Unit of Study: Indian Mughal Art, Music, Science and Social Studies
Lesson Title: Elephant Little Book
Discipline: Kindergarten Art, Math, Music, Science, Social Studies
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Author: Teresa Ismach
County: Frederick County, MDTime Period: Six 45-minute classes
Abstract:
Kindergarten students will be introduced to India, the Mughal Dynasty, and the Mughals’ interest in animals, flowers, patterns, stories and paintings. Students will work individually and in groups to identify characteristics of elephants and create a little book about elephants in order to explore and use art elements and principles and to enhance their understanding of maps and globes, transportation and other cultures in different times and places.
Background:
Prior to this lesson, the teacher will need some knowledge of the Mughal Dynasty of India, the patchwork muraqqas, and to have gathered resources. Students will need to know how to use scissors and glue sticks prior to lesson.
Materials:
Elephant foam stamps, flower and geometric shaped sequins, pencils, paper, three tempera paints, glitter, foam brayer, hard brayer, paint tray, Crayola gel markers, washable markers, glitter markers, stickers, glue sticks, scissors, construction paper, and smocks.
Resources:
World globe
Teacher-made example of Elephant book
Map of India http://www.theodora.com/maps/
Drawings and Facts about Elephants http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/elephant/Elephantcoloring.shtml
Dot to dot elephant http://www.answersingenesis.org/assets/pdf/kids/Elephant.pdf
Elephant artwork http://www.touchnote.com/files/assets/REYN012.jpg
Elephant facts: Exploring Nature, Educational Resources http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=43&detID=1023
Image of Elephants: Smithsonian Institute Archives http://siarchives.si.edu/history/exhibits/thisday/april/kumari.jpg
Image of Elephants: http://www.readbangkokpost.com/images/indian%20elephants.jpg
Image of Elephants http://www.nationalgeographic.com/index.html
Image of Elephant Family http://images/pic/DANPOD/AS10_GJE0009_M-FB~Asian-Elephant-Family-Nagarhole-National-Park-India-Posters.jpg
Image of Taj Mahal http://as21maravilhasdomundo.blogspot.com/
Coloring page of Taj Mahal http://homeschooling.about.com/od/freeprintables/ss/7wondersprint2_2.htm
Wright, Elaine Julia, Muraqqa, Imperial Mughal Albums from the Chester Beatty Library, Art Services Intl : 2008
Image of Akbar inspecting the wild elephant captured from the herd near Malwa, c.1590 http://www.bridgemanartondemand.com/art/96517
Image of Nuruddin Maharana Raj Singh ll riding an elephant 1754. http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/media/archives_2005/rajput
Deccan (or North India, Mughal) Captive Elephant, ca. 1600, Williams College Museum of Art, Gift of Wendy Findlay 83.7 http://www.wcma.org/collections/ancient_collection/deccan_elephant.shtml
Emperor Akbar (1592 -1595), Illustration from Akbarnama http://mughalminiatures.blogspot.com/2009/03/mughal-miniatures-akbarnama-cultural.html
Baby Elephant Walk Music by Henri Mancini
Mangalam, Veena-Murali, Svara Mantra songs by Ravy Shankar
Standards/Learner Outcomes:
Fine Arts Standards
AR.K00.15 Discover that pictures can be art
03 Explore the subject matter of various works of art
AR.K00.20 Discuss and begin using the following art elements and principles throughout the year
01.a ART ELEMENTS: Color, Line, Shape and Texture
01.b ART PRINCIPLES: Pattern, Repetition, Variety, Unity
AR.K00.25 Discover the ways in which works of art express ideas about self, other people, places, and events
01 Observe the art of various cultures
AR.K00.30 Discover the ways art is used in the community
02 Explore the ways works of art are used for communication
AR.K00.35 Discover how artists create in different ways
01 Explore a variety of materials such as paint, clay, crayon, chalk, and other art materials
AR.K00.60 Discover that feelings can be generated by art
65.01 Students will use oral language to describe art prints, their own works of art and that of their peersMusic Standards
MU.K00.45 Develop the ability to improvise music through the experimentation of sound
03 Demonstrate interpretation of music through creative movementScience Standards
SC.K00.10 Students will demonstrate the thinking and acting inherent in the practice of science.
01.b Seek information through reading, observation, explorations, and investigations
03.a Describe things as accurately as possible and compare observations with those of others
03.b Describe and compare things in terms of number, shape, texture, size, weight, color, and motion
SC.K00.30 Students will use scientific skills and processes to explain the dynamic nature of living things, their interactions, and the results from the interactions that occur over time.
01.a Identify and describe features (observable parts) of animals that make some of them alike in the way they look and the things they do.
30 Develop an awareness of the relationship of features of living things and their ability to satisfy basic needs that support their growth and survival.
Social Studies StandardsSS.K00.30 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.
- Recognize the differences between maps and globes
Objectives/Skills:
Fine Arts Objectives:
Visual Art: The students will view works from the Mughal Dynasty and create a little book about elephants in order to explore and use colors, shapes, patterns and various art materials.
Music: Students will demonstrate interpretation of music by acting and walking like elephants in rhythm to music.
Content Objectives:
Science: Students will verbally describe the difference between African and Asian (Indian) Elephants
Social Studies: Students will identify India on a globe and map. Students will identify ways that people travel on land, water and air.
Keywords:
- Mughal
- Muraqqa’
- Map
- Globe
- Collage
- Stencils
- Stamps
Vocabulary:
- Color
- Shape
- Pattern
- Texture
Motivation:
Day 1: Display large photos of African and Asian Elephants
Day 2: Display Akbar inspecting the wild elephant captured from the herd near Malwa, from the 'Akbarnama', Mughal, c.1590
Day 3: Play “Baby Elephant Walk” Music
Day 4: Display images of fancily attired Indian elephants
Day 5: Display photo of Taj Mahal
Day 6: Display all of students Elephant Books all around the room
Scope & Sequence:
Day 1:When the students enter the room and sit on the, display on overhead projector a photo of African and Asian elephants. Ask the students what is the same and what is different about the two elephants. After the discussion, tell the students that they will be learning more about the elephants of India and about the people, places and culture of India. Show them a world globe and point out to them the United States, Africa and India. Show them a map and do the same. Show more examples of photos and drawings of elephants, an example of an elephant stamp and completed print. Show them dot-to-dot drawing of elephant. Instruct students to go to their assigned tables.
Step 1: Instruct students to complete the dot-to dot and then add details, habitat and color to their drawings.
Step 2: Invite students two at a time to the printing station to create their elephant print.
Step 3: Instruct students to write their name on the back of their 6”x6” construction paper.
Step 4: Assist students in applying paint to elephant stamp using a foam brayer.
Step 5: Assist students to place painted stamp onto their construction paper.
Step 6: Assist students in using hard brayer to roll it over their stamp.
Step 7: Instruct students to hang their print on the clothesline.
Step 8: Invite students to return to the carpet with their dot to dot artwork. Review some of the facts they learned about elephants, globes, maps and India today.
Step 9: Call students row by row to stand up and display their artwork before lining up for dismissal.Day 2:
When students enter the room and sit on the carpet, display on overhead a print of Akbar inspecting the wild elephant captured from the herd near Malwa. Model and conduct See, Think, Wonder activity. Display other Muraqqa images that have elephants. Share some images of Muraqqa books, pointing out floral and animal motifs and patchwork style. Explain how and why the artists created their books. Discuss how the artists added text and borders to enhance the book’s beauty and to create balance in their artwork. Model for students how to make a patterned “picture frame” border. Display 6”x6” piece of construction paper with sequins glued around the perimeter as a border for our elephant print. Model how to use white glue and paintbrush to glue sequins onto the paper.
Step 1: Instruct students to write their name on the back of their 6”x6” paper and then use white glue and paintbrush to glue sequins around the perimeter of their paper.
Step 2: Call students two by two to the printing station to create their second elephant print.
Step 3: Instruct students to write their name on the back of their 6”x6” construction paper.
Step 4: Assist students in applying paint to elephant stamp using a foam brayer.
Step 5: Assist students to place painted stamp onto their construction paper.
Step 6: Assist students in using hard brayer to roll it over their stamp.
Step 7: Instruct students to hang their print on the clothesline.
Step 8: Instruct students to place their sequined papers flat on the drying rack when finished.
Step 9: Invite students to return to the carpet. Ask them what they learned today about how people lived during the Mughal Dynasty.Day 3:
After students enter the room and sit on the carpet., ask them to stand up and demonstrate how they think an elephant would walk. Ask them how many have seen Disney’s Jungle Book? Play Baby Elephant Walk music and instruct students to parade around the room walking like elephants until the music stops and then returned to their assigned carpet seats. Display an example of the cover of an elephant book which is already folded and has a drawing of an elephant and “MY ELEPHANT BOOK in bubble letters printed on it. Model using markers to color in the letters and the elephant. Play music and have students “elephant walk” to their art tables.
Step 1: Instruct students to write their name on the front of their elephant book cover.
Step 2: Instruct students to use markers to color their elephant and decorate their book covers
Step 3: Invite students to return to the carpet. Display an example of a photo of elephants glued onto a 5”x5” piece of construction paper with gel and glitter marker dots and shapes around the border. Display an example of a piece of paper with “Elephants are an endangered species.” glued onto a 5” x 3” piece of construction paper with gel and glitter marker dots around the border. Model for students how to glue on the photo and sentence onto the papers and use markers to create a border for each.
Step 4: Instruct students to glue their elephant photo onto the inside left side of their book cover.
Step 5: Instruct students to glue their sentence onto the inside right side of their book cover.
Step 6: Instruct students to use gel and glitter markers to create borders on their pages.
Step 7: Invite students to return to the carpet with their book covers. Ask students to share with their neighbors their book covers. Play Baby Elephant Walk music as you call them row by row to walk like elephants and line up for dismissal. Collect their book covers as they exit.Day 4:
Prior to students arriving, crop their elephant prints to 4” x 4” squares. Display images of elephants in India wearing accessories and an example of a finished page of an elephant book. Model using shiny paper, sequins, glue and glitter markers to decorate our elephant prints. Demonstrate how to glue the elephant prints onto 10”x8” folded piece of construction paper. Tell the students that you are going to be playing some special music from India while they are working today. Instruct student to go to their art tables. Quietly play Mangalam, Veena-Murali, Svara Mantra songs by Ravy Shankar.
Step 1: Instruct students to glue precut shiny paper and sequins to decorate their elephant prints.
Step 2: Invite students to return to the carpet. Demonstrate gluing the decorated elephant prints onto a 6”x6” piece of construction paper. Demonstrate using gel and glitter markers to decorate around the glued downed prints. Instruct students to return to their art table.
Step 3: Instruct students to use pencil to write their names on the folded construction paper and glue on their elephant prints.
Step 4: Instruct students to use markers to add decorations around their prints.
Step 5: Invite students to return to the carpet with their work. Ask students how they felt about the music played today. Invite students to share with their neighbors the pages of their book. Play music by Ravy Shankar as the students they line up for dismissal. Collect their work as they exit.Day 5:
As students enter the room and sit on the carpet, display on the overhead a photo of the Taj Mahal. Conduct See Think Wonder activity. Explain symmetrical balance. Display examples of Muraqqa pages and discuss calligraphy. Display and read aloud some facts about elephants. Model writing two brief facts about elephants on the folded paper with the glued on elephant prints. Demonstrate adding decorations around the facts written. Tell students that when they are finished, they may color a copy of a drawing of the Taj Mahal. Instruct students to go to their assigned tables. Distribute their elephant print pages.
Step 1: Instruct students to use pencil first to write two elephant facts onto their papers.
Step 2: Instruct students to go over their pencil with markers and then add decorations and more details with glitter markers.
Step 3: Invite students to return to the carpet with their artwork. Ask students to share the calligraphy they wrote. Dismiss them row by row, collecting their artwork as they exit.Day 6:
Prior to the students arriving, compile pages and bind the students’ books together with a long neck stapler or by hole punching the center of the pages and tying them with yarn. As students enter the room, have all books displayed around the room. After students sit on the carpet, tell them that that they will travel around the room and look at each other’s books. Play Baby Elephant Walk song and instruct students to elephant walk around the room and look at their books. When the music stops, they are to retrieve their own book and return to the carpet. Announce to students that during their art time today they may complete and color an elephant dot-to-dot, color a Taj Mahal drawing, or create another drawing about elephants.
.
Accommodations:Reprinted Photos or drawn elephants to color instead of stamps, stickers instead of sequins.
Preprinted facts about elephants.Assessment:
Assessment of Kindergarten art projects is not mandated, but if a score were given, it could be based on the attached checklist and rubric.
Closure:
- Discuss with students what they learned about India and Elephants and the Mughal Dynasty.
- Discuss their favorite and least favorite parts of this project.
- Discuss possibilities for other Muraqqa books they might like to make.
Reflections:
I did this lesson plan with one Kindergarten class that I see twice a week and often have a parent volunteer. As the plan unfolded, I continue to make modifications to simplify the processes. The above lesson plan reflects these changes.
