Teacher's Page, Studio, Art, Glencoe Online

Museums Tours Around the World

Overview

In this activity, students will use the Internet to travel around the world and explore five or six museums of their choice. They will describe each museum--its architecture, its history, its cultural influences--and explore a few of the galleries within. While on location at each site, they will identify a favorite work of art or artifact, tell what they have learned about it, and explain why they chose it.

Objectives

To become familiar with different museums around the world and the special features of each
To tour the online museums and identify works of art within galleries or exhibitions
To learn about the history, architecture, and cultural influences of each museum

Getting Started

Encourage students to choose a starting location near their home or in a part of the world that interests them. Discuss students' particular interests and fascination with places and cultures to generate excitement. Help them to understand that an online visit to a museum, like an actual one, is a multi-faceted experience. In addition to displaying and housing artworks, museums are often designed with spaces that stimulate the mind and imagination of visitors. Some sense of the architecture and design elements of the buildings and/or grounds will be conveyed in the web site. Most sites also provide information on events and activities sponsored by the museum. Once students have selected their museums, give them ample time to explore the various galleries and exhibits, and to identify favorite artworks or artifacts. Encourage students to look at this activity as a series of adventures into different cultures. Ask them to think about what aspects of history each museum's particular holdings help preserve.

Classroom Follow-Up

If students are able to download images and print them out, have them do so. Instruct them to keep the prints in a portfolio, clearly labeled with credit line information. After completing this activity, students may give brief presentations to the class on the museum they liked the best, including a description of the various exhibits, the most famous works, and any special activities offered.

Be A Museum Curator

Overview

In this activity, students will create a small exhibit by choosing artworks from the various pre-selected sites based on a theme. They will record the necessary information for each artwork on display, and they will write a brief description of each work, telling why it fits the theme. Once they have completed these tasks, they will write an introduction that would be suitable for a program or poster advertising their art show.

Objectives

To understand the decision-making process of a museum curator: to learn to make choices and to organize a virtual art exhibit based on a theme
To learn about specific artworks and to present that information in a coherent manner

Getting Started

Explain to students the role and responsibilities of a museum curator. Discuss the different ways art shows can be organized, and give some specific examples of actual exhibits if possible, perhaps from the museum and gallery listings in the newspaper. Emphasize the value of having a theme, but also explain that themes can be conceived in many different ways. Many curators combine themes, such as "Nature and Photography," "African Masks," or "Ceramics from the Far East." Students need not be limited to the examples given. Ask students to think about the kind of experience they want the visitor to their art show to have. What display techniques would they use to create this experience? What kinds of information will the display provide the viewer?

Classroom Follow-Up

If students are able to download images and print them out, have them do so. If the appropriate software is available, encourage students to create their exhibits on the computer using a presentation in Hyperstudio, Powerpoint, or other software. Once they have written introductions to their exhibits, students may construct miniature exhibits by mounting the images of their chosen works on posterboard or a classroom wall and creating a poster to advertise the exhibit.The class can then "visit" each exhibit and offer comments and critiques.

Pictures Worth a Thousand Words

Overview

In this activity, students will study two pictures that convey a story. Although they may not necessarily grasp the original intention of the artist, they will look for narrative elements in each artwork, such as characterization, symbolism, theme, and plot. They will then synthesize these elements into a story of their own creation.

Objectives

To understand the narrative dimensions of art
To learn to analyze a picture in terms of its details, such as characters, symbols, themes, and storyline
To create a story based on an understanding of a picture

Getting Started

Show students several photographs or prints and ask them to fill in the details about the people, places, or activities depicted. You might ask students to find old photos of their own and try to reconstruct the history or significance of those images. Discuss how paintings and pictures can capture a single moment, and, at the same time, tell an entire story from beginning to end through detail, color, shadow, and symbol. Remind students that all good stories, whether told with words or images, include setting, character(s), and the depiction of an event. Encourage students to use their imaginations as they study the pictures, but help them to stay true to the content of the works. Have them imagine themselves as participants in the visual stories, and remind them that, as observers, they are also important participants in the process of interpretation.

Classroom Follow-Up

Once students have written their own short stories, have them present their works to the class in the form of a dramatization or a reading. Encourage their classmates to respond with questions and commentary. Alternatively, you may extend the activity by having the students draw or paint their own pictures based on the stories they have written.

Archeologist's Journal

Overview

In this activity, students will adopt the role of archaeologist. They have been hired to research ancient artifacts and document their findings in their journals for a museum exhibit. They will record detailed information about three artifacts and discuss the cultural or historical significance of each. They will also explain why they have selected each piece.

Objectives

To learn the importance of recording accurate information for scientific purposes
To understand the tasks and activities of an archaeologist
To make connections between ancient artifacts and cultural practices or values

Getting Started

Motivate students by asking them to discuss ancient artifacts or monuments they have seen (or seen pictures of). Remind them that many of these artifacts are known to us only because of the important work done by archaeologists. Explain that archaeology is a science of discovery as well as analysis and explanation. Archaeologists not only uncover cultural treasures and objects, but also figure out how they were used, why they were created, and what they may have meant to the people who created them. Tell students to pay close attention to detail as they write about their findings in their journals. As scientists, they must be responsible for accurate data recording. However, when it comes to explaining the significance of the objects and the students' opinions about them, encourage them to use their own words rather than copy text from the web site.

Classroom Follow-Up

Once students have completed their worksheets, have them use the sketches or downloaded images to create a classroom exhibit called "Art of the Earliest Times." Have students display and provide factual information for each artifact. Teams of students can give brief presentations on the artifacts and their significance. Members of the class may act as a panel of curators and vote on which artifacts to keep in the classroom exhibit. This activity can also be enhanced by asking students to do additional research on the cultures and then present their findings to the class.

Visiting an Artist

Overview

In this activity, students will visit four or five pre-selected artists' home pages, then choose two artists to write about on the worksheet. They will learn about the background of each artist, as well as the personal perspectives each has on his or her artwork. Students will gain a sense of what influences and inspires these artists, and they will imagine themselves as future artists with their own unique perspective.

Objectives

To discuss and compare different influences and media

To gain a sense of the diversity of contemporary artistic endeavors

Getting Started

Before students begin the worksheet, explore the idea of inspiration in general, and give some varied examples. Discuss the different ways works of art can emphasize ideas or messages. Ask students to consider whether the artists they are visiting have specific messages to convey or concerns to express. Encourage students to put the artists' ideas and background information into their own words rather than copying text from the screen. Generate enthusiasm by asking students to imagine themselves as successful artists. Ask them to think about what they would like to accomplish through their art. Direct them to choose for this activity those artists they most admire or find most interesting.

Classroom Follow-Up

Once students have completed their worksheets and profiles, have them put together small portfolios of their own works. Have them include biographical information and written discussions similar to what they found on the artists' web sites. If you have the appropriate computer capabilities, your class can create a web page profiling each student.

Explore Art Schools

Overview

In this activity, students will visit the web sites of several art schools, study the programs and admissions requirements, and write a letter explaining why they wish to attend the school they like the best.

Objectives

To learn about the offerings and entrance requirements of different art schools around the country
To begin to envision the possibility of further education in the arts
To gain a sense of opportunities and choices available in art education

Getting Started

Discuss with students the kinds of activities and courses offered in art schools and summer art programs. Also, explain the purpose of attending such schools, and give them a sense of the career opportunities available for art school graduates. Instruct them to answer the questions on the worksheet carefully, but also encourage them to think of additional questions they may have. Guide them in the organization and expression of ideas as they work on their letters. Instruct them to revise and edit their prose carefully. Once they are familiar with several programs, you may want to generate group interest by asking them to discuss what they would look for in a program. Encourage students to begin to think about setting educational and career goals for themselves.

Classroom Follow-Up

To give students a better idea of what is involved in the application process, ask each student to request, in writing, application materials from the school of their choice. Once these arrive, have students share the materials with their classmates and make comparisons. In addition, ask students to read their own letters to the group, and then allow the group to evaluate and discuss the merits of each letter.

Meet the Masters

Overview

In this activity, students will visit web sites devoted to such master artists as Michelangelo, da Vinci, Monet, Renoir, and van Gogh. They will learn about each artist's locale, lifestyle, influences, and techniques. They will view several of each artist's masterpieces on screen, and they will compose a fictional yet fact-based interview with their favorite master.

Objectives

To learn about some of the greatest artists the world has known
To organize and synthesize new information in the form of an imaginary written dialogue

Getting Started

The sites in this activity are highly informative. In addition to providing many examples of each artist's work, the sites also give extensive background information and descriptions of the movement(s) with which each artist is associated. Allow students enough time to process this material and to view the images of the artists' works. Encourage students to answer the questions on the worksheet in their own words. Ask them to define important terms carefully and record information accurately. If possible, supplement this activity with larger images of some of the artworks for students to view. Provide students with a structure to follow when writing their interviews. Remind them that the master's answers to their questions in the interview should reflect the facts they have learned from the web sites.

Classroom Follow-Up

After students have completed their worksheets and reports, organize the class into groups and instruct each group to compose a short play or stage a fictional dialogue among the different artists. Students should make use of the information they have learned to give an accurate portrayal of each master. Tell students to pick which artist they want to portray, then have them act out the play or dialogue. If time and resources permit, encourage students to create their own costumes for their roles.

Cultural Treasures of the World

Overview

In this activity, students will visit four or five web sites to learn about different cultural treasures. They will select four artifacts to study, and they will make connections between the artifacts and the particular cultures in which these treasures are located. Then, they will write a paragraph to share with the class on their favorite cultural treasure.

Objectives

To learn about specific cultural treasures and present the information coherently
To understand the significance or importance of particular artworks to the cultures that created them

Getting Started

Discuss with students the idea of a cultural artifact and different ways in which artworks are valued. For example, the value of an object can be determined by its historical, religious, or social significance. Ask students to think of examples from their own cultural or religious backgrounds as well as examples of some of the American cultural treasures they have seen or heard about. Encourage students to find out as much as they can about the different cultures they encounter in this activity. If possible, provide additional materials or guide students to do additional research where needed. Some of the artworks or artists represented in this activity correspond to "Connections" pages in the Glencoe textbooks. Encourage students to be open-minded and conscious of the fact that cultures differ and that viewers inevitably bring their own cultural biases to new experiences. At the same time, help students find the similarities or universal qualities shared by many of these works.

Classroom Follow-Up

Have students share their completed paragraphs with the class. Then, organize them into teams and have them plan and produce a videotape depicting a cultural tradition or cultural art form from their own community. Examples may include dance, music, or cooking, as well as artworks. Have students begin by creating a storyboard or script. If video equipment is not available, students may present their tradition in photos or by way of an actual demonstration, depending on the form of cultural expression they choose. Be sure to focus students' attention on the cultural significance of the tradition they present.

Artists' Favorite Places

Overview

In this activity, students will visit web sites depicting the favorite places of artists such as Claude Monet and Winslow Homer. They will learn about the artists and their relationships to these places, and they will study and make comparisons between photographic images of the locations and some of the paintings modeled after these places.

Objectives

To introduce students to the importance of geographical influence on artists' works
To begin to analyze an artist's pictorial interpretation of a landscape or seascape

Getting Started

To begin, discuss some of the features of landscape painting in general. You might add to the information provided on the sites by discussing in greater detail the movements and styles associated with the artists. Encourage students to write detailed responses to the questions on the worksheet. Their answers should reflect the factual information provided, but should also show the steps of art criticism. If students have difficulty making comparisons between the photos and the paintings, try demonstrating a point-by-point comparison in class. You may find it helpful to focus their attention on the elements of light, color, and shape, and the principles of movement, balance, and mood.

Classroom Follow-Up

If possible, have students find and bring in photos or postcards of their own favorite places. Direct students to paint or draw a picture based on the actual qualities of the locale as well as the feelings or sensations they have experienced while there. Once students have completed their artworks, ask the class to interpret the mood of each picture, and have each student artist respond by explaining what he or she wanted to convey.

Critique Web Site Designs

Overview

In this activity, students will visit various web sites in order to evaluate their aesthetic and design elements. Student critiques will be based on recognizing and rating the use of various elements and principles of art. In particular, they will consider the designer's use of line, shape or form, texture, color, and space, as well as balance, emphasis, harmony, variety, and proportion. Once they have analyzed and rated three web sites, students will design a web page of their own on paper.

Objectives

To practice critical evaluation based on art elements and principles
To encourage appreciation of design elements and principles

Getting Started

First review the elements and principles of art as they are presented in the text. It may help to evaluate the design of a web page collectively before students begin on their worksheets. In addition to evaluating the visual layout and design elements of these sites, students may want to comment on sounds used or how different screens are accessed. As you focus students' attention on the artistic elements of each site, encourage them to consider the ways a web site appeals to their senses and sparks their interest. For the second part of the activity, show the class examples of student web pages before they begin to design their own. Provide guidelines and a format to follow.

Classroom Follow-Up

If you have the appropriate technology, work with students to create a web page for the class. Have each student contribute ideas to the design of the site, and organize the class into groups responsible for separate decisions and tasks. If this follow-up activity is not feasible on the Internet, you may simply do it on paper.

Artists and WPA

Overview

In this activity, students will learn about the impact of the Depression, the Works Progress Administration (WPA), and the New Deal on art and artists of the 1930s. They will see examples of different types of art presented thematically at the web site of the National Archives in Washington, D.C. On their worksheets, students will respond to questions that ask them to reflect on their new knowledge and express their understanding of the art of the times.

Objectives

To learn about the WPA and its impact on American art during the Great Depression
To make connections between art and larger social issues

Getting Started

Begin the activity by reading and discussing the introduction to the web site as a class. If possible, provide additional materials to support the social studies connection to the Great Depression, particularly to Roosevelt's New Deal. Showing the students larger facsimiles of Depression-era artwork would also be helpful. Guide students through the different sections of the site. Encourage discussion of unfamiliar terms and concepts. Once students have completed the worksheets, lead the class in talking about current social or historical issues and how art can effectively respond to these. Examples of responses might include local murals, musical expression, contemporary film and drama, or public sculpture.

Classroom Follow-Up

Once students have completed their worksheets, have the class discuss their new knowledge and share their preferences. Review the different ways the artists responded to the historical and social changes of the Depression era. Then, ask students to create their own works of art in response to their personal views of historical or current social issues. Use the five subject areas of the site as possible models. For example, each student could produce a work of activist art or useful art relevant to hot topics in the school or the larger community. Have each student explain to the class the purpose or intended effect of his or her artwork.

Architectural Tour

Overview

In this activity, students will visit two different web sites. In the first site, they will take a virtual tour of a city of their choice, visiting famous skyscrapers and other important buildings. They will view images and read brief, informative descriptions of five or six buildings. The second set of sites will expose students to different examples of art that have been incorporated into federal buildings and other public spaces across the United States. Students can browse through these works by city. On their worksheets, students will select their favorite buildings and artworks, record relevant information, and describe their impressions of the art and the architecture they have seen.

Getting Started

To begin students on their building tour, guide them directly to the Search for Places button. If possible, ask students to download the images and text they select. Have them print these out and save them in a portfolio with their worksheets. Discuss the architecture of their own school to prompt students to think about the organization of space and the use of form in building design. Once they have moved on to the second web site and are viewing individual artworks, draw their attention to the actual size and location of these works. Ask students what it would be like to encounter these pieces in real life. Ask them to imagine how they would feel if they visited each place and these artworks were not present. Generate a discussion of the value or effects of art in public spaces.

Classroom Follow-Up

Organize students into teams to plan a virtual architectural tour of their town or city. This tour should include at least three buildings. Have students research the history of each building and take special note of any artworks on display. Students can obtain photocopied images of the buildings from the local library or historical society, or they can arrange to take their own photos to be included in their presentations. Alternatively, you may ask students to design, name, and decorate on paper a new building for their town or city, such as a library, courthouse, or museum.