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Unit of Study:                       Early American Art / Math / Geometry

Lesson Title:                         Mesoamerican Geometric Ornaments

Subject Areas:                     Art, Math

Grade Level:                        3rd Grade

Author:                                Gillian L. Breedlove

County:                                Caroline County, MD

Time Period:                         Four class periods, 45 minutes each

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Abstract:

Students will be introduced to the native peoples and cultures of the Americas. We will be the archeologists who uncover and document the fascinating artifacts of early Mesoamerica. The artwork will connect to math by topics focused on standards of geometry, the recognition and categorization of geometric vs. organic shapes. Students will create an air-dry clay ornament designed by using geometric shapes, organic shapes, or a combination thereof.

Background:

Teacher:
Before we begin our lesson, I will need to have the visual examples of early American art selected and enlarged to share with students. I will need to read and gather information about the selected visual examples to be ready for discussion and to answer any student questions. The new vocabulary about the art studied and the art made will need to be prepared. Make my own sample to use as a visual, but also to practice the project to see where there may be difficulty.

Students:
Students may have some ideas about what and where Mexico/ Guatemala are, what kind of people live there, what kind of animals, and they may have some familiarity with Native American culture and mythology.

Materials:

Day 1

Hand-made puzzles of printed images relating to the topic

Map of Mesoamerica including southern U.S. and northern South America and Caribbean
Map of Mesoamerica with photos of artifacts at their location on the map
Artist rendition of contemporary life during Maya era, in city
Artist rendition of contemporary life during Maya era, spectators watching a sport much like soccer.

Paper and writing instruments to create group journal
Printed handouts
Visuals and activity objects
Posters

Day 2

Rollers, Plastic Clay tools, Scissors
Model Magic Air Dry Clay
Sharpie Marker
Box lid or trays

Day 3

Dried Clay art
Paint & Brushes
Bucket w/ water & sponges
Mats or newspaper

Day 4

Dried clay art
Yarn/ Cord / Pipe-cleaners
Collection of various beads
*Supplemental activity for early finishers:
Printed Worksheet
Crayons, Markers/ Hi-lighters

Resources:

Scholastic Art, Vol. 24 No. 2, November 1993, Art of the Americas, by Scholastic
Hands-On Heritage, EP 150, 2002, Inca-Aztec-Maya Activity Book, by Edupress, Dana Pont, CA
Mythology: The Illustrated Anthology of World Myth and Storytelling, edited by C. Scott Littleton, Duncan Baird Publishers, London, 2002
Children and Their Art: Methods for the Elementary School, by Al Hurwitz and Michael Day, Harcourt College Publishers, Fort Worth, 2001, Seventh Edition
State of Maryland Educational Standards: VSC on the web: http://mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/mathematics
State of Maryland Educational Standards: Arts Standards:
Google sites: Center for Renaissance and Baroque Studies, Crossing Borders/ Breaking Boundaries, University of Maryland College Park, 2009:
Library of Congress: Jay Kislak Collection: 2 Effigy Incense Burners http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/EarlyAmericas/Pages/SlObjectList.aspx

Standards:

Art

VSC 1.0 Perceiving and Responding: Aesthetic Education: Students will demonstrate the ability to perceive, interpret, and respond to their environment through visual art. Grade 1:
1. Identify and describe observed form
a. Describe colors, lines, shapes, textures, and forms found in observed objects and the environment
b. Represent observed physical qualities of people, animals, and objects in the environment using color, line, shape, texture, and form

VSC 2.0 Historical, Cultural, and Social Context: Students will demonstrate and understanding of visual arts as a basic aspect of history and human experience
1. Determine ways in which works of art express ideas about oneself, other people, places, and events
a. Observe works of art and describe how artists express ideas about people, places, and events

Math:

VSC: Grade 1: Standard 2.0 Knowledge of Geometry: Students will apply the properties of one, two, or three-dimensional geometric figures to describe, reason, or solve problems about shape, size, position, or motion of objects.
Topic A. Plane Geometric Figures: 1. Recognize and apply the properties/ attributes of plane geometric figures to describe, reason, or solve problems about shape, size, position, or motion or objects.
A) Identify, name, and compare triangles, circles, squares, rectangles, and rhombi by their attributes.
B) Create models of triangles, circles, squares, and rectangles with varied materials.

Objectives:

Lesson Day 1:

Learn: An archaeologist is a scientist who searches for things left behind in the past, usually they dig up these artifacts from the ground.

Do: We will work in groups to put together a puzzle that makes a picture of your archaeological dig site. You will work with your team to write, draw, or list the important clues.

Success: You will be successful if you can work together with your team to record the important clues from your dig site to share with the other archaeologists.

Lesson Day 2:

Learn:  A geometric shape is a simple shape with straight sides and a regular edge, for example a triangle.

Do: We will identify geometric shapes and organic shapes.

Success: You will be successful if you can use geometric and organic shapes to create your clay ornament.

Lesson Day 3:

Learn: Different tools work better for different jobs.

Do: We will learn how to choose the right kind of paintbrush for the work we are doing today. We will learn how to use the materials to paint the ornaments today.

Success: You will be successful if you can responsibly use the paint and supplies to add color to your clay ornament.

Lesson Day 4:

Learn: The ornament is our precious artifact from the past. Like we saw Maya people wearing in the photos and art.

Do: We will create a necklace with the clay ornament in the middle with beads on both sides.

Success: You will be successful if you can complete your Mesoamerican clay necklace by stringing your ornament onto the yarn and use the beads to create a necklace.

If you finish before time is up you will work on the handout tracing all the geometric shapes in marker and all the organic shapes in crayon.

Vocabulary:

Archaeologist
Mesoamerica
Maya/ Mayan
Artifact
Ornament
Site/ dig
Geometric Shape
Organic Shape

Motivation:

Lesson Day 1: Young Archaeologist: Students are invited by the National Museum in Mexico City to join them in an archaeological dig to discover lost and precious art. Students work in groups to discover locations, sites, and art objects. We will work together as a class to record our findings from each site and record in our journals.

Lesson Day 2: Teacher in Costume: Before teaching students how to create the clay ornaments I explain some back info and wear examples that I had made along with a paper headdress I made to resemble the one seen on website, Cleveland Museum of Art.

Lesson Day 3: No additional motivation needed! The kids are always extremely excited when they know they are painting that day.

Lesson Day 4: Kids who finish on time are rewarded by being given an additional activity to do after they clean up.

Scope and Sequence:

Lesson Day 1: Students take on the role of archaeologists and are assigned to an archeological site. (while listening to cultural music) At the site students participate in an activity where they discover the names of the early American groups, art samples/artifacts, and locations. Students will record their findings on their group’s journal, the individual groups share the findings.

Lesson Day 2: The young archeologists learn name given to shapes like circles, triangles, and squares…are geometric shapes. Compare and contrast to organic shapes. Students learn how to roll the clay and cut out shapes. They are encouraged to use geometric shapes, organic shapes, or a combination thereof. Each student watches me demo larger shape below and smaller shapes on top, stick them together.

Lesson Day 3: Students can use Elmer’s Glue to attach clay pieces and use a straw to punch a hole to hang the ornament from or make a clay loop. Students will paint their ornaments.

Lesson Day 4: Students will string their ornament onto a yarn, cord, or pipe-cleaners to be worn. Add beads to make overall necklace. Those who finish early will have time to start a bonus activity: Using the Aztec Stone of the Sun image students will trace the geometric shapes in marker and the organic shapes in crayon.

Assessment:

Informal

Lesson Day 1: Are students following along with the activity? Are students sharing the materials and working together as a group? During group info sharing are students in others groups being respectful listeners? Are members among groups sharing the work?

Lesson Day 2: What is a geometric shape? What is an organic shape? How do you know? Are students using the covered lesson material on geometric and organic shapes to create clay art that matches the criteria? Are they working within the time constraint?

Lesson Day 3: Are students safely using the art tools? Are they following the steps of the lesson? Responsible use of materials?

Lesson Day 4: Are students properly sharing materials with each other? Are they working within the time constraint? Done early, new activity, how did you do? Where are the geometric shapes, organic shapes?

Formal

Geometric Shape Ornament Assessment                                                        Rubric

Closure:

Lesson Day 1: Student summary of the vocabulary presented: archaeologist, scientist, dig site, artifact, Maya, Mesoamerica, etc. What important clues did you find at your site?

Lesson Day 2: Student summary of the vocabulary used: geometric shape, organic shape, Model Magic, roller, clay tools. How did you use the geometric/ organic shapes today? How did you use shapes to make your design?

Lesson Day 3: How did you plan ahead to make sure your ornament can be worn? How did you connect or attach the small shapes to the bigger shapes? Did you use the right kind of tools and materials for the job? Were you responsible with the paint and tools at cleanup?

Lesson Day 4: What was most difficult about putting your ornament on the string/yarn? How did you do it? What have you learned about archaeologists? What have you learned about geometric shapes? What have you learned about the Mesoamerican people and their life?

Reflection:

This lesson was very enjoyable for both the students and me. They were terribly excited to learn about archaeology and be a scientist to help the museum in Mexico. They were equally excited the next lesson when they found out they would use Model Magic clay to make an ancient artifact found by an archaeologist that was worn by the royal Mayan rulers. When they were done making the pieces they were extremely thrilled to make art to wear! Enjoyable and worth the extra work.

If I were to go back and change anything I would be sure to have all the kids learn how to make the clay loop to use for hanging the clay ornament on the first day of clay use (or use a straw to poke a hole). This way that part would already be dry before the kids moved on to the other steps.
Next time I teach this I would like to try having the kids use the clay tools to make scratches and textures…an antiquing effect for painting in layers.