions. If these students need to refocus, we will play vitamin string quartet music,
with no talking. This will help those students focus and complete their artwork on time.

Exit Slip- Mini Art History

DIRECTIONS: Now that you have gotten to know your artist and their artwork a
little bit more, you will have a compare/contrast critique with someone in the class
that has a different artist than you! Fill out the chart below :)

Artist
1:_____________________

Similarities

Artist
2:_____________________

I like my artist
because_____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________.
One thing I liked about my partners artist
was_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
________________.

VINCENT VAN GOGH

Born-30 March 1853

Died- 29 July 1890

A post-impressionist painter

Post-Impressionism-artwork created based on emotions

Wrote a series of letters to his younger brother, which later became published in a book. It gives
us a clearer picture of exactly who Van Gogh was.

FAMOUS QUOTES:
I dream of painting and then I paint my dream
Great things are done by a series of small things brought together
If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint', then by all means paint and that voice will be
silenced
What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
I don't know anything with certainty, but seeing the stars makes me dream

PABLO PICASSO

born-25 October 1881

born in Spain

died-8 April 1973

known for co-founding the Cubist movement

Cubism-breaking down objects and analyzing them, changing them into somewhat geometric
inspired forms.

FAMOUS QUOTES:
learn the rules like a pro, break the rules like an artist
The world doesn't make sense, so why should I paint pictures that do?
All children are artists, the problem is remaining an artist when we grow up
The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away

JOAN MIRO

Born-20 April 1893

Died-25 December 1983

Surrealism-aimed at expressing imaginative dreams and visions free from conscious

rational control

Born in Barcelona

Went to Law School and Art School

FAMOUS QUOTES:
I try to apply colors like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music
In a picture, it should be possible to discover new things every time you see it. But you can
look at a picture for a week together and never think of it again. You can also look at a
picture for a second and think of it all your life.

HENRI MATISSE

Born-31 December 1869

Died-3 November 1954

Known for his paintings and cut paper art

Part of the Fauve movement-which focused on bright colors, related to impressionism

FAMOUS QUOTES:
Drawing is like making an expressive gesture with the advantage of permanence.
Creativity takes courage
In the beginning you must subject yourself to the influence of nature. You must be able to walk firmly
on the ground before you start walking on a tightrope

MUNCH

Born: 12 December 1863

Died: 23 January 1944

Norwegian painter and printmaker

The 1895 pastel version of The Scream sold at auction on 2 May 2012 for
US$119,922,500

The Scream is his most famous artwork, which is said to show man's anxiety

He majorly influenced the German Expressionist movement.

FAMOUS QUOTES:

I painted the picture, and in the colors the rhythm of music quivers. I painted the colors I
saw
Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye... it also includes the inner pictures of the soul

SALVADOR DALI

Born: 11 May 1904

Died:23 January 1989

Part of the Surrealist movement

Surrealism-aimed at expressing imaginative dreams and visions free from conscious

rational control

Persistence of Memory is his most famous artwork

It is said that the melting clocks symbolize that time is relative and not fixed.

FAMOUS QUOTES:
Mistakes are almost always of a sacred nature. Never try to correct them. On the contrary:
rationalize them, understand them thoroughly. After that, it will be possible for you to
sublimate them.
Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings.
Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it.

GEORGIA O'KEEFFE

born-November 15, 1887

died-March 6, 1986

Studied art at the Art Institute of Chicago

Best known for her paintings of zoomed in flowers, New York skyscrapers, and New Mexico
landscapes

O'Keeffe was one of seven children

FAMOUS QUOTES:
I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I

had no words for.

Nothing is less real than realism. Details are confusing. It is only by selection, by elimination, by emphasis,
that we get at the real meaning of things.

Someone else's vision will never be as good as your own vision of your self. Live and die with it 'cause in
the end its all you have. Lose it and you lose yourself and everything else.