Internet Lesson Plans by Woody Duncan

contact me at mailto:wduncan@kc.rr.com

my web site is http://www.taospaint.com

ARTIST OF THE WEEK LESSON PLAN

or HOW TO INFUSE ART HISTORY INTO

THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ART CLASSROOM


Each week in every art class, my students start off by recording information about an Artist of the Week that I present to the class
ARTISTS OF THE WEEK 1999-2000 LINKS BELOW
Elective Art Classes                   Elective Art / Previous Years

Wheel Art 7           Wheel Art 6


 
Sample of definitions supplied to student in one week
Sample student copies of notebook pages

 
 
Conceptual Objective / this process will expose students to a range of artists, their work, and a related visual vocabulary over the course of study.
Behavioral Objective / each student will compile an art notebook with information on select artists, related vocabulary and thumbnail sketches of the artists work.

 
Materials List / pre formatted artists of the pages, large exemplars of artists work, definitions related to the artist, notebook folders for each student, labels for notebooks, boxes for storage and a location that is accessible.

PROCESS AND METHOD


I choose different Artists to present to my 6th graders, my 7th graders and to my elective classes, I have three preparations for this portion of my program each week. But, my 6th and 7th graders will change each quarter so I can use the sets of artists for them again the next quarter, a total of four times through out the year. Because my elective students remain with me for one or perhaps two semesters, I use a new artist each and every week. Since a student might be in different elective art classes this year and next, I am careful not to repeat an exemplar for two or three years. I simply staple a list on the wall each year to remind me when I last used that particular artists work.

 
I like to leave images and related words on display for the entire nine weeks. This is so I can refer to certain examples of concepts in the work and for a review/test an the end of each quarter. On my review/tests students must rely on their notes and any other material we have added to the notebooks over the course of the nine week period. After the initial presentation about each artist on Mondays, I relocate the exemplars to a tack strip around the top of the room. By the end of each quarter I have at least (3x8) 27 exemplars on display around the room.
 
In an ideal situation an art teacher would present an exemplar each Monday that tied into the specific concepts and problems being covered in a particular art class. But in reality I have only so much time to organize and there are limits to my display space. So, I choose exemplars that tie in closely when possible. Then I introduce additional closely related exemplars during specific lessons as needed. In addition, each table in my classroom is named after a famous women artist. That means I sneak in eight more exemplars in the short nine weeks. 

VOCABULARY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE KNOWLEDGE BASE IN ART


Students need to be involved in making the art studio a place where literary is a valued part of the learning process. When ever possible have the students themselves be the deliverers of this knowledge. 
When students, at first, rebel at the idea of bookwork, reading and writing in art do not give up. If you believe something is essential stick with it until you figure out how to make it work. Early on my students art notebooks were an embarrassing mess. It took years for me to fine tune things so I began getting work we were all proud of.
 
 

I have included examples of thumbnail drawings from student notebooks done in 1994. I choose that year because I recently had a visit from Manivanh, in college now, talking about the good times in art at Rosedale.
 
 

When students do good work on these little "memory drawings" I try to xerox them and make posters for display. It motivates even more and better work from others.
We have been doing Artist of the Week at Rosedale now for about ten years. I believe the results of this or some other serious effort to make art history and literacy a major part part of the students art experience is essential. It need not push aside studio production, In fact it should enhance it. We only have 40 minutes to squeeze every thing in so you learn to squeeze smarter.

END