| Curriculum Map 2006-2007 | |||
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The Dwight School |
| Content | Purpose/ Objectives | Activities/ Assessments | Resources | ||
| Summer Experience (Week 1, 3 Weeks) |
Creating a drawing about summer adventures in conjunction with a verbal description. A review of art room rules and introduction to their art workbooks. |
Students recall a summer event that was important to them. They create a narrative drawing, i.e., art that tells a story; they tell their story in both words and pictures. Students have the opportunity to refresh drawing skills. To remind students of artroom rules. |
Students make a drawing of a summer adventure and write a few sentences describing the event. Assessment: students complete a drawing describing a summer adventure. |
Art workbooks. |
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| Sep: Parks (Week 1, 3 Weeks) |
The design, function and aesthetics of parks, with particular focus on Central Park. |
To learn about what we do in parks, what we see in parks, the wildlife in parks, and to develop appreciation of parks. To practice "brainstorming" techniques as methods to activate visual and conceptual thinking in preparation for making art. |
Unit is introduced with the books "Central Park Serenade" by Laura Godwin. Look at a reproduction of Seurat's painting, "Sunday on the Grande Jatte." Discuss elements of the park and the activities of the people depicted. As a group, students "brainstorm" and create lists about what we do in parks, see in parks, who uses parks, why, etc. Look at a map of Central Park. Discuss symbols used to designate elements of the park. Students visit Central Park to observe various elements of the park: trees, people, animals, the reservoir, skyline, etc. Students sketch from observation. Students design their own park, inventing a park name and location. Final park design is rendered as a colored pencil drawing. Students design their own park, making lists and preparatory drawings in their workbook. The final design is made as a large drawing. |
Map of Central Park. Drawing field trip to Central Park. "Central Park Serenade" by Laura Godwin. Reproduction of Seurat's "Sunday on the Grande Jatte." |
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| New New Unit (Week 1, 1 Week) |
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| Oct: Parks (Week 4, 4 Weeks) |
The design, function and aesthetics of parks, with particular focus on Central Park. |
To learn about what we do in parks, what we see in parks, the wildlife in parks, and to develop appreciation of parks. To practice "brainstorming" techniques as methods to activate visual and conceptual thinking in preparation for making art. |
Unit is introduced with the books "Central Park Serenade" by Laura Godwin. Look at a reproduction of Seurat's painting, "Sunday on the Grande Jatte." Discuss elements of the park and the activities of the people depicted. As a group, students "brainstorm" and create lists about what we do in parks, see in parks, who uses parks, why, etc. Look at a map of Central Park. Discuss symbols used to designate elements of the park. Students visit Central Park to observe various elements of the park: trees, people, animals, the reservoir, skyline, etc. Students sketch from observation. Students design their own park, inventing a park name and location. Final park design is rendered as a colored pencil drawing. Students design their own park, making lists and preparatory drawings in their workbook. The final design is made as a large drawing. |
Map of Central Park. Drawing field trip to Central Park. "Central Park Serenade" by Laura Godwin. Reproduction of Seurat's "Sunday on the Grande Jatte." |
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| Unit (Week 6, 1 Week) |
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| Natural Plant Forms -- Pattern and Line (Week 8, 5 Weeks) |
Line, pattern, and shape in nature, with particular focus on leaves. |
To understand the varieties of line, pattern, and shapes found in nature. Review ideas about pattern and shape. To develop visual discrimination. To review and introduce new techniques with oil pastels. |
Unit is introduced with the book, "Linnea's Garden." After choosing from a large selection of fall leaves, students discuss the different leaf shapes, lines, and patterns found in the leaves. They sketch the various leaves, with details in their art workbooks. They make rubbings of the leaves with colored pencil. Students experiment with oil pastel, particularly how to blend and overlap colors. Students make leaf drawings with oil pastels. |
Leaves from Central Park. "Linnea's Garden." |
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| Dec: China, Dawn of the Golden Age (Week 13, 3 Weeks) |
This unit is based on the students' visit to the exhibition, "China, Dawn of the Golden Age," at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In any given year, this unit will be devoted to a traveling exhibition currently on view in New York City. |
Students learn about the historical context, function, meaning, and the aesthetic qualities of the objects seen in the exhibition. They learn to look at objects, ask questions about the meaning and function, analyze the objects, and develop theories and conclusions about the objects. They are encouraged to enjoy the objects as art as well as to understand the context in which they were made. To review watercolor techniques and color mixing. To practice observation and drawing skills. |
Pre-visit activities included storytelling about the historical time frame for the exhibition, looking at reproductions of objects in the exhibition, and talking about their meaning, function, aesthetic qualities, materials, etc. Students make sketches in their art workbook of imaginary creatures inspired by what they have learned about the exhibition. Students visit the exhibition. Follow-up activities include a review of the historical context, what was seen in the exhibition and a discussion of each students favorite objects and the reasons for their choices. Students review and practice watercolor techniques and color mixing in their art workbooks. Inspired by the Chinese exhibition, students create their own chimera, or imaginary creature. They draw it with oil pastels and paint with watercolors. |
Museum resources about the exhibition. Multiple images of exhibition objects. Museum seminar for educators. Catalog for the exhibition. |
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| Origami (Week 13, 3 Weeks) |
Origami fish. |
Students will learn simple origami folds to create objects. Students practice the sequential folding activities in the art of origami. They also practice listening and following directions, as origami is taught one step at a time, done as a group. |
Students fold origami figures. Assessment: the successful completing of origami figures with a minimum of assistance. |
Teacher: origami pattern books. Finished origami pieces. |
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| Jan: China, Dawn of the Golden Age (Week 16, 4 Weeks) |
This unit is based on the students' visit to the exhibition, "China, Dawn of the Golden Age," at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In any given year, this unit will be devoted to a traveling exhibition currently on view in New York City. |
Students learn about the historical context, function, meaning, and the aesthetic qualities of the objects seen in the exhibition. They learn to look at objects, ask questions about the meaning and function, analyze the objects, and develop theories and conclusions about the objects. They are encouraged to enjoy the objects as art as well as to understand the context in which they were made. To review watercolor techniques and color mixing. To practice observation and drawing skills. |
Pre-visit activities included storytelling about the historical time frame for the exhibition, looking at reproductions of objects in the exhibition, and talking about their meaning, function, aesthetic qualities, materials, etc. Students make sketches in their art workbook of imaginary creatures inspired by what they have learned about the exhibition. Students visit the exhibition. Follow-up activities include a review of the historical context, what was seen in the exhibition and a discussion of each students favorite objects and the reasons for their choices. Students review and practice watercolor techniques and color mixing in their art workbooks. Inspired by the Chinese exhibition, students create their own chimera, or imaginary creature. They draw it with oil pastels and paint with watercolors. |
Museum resources about the exhibition. Multiple images of exhibition objects. Museum seminar for educators. Catalog for the exhibition. |
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| Jan: Dragons (Week 16, 4 Weeks) |
Chinese dragons and their myths. The importance of dragons to the Chinese New Year Celebration. The difference between eastern and western dragons. |
o integrate classroom study of celebrations with the study of the Chinese New Year and the role of dragons in the celebration. To compare myths across cultures: a comparison of eastern and western dragons. To work with storytelling and imagination to create original mythical creatures. To practice drawing skills. |
Looking at a variety of images, students compare and contrast dragons from myths of the east and west focusing on environment, habits, appearance. Summary discussion of the characteristics of Chinese dragons. Students create large dragon puppets by using cut-out shapes for individual pieces. Students decorate pieces and assemble them to create their dragons. Dragons are attached to sticks and have one or two moving parts. |
Books. Internet site: Reproductions of dragons from various sources. |
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| Feb: Dragons (Week 20, 4 Weeks) |
Chinese dragons and their myths. The importance of dragons to the Chinese New Year Celebration. |
To integrate classroom study of celebrations with the study of the Chinese New Year and the role of dragons in the celebration. To compare myths across cultures: a comparison of eastern and western dragons. To work with storytelling and imagination to create original mythical creatures. To practice drawing skills. |
Looking at a variety of images, students compare and contrast dragons from myths of the east and west focusing on environment, habits, appearance. Summary discussion of the characteristics of Chinese dragons. Students create large dragon puppets by using cut-out shapes for individual pieces. Students decorate pieces and assemble them to create their dragons. Dragons are attached to sticks and have one or two moving parts. |
Books. Internet site: Reproductions of dragons from various sources. |
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| Animal Ceramics (Week 20, 4 Weeks) |
A study of how animals are use in Chinese ceramics. Chinese ceramics are an inspiration for student's own ceramic animal sculpture. |
To learn the basic hand shaping techniques of coil pot, pinch pots and coil building. |
A field trip to the Met and the Chinese ceramic exhibition. Create animal sculpture inspired by Chinese ceramics. To explore surface possibilities with clay. |
Book: |
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| Christo and Jean Claude's Gate Project (Week 24, 3 Weeks) |
The Gates Project in Central Park, created by artists Jean Claude and Christo. |
To explore other installation/environmental projects done by Christo and Jean Claude: the umbrella project, wrapped islands, wrapped buildings, etc. To explore the history, meaning, and aesthetics of the Gates Project. To encourage students observational skills and critical thinking skills, particularly when in the park with the guide. To experience the Gates Project in person, with a project guide to teach about the project. |
A field trip to Central Park to experience the Gates Project with the guidance of a project guide. Post-trip discussions of the project. Drawings of the Gates Project done from memory after the guided tour. Thank you cards and letters to our guide, explaining what students liked and didn't like about the project. |
Central Park. Books. |
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| Mar: Auction Project (Week 24, 3 Weeks) |
Created four (4) paper panels, approx. 36"x84", depicting nature in the park, using oil pastels. |
Creating nature from observaton and imagination. |
Discussed purposes of parks and activities observed in parks, which was portrayed in art-workbooks. Fiel trip to the park to observe and paint scenes and nature in the park, in art workbooks, using oil pastels. After park visit,using art-workbooks as a reference, made thank-you cards for parent-chaperones. To provide backdrop for PYP Presentation, Class divided into groups and each group worked on a panel depicting imaginary scenes in the park. |
Books: Sunday on the Grande Jatte by Seurat. Central Park Serenade |
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| Apr: Auction Project (Week 27, 3 Weeks) |
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| Drawing the figure (Week 27, 3 Weeks) |
Drawing and painting the figure. |
To develop an understanding of the proportions of the human body and how the body moves (joints bend). To develop observational drawing skills. Students work from images of sports figures in action. They also work from life by taking turns posing for each other. To reveiw tempera techniques and color mixing methods. To work on a life-sized scale. |
Students draw generalized figures from photos, noticing proportion and movement. Students draw multiple sketches of each other, noting details of movement, dress and facial features. Students create a large painting of themselves, in action, involved in a favorite activity. The teacher outlines their figure on a large piece of brown kraft paper; students paint the details. Students look at artists, such as Alice Neel, who have chosen the figure as subject matter. |
Photos of athletes in action. Reproductions of figurative art. |
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| Sculpture (Week 30, 5 Weeks) |
Sculptural media and techniques -- abstract object made with wood shapes using the construction/additive technique. Sculptures will be painted with acrylics. |
To explore 3-dimensional construction skills. To think and create in abstract terms. To combine a 3-D method with a 2-D method: sculpture and painting. To learn about the sculpture of two influential 20th century abstract sculptors: Isamu Noguchi and David Smith. |
Students will look at reproductions of the work of Noguchi and Smith and discuss the work in groups of three. They will present a summary of their group discussions to the class. Students will choose from a variety of wooden shapes and construct an abstract sculpture using glue and wire. They will decorate the sculptures with metal hardware and paint. Assessment: students complete and abstract sculpture with multiple pieces. |
Catalogs and books about the art of David Smith and Isamu Noguchi. |
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| May: Animals (Week 30, 5 Weeks) |
Animal drawings and paintings. |
To review and practice drawing and painting methods. To approach drawing complex objects or images by first developing large basic shapes and then working with smaller shapes and details. Introduction of the concept of "helping lines." These are the use of lines and shapes as a way to create basic structure in a picture. These lines are then removed from the finished drawing. To enhance observational drawing skills. |
Multiple images of animals. A field trip to the Natural History Museum to draw animals in the dioramas. |
Images of animals. The Natural History Museum. |
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| Jun: Animals (Week 35, 2 Weeks) |
Animal drawings and paintings. |
To review and practice drawing and painting methods. To approach drawing complex objects or images by first developing large basic shapes and then working with smaller shapes and details. Introduction of the concept of "helping lines." These are the use of lines and shapes as a way to create basic structure in a picture. These lines are then removed from the finished drawing. To enhance observational drawing skills. |
Multiple images of animals. A field trip to the Natural History Museum to draw animals in the dioramas. |
Images of animals. The Natural History Museum. |
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Updated: Thursday, January 04, 2007 |
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