To further enhance
my students’ understanding and appreciation of art and literature:
Students will visit a variety of web sites about the novel “Chasing
Vermeer”
http://scholastic.com/titles/chasingvermeer/index.htm
http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/tradebooks/editor/lszabla_may2004.htm
http://adifferentplace.org/vermeer.htm
Students will
investigate the 17th C Delft school of painting, Vermeer and
his art, using classroom books, magazines, photos and Internet
research.
Students will compare and contrast the
work of Vermeer to that of Rembrandt and Van Gogh.
Students will recreate Vermeer interiors,
as they sketch student models in genre painting poses.
Students will explore
the challenges of pentominoes, (5 squares used to join together
to make plane shapes).
Students
will interpret and appreciate the unique paintings style of each of
these artists and solve design problems as they explore perspective,
scale, and point of view.
Through the use of
technology and the Internet, students are given the opportunity to visit
the art collection of famous museums without leaving their bedroom! By
exploring the following web sites, students are provided a wealth of
knowledge on the history of Vermeer as well as reading book reviews and
playing games presented from these collections.
http://essentialvermeer.20m.com/
http://ballandclaw.com/vermeer
http://ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/vermeer
By reading this
novel, and viewing images on the web, classroom posters, books and
magazines, students become familiar with a variety of Vermeer’s artworks
and are able to share their knowledge with their classmates. They learn
to interpret and appreciate his unique painting style, as well as
compare and contrast his works. They were now able to express
themselves using his genre technique, new vocabulary, methods, and art
mediums. Hopefully they will recognize the art of the 17th C
helped set the stage for much of what we know today as modern art and
photography.
Target Students
This lesson has been
created for seventh grade major art talent class. However, it is easily
adaptable to all age groups:
- K-12
- After school classes
- Community organization groups
- Scouting
- Senior citizen groups
- College level courses
The class meets for
three forty-minute periods per week in the art classroom. This unit can
usually be completed in six weeks. Library visits and computer lab
visits aid in the exploration of this artist. Students have Internet
access at home, which lends itself to my assigning homework to gather
additional research and background information at home.
Standards Addressed
This unit fulfills
the New York State Learning Standards for the Arts, English Language
Arts, Math, and Technology, as well as the New York City Blueprint for
Teaching and Learning in the Arts.
The Arts:
Standard 1.
Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts.
Students will
actively engage in the processes that constitute creation in the visual
arts.
Standard 2.
Knowing and Using Arts Materials and Resources.
Students will be knowledgeable about and make use of the materials and
resources available for participation in the arts.
Standard 3.
Responding to and Analyzing Works of Art.
Students will
respond critically to a variety of works in the arts, connecting the
individual work to other works and to aspects of human endeavor and
thought.
Standard 4.
Understanding the Cultural Contributions of the Arts.
Students will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural
forces that shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape
the diverse cultures of past and present society.
English Language
Arts:
Standard 1.
Language for Information and Understanding.
Students will read,
write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Standard 2.
Language for Literary Response and Expression.
Students will read, write, listen and speak for literary response and
expression.
Standard 3. Language for
Critical Analysis and Evaluation.
Students will read,
write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Math:
In disseminating the
math standards, non-math teachers also are expected to demonstrate to
their students the connections between math and other areas of daily
life. "Although mathematics should be emphasized, the connection to all
the disciplines should be stressed," said Dr. Judith Rizzo, deputy
chancellor for Instruction.
The New York City
edition of the math standards is being distributed with Sł --
Students Setting Standards, a brochure created by New York City
public school students that helps explain to their fellow students the
need for higher standards in mathematics and why it is essential for
their future success.
Technology:
Standard 5.
Technology. Students will
apply technological knowledge and skills to design, construct, use and
evaluate products and systems to satisfy human and environmental needs.
NYC Blueprint
for Teaching and Learning in the Arts
Visual Arts
Benchmarks Grades K-12 / Grade
8: Through
close observation and sustained investigation, students develop
individual and global perspectives in art, utilize the principles of
art, solve design problems, and explore perspective, scale, and point of
view.