Introduction to Lesson
B. The School: Burley Elementary
C. The Grade Level: 6th
D. Description of the lesson: The students will be introduced to ink drawings by Kandinsky and learn about the process of using music to inspire art. They will study the connections between music (meter, rhythm & pattern) and the elements of visual art (line, shape & pattern). They will be asked to create ink drawings in this style based on poetry they have previously analyzed in their English class.
E.1. Understandings-
essential learning: Students will learn about the principles of line, shape & pattern, as well as the musical elements of meter and rhythm
anticipated learning: Students will learn about the connections between music, poetry & visual art and how to interpret music and poetry into visual language.
prior knowledge: Students must have some prior knowledge of the principles of design as well as how to analyze poetry using the five senses.
E.2. Essential question: How can poetry inspire visual art?
Possible Points: 5 Points Earned:
II.National & Illinois Standards and Grade Level Descriptors IPTS#4
National Art Standards
| CONTENT STANDARD: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music | |
| CONTENT STANDARD: Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts | |
| CONTENT STANDARD: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes | |
| CONTENT STANDARD: Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines |
Illinois Standards
| GOAL: Know the language of the arts. | |
| STANDARD: Understand the similarities, distinctions and connections in and among the arts. | |
| STANDARD: Apply skills and knowledge necessary to create and perform in one or more of the arts. |
III. Desired Result(s) IPTS# 1, 2 & 4
III. Desired Result(s)
Lesson Objectives
A. Students will know and understand the relationships between music, poetry & visual art.
Students will be able to identify meter and rhythm in a piece of music and the corresponding visual characteristics of a work of art by creating their own pieces based on a musical selection.
B. Students will know how to represent the elements of a poem visually.
Students will be able to utilize the elements of line, shape & form as related to the structure of their poem by creating ink drawings in the style of Kandinsky that emphasize these principles.
C. Students will know how to make India ink drawings.
Students will be able to create ink drawings by using simple washes and brush strokes.
Possible Points: 5 Points Earned:
Assessment: IPTS #8
Students will be formally assessed after the lesson using the rubric below.
Prerequisite learning: IPTS #1
The students must have some prior knowledge of the formal structure of poetry and/or music and a basic understanding of the principles of design.
Possible Points: 2 Points Earned:
A. Students will know and understand the relationships between music, poetry & visual art.
Students will be able to identify meter and rhythm in a piece of music and the corresponding visual characteristics of a work of art by creating their own pieces based on a musical selection.
B. Students will know how to represent the elements of a poem visually.
Students will be able to utilize the elements of line, shape & form as related to the structure of their poem by creating ink drawings in the style of Kandinsky that emphasize these principles.
C. Students will know how to make India ink drawings.
Students will be able to create ink drawings by using simple washes and brush strokes.
Possible Points: 5 Points Earned:
Assessment: IPTS #8
Students will be formally assessed after the lesson using the rubric below.
Prerequisite learning: IPTS #1
The students must have some prior knowledge of the formal structure of poetry and/or music and a basic understanding of the principles of design.
Possible Points: 2 Points Earned:
Assessment Rubric
| Mastery (4 pts) | Accomplished (3 pts) | Developing (2 pts) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehension (1, 33%) IL.25.B NAEA.MU.5-8.6 NAEA.MU.5-8.8 NAEA.VA.5-8.6 | The student has identified meter and rhythm in their poem and depicted them as the visual elements in their piece. | The student has not identified meter or rhythm and the work includes only a few visual elements. | The student's drawing does not make correlation between the meter and rhythm of their poem and the visual elements in the work. |
| Concept (1, 33%) IL.26.B NAEA.VA.5-8.1 | The student has demonstrated the use of line, shape & pattern in their drawings, including at least two examples of each. | The student has used the elements of line, shape or pattern in their drawings, without incorporating them together in the composition. | The student has not included the elements of line, shape or pattern, or has included only one in the drawing. |
| Craftsmanship (1, 33%) IL.25 IL.26.B | Student has included four gradations of ink washes in their drawings. They have created continuous lines and shapes with the ink. | Student has included two or three ink wash gradations in their drawings. They have used lines or shapes. | The student has incorporated one or no ink washes and has not included any discernable shapes or lines in the drawing. |
IV. Materials and Technology (list) IPTS# 4&5
Materials and technology resources
Materials:
India Ink
Paintbrushes
Plastic Cups
Paper Towels
Watercolor Paper
Pencils
Copy paper
Technology:
CD player or MP3 player
Possible Points: 3 Points Earned:
India Ink
Paintbrushes
Plastic Cups
Paper Towels
Watercolor Paper
Pencils
Copy paper
Technology:
CD player or MP3 player
Possible Points: 3 Points Earned:
Resources
| Eric Satie, "Trois Gymnopédies" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7DBoiyBoJ8&feature=fvw |
| The classical piece to be used for the activity of the lesson. |
| Wassily Kandinsky, "Contrasting Sounds" http://www.wassilykandinsky.net/work-237.php |
| One painting by Kandinsky that makes his connection between music and visual art clear. |
| Wassily Kandinsky, "Sound" http://www.tate.org.uk/research/tateresearch/tatepapers/06autumn/images/short_fig1translation.gif |
| An excerpt from Kandinsky's writings from the book used in the lesson. |
V.Procedures IPTS# 1,2,4 & 5
1) Teacher's preparation
Assemble materials: The teacher should assemble all materials and technology prior to teaching the lesson. She should also secure a few dynamic examples of Kandinsky's paintings, such as Composition VIII or Improvisation 31(Sea Battle) to use during the hook.
The teacher will also need to practice the procedures beforehand and be able to clearly explain them.
Identify new vocabulary:
Music/ Poetry
meter: the number of syllables in a line
rhythm: the patterned, recurring alternations of contrasting elements in sound or speech.
Visual Art
line: strokes which show motion and connect two points
shape: the area enclosed when both ends of a line meet
pattern/rhythm: the reoccurrence of lines and shapes
Organize Workstations:
Each student workstation should be organized to accommodate four students. They should be equipped with an assortment of paintbrushes, a small cup of water, scratch paper for creating washes, and watercolor paper for their final artwork. They will also need pencils to create their preliminary drawing.
Possible Points: 8 Points Earned:
The teacher will also need to practice the procedures beforehand and be able to clearly explain them.
Identify new vocabulary:
Music/ Poetry
meter: the number of syllables in a line
rhythm: the patterned, recurring alternations of contrasting elements in sound or speech.
Visual Art
line: strokes which show motion and connect two points
shape: the area enclosed when both ends of a line meet
pattern/rhythm: the reoccurrence of lines and shapes
Organize Workstations:
Each student workstation should be organized to accommodate four students. They should be equipped with an assortment of paintbrushes, a small cup of water, scratch paper for creating washes, and watercolor paper for their final artwork. They will also need pencils to create their preliminary drawing.
Possible Points: 8 Points Earned:
2) Methodology IPTS# 4,5&6
Whole class ___x____
Cooperative groups______
Pairs______
Small group(s)__x____
Possible Points: 2 Points Earned:
3) Set/Hook IPTS# 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6
The students will be introduced to some of the paintings of Wassily Kandinsky and will be asked to consider how the artist was inspired to create the abstract lines, shapes & patterns found in the artwork. They will be asked to identify some of these formal elements as well.
Explain that Kandinsky's main inspiration for creating art was music and point out some of the interesting shapes and patterns in his work that more obviously illustrate this connection. Explain also that it is believed Kandinsky suffered from a rare disorder of the senses called synesthesia.
Synesthesia: a condition in which people have difficulty distinguishing between various sensory inputs (i.e. applying colors to numbers or sounds, or shapes to sounds and music, tasting shapes, etc.)
His work was a direct visual interpretation of the music and sounds he heard, probably made possible by his synesthesia.
The class will then participate in a short music activity:
Ask the students to pretend they have synesthesia. Tell them to imagine that when they see the number three they see red or that when they see a triangle they taste strawberries. A high pitched note could look like a series of lines and dots or a low sound could seem horizontal. Explain they will be interpreting a piece of music in this manner.
Then, play a short 2 minute selection from "The Three Gymnasts," by Eric Satie and ask the students to draw the lines, shapes & patterns they imagine while listening to the music. The students will interpret the music they hear during the exercise into visual elements by drawing what they imagine they see.
Anticipated Time: 5-7 min.
Possible Points: 10 Points Earned:
Explain that Kandinsky's main inspiration for creating art was music and point out some of the interesting shapes and patterns in his work that more obviously illustrate this connection. Explain also that it is believed Kandinsky suffered from a rare disorder of the senses called synesthesia.
Synesthesia: a condition in which people have difficulty distinguishing between various sensory inputs (i.e. applying colors to numbers or sounds, or shapes to sounds and music, tasting shapes, etc.)
His work was a direct visual interpretation of the music and sounds he heard, probably made possible by his synesthesia.
The class will then participate in a short music activity:
Ask the students to pretend they have synesthesia. Tell them to imagine that when they see the number three they see red or that when they see a triangle they taste strawberries. A high pitched note could look like a series of lines and dots or a low sound could seem horizontal. Explain they will be interpreting a piece of music in this manner.
Then, play a short 2 minute selection from "The Three Gymnasts," by Eric Satie and ask the students to draw the lines, shapes & patterns they imagine while listening to the music. The students will interpret the music they hear during the exercise into visual elements by drawing what they imagine they see.
Anticipated Time: 5-7 min.
Possible Points: 10 Points Earned:
4) Teacher Explanation/Modeling IPTS# 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7
Once the students have completed the music and drawing activity, the teacher will explain that the basic principles of music (meter & rhythm) can also be applied to poetry. She will reference the poems they have previously analyzed and ask them to consider their findings in regards to the five senses. Explain that what they have already identified in the poetry is basically an act of synesthesia. For example, What does the poem smell like? What shape is the poem? What does the poem sound like? What color is the poem?
Next, the teacher will show the students a selection from Kandinsky's "Sounds," in which the artist pairs his own writing with ink drawings that illustrate it. The students will be asked to analyze the drawings for shape, line & pattern and create their own ink drawings in similar style.
The teacher will then demonstrate to the entire class how to apply ink washes in three different tones.
Step One: Introduce the Materials- The students will be using paintbrushes and India ink to create line drawings and washes on watercolor paper during the lesson. Remind them of the correct way to hold a paintbrush. Explain that hard lines are created with the tip of the brush. Remind them also that this ink is permanent and they should be careful not to get it on their clothes or each other.
Step Two: Creating Hard Lines- Demonstrate first how to properly load the paintbrush with ink. A small amount goes a long way! Dip the tip of the brush in the ink and demonstrate making a smooth, continuous line across the page. Illustrate also how to make a shape and remind them of it's definition. Repeat this shape or a few lines to create a pattern and inform the students of the intent.
Step Three: Ink Washes- Washes are created by adding water to the ink. The teacher should first demonstrate how make a wash using a small amount of water. After loading the brush with ink, dip the paintbrush in a very small amount of water and apply it to the paper. This should create a dark gray wash. Add a bit more water to the brush to make a slightly lighter shade, and repeat until you have created a gradation of at least four shades of gray ink.
Before releasing the students to begin their work, explain that they will need to create a quick, preliminary drawing of their idea before using ink on paper. Scratch paper and pencils will be provided for them.
Remind the students as well to keep in mind the principles of music (meter and rhythm) as they translate them into the principles of design (line, shape & pattern). State the similarities between musical rhythm and pattern and rhythm in art.
Anticipated Time: 10 min.
Possible Points: 15 Points Earned:
5) Guided Practice (teacher coaching) IPTS# 4 5, 6& 7
Throughout the class period the teacher should remind the students of the guiding questions related to the 5 senses. What does a poem look like? What does the poem smell like? What does it sound like?
Anticipated Time:
Possible Points: 15 Points Earned:
Anticipated Time:
Possible Points: 15 Points Earned:
Plan for Differentiated Learning (i.e. non-reader, ELL-levels, gifted) IPTS# 2, 3 & 4
Challenged students may choose to create line drawings without including ink washes. They may also use marker instead of ink and brushes.
Possible Points: 10 Points Earned:
Possible Points: 10 Points Earned:
Plan for Interpretive Creative Learning (other creative solutiions accepted in this lesson) IPTS# 1, 2 & 4
The students may choose to represent the actual shape of their poem into the drawings where appropriate.
They may also decide to include elements of text in their ink drawings.
Possible Points: 2 Points Earned:
They may also decide to include elements of text in their ink drawings.
Possible Points: 2 Points Earned:
Closure (brief teacher or student-led review) IPTS# 1,5 & 8
The lesson will be concluded with a short discussion on the visual characteristics found in the student's poems. They will be asked to share some of these characteristics with the class and describe why they made these choices.
Possible Points: 5 Points Earned:
Possible Points: 5 Points Earned:
