Tracey Talbott
Easton Elementary School
“Picturing the Past”
Objectives: Standard 2.0 Peoples of the Nation and World Students will understand the diversity and commonality, human interdependence, and global cooperation of the people of Maryland, the United States, and the World through a multicultural and a historic perspective.
Cue Set: (Day 1) A variety of “Civil War Era” artwork will be numbered and on display throughout the classroom. Students will be given a clipboard and title list. Students will take a gallery walk, and will be encouraged to Look, Think, and Discuss. Students will match the title to the number based on their background knowledge, analysis and discussion during the gallery walk.
Teaching Strategy: (Day 2) Students will be placed into cooperative groups of 4. Each group will be assigned to a work area with a veiled piece of artwork. Teacher will model a “think aloud” analysis of one picture from the collection. After going over the activity directions, the artwork will be unveiled!
Guided Practice: (Day 2) 1. Study your artwork. Take time to be silent and think about what you see-and don’t see in the picture. Share your thoughts with your group. Complete the graphic organizer. Name one emotion that you feel when you look at this picture. What title would you give this piece? Why? What happened right before this picture? What is happening right now? What will happen next? **Who should be in the picture that is missing? **Suggest one modification to the piece that would change the mood of the picture.
Independent Practice: (Day 3) Students may recreate the picture in a sketch pad, or may make modifications (with justifications). BCR: A picture is worth a thousand words. How can an artist convey a message without a single word of text? What can a person learn about the affects of the Civil War just by studying this picture? Explain how the images in this picture portray a real moment in our nation’s history.
Closure: (Day 4) Student created artwork will be now displayed and another class/ building administrators, art teachers etc. will be invited to take a gallery walk. Volunteers will also post/read aloud their BCR responses. “Artists” will be standing near their artwork to listen and converse with visitors.
This lesson will be used this year as a culminating activity. Students have previously engaged in a variety of text driven activities pertaining to the Civil War. They have also viewed several video clips and have listened to Civil War Era music.
