I. Unit of Study:                                  Art of Discovery

II. Lesson Title/Length of Time:      

• Mapping the World (Introduction):                                      1 day
• Finding the Way – The Compass Rose:                                           1-2 days
• Letters to Home, discovering, reporting and using information:         1-2 days
• Refining Information, Map Making:                                                 5 days
• Crafts and the Movement of Consumer Goods:                               3 days

III. Author/County:                            Monica Cerkez

St. Mary’s County, MD

IV. Grade Level/Subject Area(s):     Crafts/Grade 9-12

________________________________________________________________________

V. Abstract

Through this introductory unit, students will approach the subject of dealing with the unknown as it applies to their world and the world of the arts.  This will be accomplished by using the age of discovery as a metaphor and framework for exploring, mapping, and cataloguing knowledge of art.  Basic Art terms, class procedures and journaling skill will be introduced and modeled as tools to be used in a year-long exploration of world crafts.

VI. Sequence of Individual Lessons
 
1.  (Introduction) Mapping the world – 1 day

2.  Finding the way – The compass rose as art and tool - 1-2 days

• Reading and interpreting directions

3.  Letters to home, discovering, reporting and using information - the letters of the Portuguese explorers. - 1-2 days

• The Elements and Principle of art.
• Cataloguing and reporting information - the crafts report
• Reflecting on the journey - reflection sheets

4.  Refining understanding - How does new information redefine our world - Historical map study, Map making - 5 days

5.  Crafts production and the movement of consumer goods - blue and white pottery

• Production of compass rose (from lesson 2) as blue and white tile,  Ceramics basics - 3 days

VII. Fine Art Standards

Stage 1:  Identify Desired Results             
(Reference St. Mary’s County Public School System’s Essential Curriculum)

1.0 Perceiving and Responding: Aesthetic Education: Students will demonstrate the ability to Perceive, interpret and respond to ideas, experiences, and the environment through visual arts.

1. Students will identify, describe and interpret qualities of form that affect visual perception and response.

b. Students will use appropriate art vocabulary to describe analyze and interpret qualities of visual form perceived and recorded in works of art

• Compare and /or contrast several natural or human made objects on specific criteria, using predetermined vocabulary.

2. Students will select works of art and interpret their meaning based upon the application of expressive characteristics and use of symbolism.

b. Students will describe, analyze and interpret how artist select modes of representation and formats to express personal ideas, thoughts and feelings.

• Compare and /or contrast expressive characteristics of functional crafts used within historical and contemporary cultures.

• Identify criteria to assess completed crafts, focusing on quality of craftsmanship

3. Students will compare the use of the elements of art and principles of design in selected works of art and demonstrate their application by executing expressive compositions, characteristics and use of symbolism.

b. Students will use art vocabulary to describe and analyze the role of design in expressing unique visions.

• Demonstrate a craft and identify appropriate art vocabulary to describe and analyze qualities that make the work unique.

2.0 Historical, Cultural and Social Context: Students will demonstrate an understanding of visual arts as a basic aspect of history and human experience.

1. Students will propose ways that the visual arts reflect significant historical, cultural and social issues.

a. Inspired by selected works of art from different times and places, students will create a work of art that explores a contemporary culture and/or social issue.

• Demonstrate the use of symbolism in crafts to represent cultural ideas (i.e. the crafts of Mexico, masks, papier mache).

• Create works of art that reflect particular culture, times, and places.

b. Students will determine ways that works of art provide social commentary, documented historical events, and reflect the values and beliefs of the society in which they are created.

• Describe how values, beliefs and customs can be expressed through crafts.

2. Students will determine factors that influenced the creation of art in specific historical eras and places by studying works of art and other sources of information.

b. By studying selected works of art , students will determine ways that works of art provide social commentary, document historical events and reflect the values and beliefs of the society from which they were created.

• Identify selected crafts as expressions of the values and beliefs in which they were created.

3. Students will draw relationships between stylistic choices artists make and the context within which they work.

a. Inspired by the unique styles and forms of different artists, students will create expressive works of art base on the same subject or theme.

• Using works of art from a selected culture and/or period, identify unique styles and create a craft that is reflective of the culture and/or period.

4. Students will explain and support historical, theoretical and aesthetic assumptions to explain how artistic processes and content influence and in turn are affected by other disciplines.

a. Students will create works of art that are inspired by and reflect the philosophical values and cultural ideals of specific historical movements.

• Create a craft item that is reflective of the value of a society and or culture in which they were produced.

3.0 Creative Expression and Production: Students will demonstrate the ability to organize knowledge and ideas for expression in the production of art.

1. Students will demonstrate competent application of skills, knowledge and attitudes required to produce works of art in a variety of media.

a. Within the context of a given or chosen art problem. Students will select media, experiment with processes and representational skills, exploring a wide range of ideas that can be expressed with different media.

• Demonstrate the use of a variety of tools, media and materials to experiment with processes and explore a range of ideas.

b. In reflecting on the completed work, students will describe, analyze, and interpret the meaning created and evaluate the choice and use of media, skills and knowledge in solving the art problem.

• Compare and/or contrast stylistic differences of crafts produces in class.

4.0 Aesthetics and Criticism: Students will demonstrate the ability to identify, analyze and apply criteria for making visual aesthetic judgments.

1. Students will apply knowledge of aesthetic traditions and conventions including contemporary criticism to find value in diverse artworks.

b. Critique artworks, applying different theories of art to judge personal artwork and that of others.

• Demonstrate the aesthetic theories of imitationalism and formalism to discuss and evaluate crafts.

VIII. Content Area Standards

Social Studies: 9th grade

MD.3.   Government (Core) Geography: The student will demonstrate an understanding of geographic concepts and processes to examine the role of culture, technology, and the environment in the location and distribution of human activities throughout history.

3.1.   The student will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship of cultural and physical geographic factors in the development of government policy.

3.1.2.    The student will evaluate the role of government in addressing land use and other environmental issues.

3.1.3.    The student will analyze the roles and relationships of regions on the formation and implementation of government policy.

Social Studies: 8th grade

MD.3.0.   Geography: Students will use geographic concepts and processes to examine the role of culture, technology, and the environment in the location and distribution of human activities and spatial connections throughout time.

3.A.   Using geographic tools

3.A.1.   Use geographic tools to analyze geographic issues and problems prior to 1877.

3.A.1.a.     Use thematic maps to locate places and describe the human and physical characteristics, such as settlement patterns, migration, population density, transportation, and communication networks.
                                                             
MD.6.0.   Social Studies Skills and Processes: Students shall use reading, writing, and thinking processes and skills to gain knowledge and understanding of political, historical, and current events using chronological and spatial thinking, economic reasoning, and historical interpretation, by framing and evaluating questions from primary and secondary sources.
                       
6.A.   Read to learn and construct meaning about social studies

6.A.1.   Use appropriate strategies and opportunities to increase understandings of social studies vocabulary.

6.A.1.a.   Acquire and apply new vocabulary through investigating, listening, independent reading and discussing a variety of print and non-print sources.

6.A.1.b.   Identify and use new vocabulary acquired through study of relationships to prior knowledge and experiences.

6.A.2.e.   Make connections to the text using prior knowledge and experiences.
           
6.A.3.   Use strategies to monitor understanding and derive meaning from text and portions of text (during reading).

6.A.3.a.   Identify and use knowledge of organizational structures, such as chronological order, cause/effect, main ideas and details, description, similarities/differences, and problem/solution to gain meaning.           

6.A.3.b.   Reread slowly and carefully, restate, or read on and revisit difficult parts.

6.A.3.c.   Use a graphic organizer or another note-taking technique to record important ideas or information.

6.A.3.d.   Look back through the text to search for connections between and among ideas.

6.A.3.f.   Periodically summarize or paraphrase important ideas while reading    .

6.A.3.g.   Visualize what was read for deeper meaning.

6.A.3.h.   Explain personal connections to the ideas or information in the text.

6.A.4.   Use strategies to demonstrate understanding of the text (after reading).
           
6.A.4.a.   Identify and explain what is directly stated in the text.

6.A.4.b.   Identify, paraphrase, or summarize the main idea of the text.

6.A.4.c.   Determine and explain the author's purpose.

6.A.4.h.   Connect the text to prior knowledge or personal experiences.

6.A.4.i.   Draw conclusions and make generalizations based on the text, multiple texts, and/or prior knowledge.

Language arts

MD.1.   Reading, Reviewing and Responding to Texts: The student will demonstrate the ability to respond to a text by employing personal experiences and critical analysis.

1.1.   The student will use effective strategies before, during, and after reading, viewing, and listening to self-selected and assigned materials.

1.1.1.     The student will use pre-reading strategies appropriate to both the text and purpose for reading by surveying the text, accessing prior knowledge, formulating questions, setting purpose(s), and making predictions.

1.1.2.     The student will use during-reading strategies appropriate to both the text and purpose for reading by visualizing, making connections, and using fix-up strategies such as re-reading, questioning, and summarizing.

1.1.3.     The student will use after-reading strategies appropriate to both the text and purpose for reading by summarizing, comparing, contrasting, synthesizing, drawing conclusions, and validating the purpose for reading.

1.1.4.     The student will apply reading strategies when comparing, making connections, and drawing conclusions about non-print text.
 
MD.2.   Composing in a Variety of Modes: The student will demonstrate the ability to compose in a variety of modes by developing content, employing specific forms, and selecting language appropriate for a particular audience and purpose.
           
2.1.   The student will compose oral, written, and visual presentations that inform, persuade, and express personal ideas.  
           
2.1.1.     The student will compose to inform by using appropriate types of prose.                     

2.1.2.     The student will compose to describe, using prose and/or poetic forms.
                       
2.3.   The student will locate, retrieve, and use information from various sources to accomplish a purpose.
           
2.3.1.    (View resources meeting this standard) The student will identify sources of information on a self-selected and/or given topic and assess their appropriateness to accomplish a purpose.               

2.3.3.    (View resources meeting this standard) The student will use a systematic process for recording and documenting information.

Mathematics

MD.2.  
Geometry: Geometry, Measurement, and Reasoning: The student will demonstrate the ability to solve mathematical and real-world problems using measurement and geometric models and will justify solutions and explain processes used.

2.1.   The student will represent and analyze two- and three-dimensional figures using tools and technology when appropriate.

2.1.1.   The student will analyze the properties of geometric figures.

2.1.3.   The student will use transformations to move figures, create designs, and/or demonstrate geometric properties.

2.1.4.   The student will construct and/or draw and/or validate properties of geometric figures using appropriate tools and technology.

2.2.   The student will apply geometric properties and relationships to solve problems using tools and technology when appropriate.

2.2.3.   The student will use inductive or deductive reasoning.

2.3.   The student will apply concepts of measurement using tools and technology when appropriate.

2.3.2.   The student will use techniques of measurement and will estimate, calculate, and/or compare perimeter, circumference, area, volume, and/or surface area of two-and three-dimensional figures and their parts.

IX. Individual lesson plans

Lesson One: Mapping the World

Abstract:

In this lesson, students are introduced to the concept of how information gathered by Portuguese explorers helped to define and decode the geography of the world.  The information they gathered helped artist/cartographers draw more refined maps, which in turn helped sailors investigate even further.  In the same way, with the proper information we can try to decode the arts and crafts of the world.

Materials:

• 9x12 paper

• Pencils

• Notebooks

• Map term Handouts

• Images of various types of maps

• Images of various types of crafts

Resources:

• Smithsonian zoom into maps web page:

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/features/maps/introduction.html

• How to make a map:

http://www.edgate.com/lewisandclark/cartography.html

• The compass rose as art and tool:

http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~feegi/compass.html

• Latitudes map basics site:

http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~feegi/

Scope and Sequence:

Anticipatory Set: Students are given 9x12 paper and asked to draw a map of the world from memory 10-15minutes. 

• Pose this question:  What information would have made you more successful? (Write answer on the back of the map.)

• What was the answer on the back of the map?  (The desired response is the broad concept of "More information.")

• Have the students visualize being on a ship in the middle of the ocean with any satellite or photographic information.

• How do you feel?

• Introduce the concept of exploration, of going places that are undiscovered. 

• Activate prior knowledge of world exploration and speak briefly about the role of the Portuguese and concepts of trade and consumer goods. (Potentially guided reading.)

• Show students examples of early maps of the world Mappamundi, Ptolemaic map, Portolan Charts and present-day maps. 

• Compare features of the maps.  (Class generated Venn Diagram)

• Which maps are most useful? Why?

• Develop list on chart paper of what made the map useful.

• Distribute map parts handout. Compare with students’ generated list, review terms not listed on class generated list.

Closure:   Refer to Map information and how it decodes our world.

• Show several craft images.

• Pose the following question: What type of information would be useful in decoding art from around the world?  Answer in journal.

Assessment:

Student learning will be assessed through journal activities and their ability to apply knowledge gained throughout the remainder of the unit.

Lesson Two: Finding the way - The Compass Rose

Abstract:

In this lesson students will create a 32-point compass rose, in the style of early Portuguese explores.  After viewing compass rose images from period maps, basic ruler, compass and protractor skills will be reviewed in this guided practice lesson.  Students will reflect on the importance of the compass and the compass rose on Portalan charts, and how these items made the explorers journeys more predictable and less frightening.  Special emphasis will be placed on reading and following directions.

Guided practice:  Teacher leads student through creation of a 32-point Compass Rose using the following materials and directions:

Materials:

• 9 inch square paper

• 12 inch ruler

• compass

• protractor

• colored pencils

Directions:

1. Find the center of a 9x9 piece of paper.  (Use an x)

2. Using your protractor place the center line on the x and line up your x with 45 and 135 degrees, make a tick mark at 0, 90, and 180.  Turn over the protractor, line up 0 and 180 and mark 90 on the opposite side.

3. Connect the 90 degree tick marks and the 180 degree marks through the center x.

4. These are the 8 major points on a compass rose.   Erase the lines outside the 6 inch circle. Hold your paper in portrait style.  Starting at 12 o’clock, Mark each lightly with its direction N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW.

5. Place the compass center on the center of the x, draw a circle with a 6 inch diameter, (3-inch radius).

6. Keeping the compass centered, draw a 4 inch circle, (2-inch radius)

7. Keeping the compass centered , draw a 2 inch circle, (1-inch radius)

8. These circles are CONCENTRIC.

9. Line up the center line of the protractor with the center x, align the w ray with 0.  Make a mark at 22 ½ degrees.  Continue to move around the circle, make a mark at 22 ½ degrees past each ray.

10. Connect the intermediate marks through the center x.

11. Draw a line from the n ray (where it touches the 6 inch circle) to the right intermediate line where it crosses the 2 inch circle.  Repeat on the left.  Continue around the circle in the same way to make 8 points.

12. Erase the 4 inch circle where it crosses the rays.  Erase the intermediate rays between the 2 and 4 inch circle.

13. Line up the center line of the protractor with the center x, align the w ray with 0.  Make a mark at 11 1/4 degrees.  Continue to move around the circle, make a mark at 11 ¼ degrees past each ray.

14. Connect the new marks through the x and draw a line segment between the 6 inch circle and the 4 inch circle and inside the 2 inch circle.

15. Add a fleur de lis above the n ray.  Add a cross to the right of the e ray.

16. Ink over pencil lines, decorate and color with colored pencils.

History:

Origins of the Compass Rose
by Bill Thoen

“The compass rose in a starshaped diagram found on maps and charts.  The compass rose has appeared on charts and maps since the 1300's when the portolan charts first made their appearance. The term "rose" comes from the figure's compass points resembling the petals of the well-known flower.
Originally, this device was used to indicate the directions of the winds (and it was then known as a wind rose), but the 32 points of the compass rose come from the directions of the eight major winds, the eight half-winds and the sixteen quarter-winds. The original 32 point compass rosewas developed by Portuguese mapmaker Pedro Reinel.
In the Middle Ages, the names of the winds were commonly known throughout the Mediterranean countries as tramontana (N), greco (NE), levante (E), siroco (SE), ostro (S), libeccio (SW), ponente (W) and maestro (NW). On portolan charts you can see the initials of these winds labeled around the edge as T, G, L, S, O, L, P, and M.
The 32 points are therefore simple bisections of the directions of the four winds (but the Chinese divided the compass into 12 major directions based on the signs of the Zodiac). For western apprentice seamen, one of the first things they had to know were the names of the points. Naming them all off perfectly was known as "boxing the compass".
There is no absolute standard for drafting a compass rose, and each school of cartographers seems to have developed their own. In the earliest charts, north is indicated by a spearhead above the letter T (for tramontana). This symbol evolved into a fleur-de-lys around the time of Columbus, and was first seen on Portuguese maps. Also in the 14th century, the L (for levante) on the east side of the rose was replaced with a cross, indicating the direction to Paradise (long thought to be in the east), or at least to where Christ was born (in the Levant).
The colors on the figure are supposedly the result of the need for graphic clarity rather than a mere cartographical whim. On a rolling ship at night by the light of a flickering lamp, these figures had to be clearly visible. Therefore the eight principle points of the compass are usually shown on the compass rose in black which stands out easily. Against this background, the points representing the half-winds are typically colored in blue or green and since the quarter-wind points are the smallest, they are usually colored red.”
 
Article reprinted from http://www.gisnet.com/notebook/comprose.html

----

References:
 

• Cartographical Innovations:  an International Handbook of Mapping Terms to 1900 eds. Helen M. Wallis and Arthur H. Robinson. Tring, Herts: Map Collector Publications in association with International Cartographic Association, 1987. - ISBN 0-906430-04-6.

• Mapping by David Greenhood. - The University of Chicago Press, 1964. ISBN 0-226-30696-8

• More on Compass Roses:

Chart Compasses
http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~feegi/compass.html

• More Compass Roses from Portuguese Nautical Charts (images)

http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~feegi/rose.html

Lesson 3: Letters to Home, discovering, reporting and using information

Abstract:

As a group, students will read excerpts from the letters of Pedro Vaz de Caminha to King Manuel describing the first encounters of Cabral in the new world. Students will generate a list of the import information transmitted to the king, and how this information helped define the further exploration nad settlement of Brazil.  Using that concept, students will be introduced to information (Elements of art and the Principles of design) that will serve as a frame work for the study of and a decoding key for the crafts of the world.  They will also be introduced to forms and procedures (Craft report format, warm-up journal and reflection tools) that will serve as their report format for the year.

 Lesson 4: Refining information, map making

Abstract:

Using historical and photographic reference, information on the parts of a map(from day one), a compass rose (from day two) students will produce a revised map of world in the antique style using pen, ink and colored pencil. Students will report on the process using the crafts report introduced on day 5 and complete a reflection sheet. Students will analyze the maps use the elements of art and principles of design.

Lesson 5: Crafts and the movement of consumer goods

Abstract:

Students will begin to explore the world of crafts by studying the movement of the blue and white style of pottery from the middle east to china and back, and the arrival of this pottery in Europe by the use of visuals and previously generated maps.  Students will be introduced to the concepts of fine and applied art and craftsmanship.  Further, students will be introduced to the vocabulary and skill sets particular to ceramics production.  Students will use the crafts report to catalog, historical information and directions for the assignment. Students will produce their compass rose (from day five) as a blue and white ceramic tile.  These tiles will be used as a year long classroom installation, servings as frame for the maps of the world use as reference for the class.