Worksheet

Unit of Study:          Inca architecture; textile motifs as inspiration for a personal travelogue tessellation

Lesson Title:           Inca architecture, textiles and creating your own travelogue narrative of a personal journey

Subject Area(s):      Art/Mathematics trans-disciplinary lesson

Grade Level:           4th and 5th

Author:                    Gary Cousin

County:                    Montgomery County

Length of Time:       Four 40-minute class sessions

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Abstract:

This tessellation travelogue unit provides students with the opportunity to learn about how people are inspired by their environment in the creation of different forms of expression. The unit will explore connections between architecture, textiles and the creation of a travelogue by having students create a tessellation and using the repeated shapes as pages on which to describe a voyage to a real or imaginary place.

Each student will design and create a travelogue that describes a fictional or non-fictional series of events. The events will be described using pictographic and literal elements. The travelogue will be recorded on a tessellation created by each learner in a manner mimicking such Inca stone work as exists at Sacsahuaman. Pictographic symbols- tocapu as presented on Andean textiles will analyzed for inspiration in creating personal symbols to be used in describing a personal narrative.

Background:

Students have practiced creating personal symbols.

Central Idea: Environmental images can be used to describe a personal narrative. The Elements of Art and Principles of design can be used to create a travelogue.

Line of Inquiry: Environmental images

Tools/Materials:

100 weight paper
Variety of drawing media (pencils, crayons)
Rulers
Card stock
Tape
Watercolor paint

Resources:

Website:
http://www.asia.si.edu/press/prMuraqqa.htm

Visual references of:
Inca stone work as exists at Sacsahuaman.
Tocapu symbols- as presented on Andean textiles

Standards/Learner Outcomes:

Fine Arts Standards:

1.0 Perceiving and Responding
Use the elements of art and principles of design to organize personally meaningful compositions.
a. Describe how qualities of the elements of art and principles of design are organized to communicate personal meaning in visual compositions.
b. Select and use principles of design, such as pattern, contrast, repetition, balance, rhythm/movement, and emphasis, to give personal meaning to visual compositions.

2.0 Historical, Cultural, Social
Determine ways in which works of art express ideas about oneself, other    people, places, and events.
a. Identify different ways that artists use symbols to express ideas in elected works of art.
b. Select symbols that represent important aspects of life to express personal meaning in visual compositions.
2. Classify reasons why people create and use art by studying artwork and other sources of information a. Identify techniques, processes, and materials from different times and places used to create visual art.
b. Describe the origins of selected techniques, processes, and materials used in the visual arts.

Content Standards: Economics

Identify and describe how individuals and groups share with and borrow from other cultures
Explain that people must make choices because resources are limited relative to unlimited wants for goods and services
Examine the production process

           
Objectives/Skills:

Fine Arts Objectives

Students will:
Use art elements and design principles to create a travelogue representing a fictional or non-fictional narrative
Identify patterns that communicate personal/cultural meaning.
Apply criteria for judging printed products.

Content Objectives

Students will:
Describe how they used the Elements of Art and Principles of Design to represent a personal narrative

Keywords/Vocabulary:
 
Pattern- A regular or mainly unvarying repetition of one or more elements of art

Pictograph- Picture that represents a thing or concept

Sacsayhuaman- Sight of Inca stone architecture

Symbol- Something that stands for, represents, or suggests another thing

Textile- An object create by a human using fibers

Tocapu- Geometric designs used by Inca on textiles

Motivation:

Conduct a See, Think, Wonder activity as a warm up and introduction segment by showing examples of Inca tocapu symbols used on textiles and their representation on the stone architecture at Sacsayhuaman.

Scope & Sequence:

SESSION 1

Teacher Directed

Teacher reads Mastery Objectives and communicates overarching goals and criteria for success in verbal, written and visual/tactile form.

Teacher uses thinking aloud strategy while creating a grid and using the grid shapes as pages for recording personally meaningful events on in pictographic and literary formats.

Guided Practice

Students will be led through steps in creating a grid and using the grid shapes as pages for describing a personal story.

Independent Practice

Students carry out above steps.

Closure:

Each student will fill out an exit card.

Verbal Summarizers will include calling on students to explain:

What they are working on and an important detail they learned from the session
How they used the Elements of Art and/or Principles of Design to create a symbol that describes an event.

SESSION 2

Teacher Directed

Creating a tessellation.
Using the tessellation to represent a narrative on by using individual tessellation shapes as pages of an unfolding narrative.

Guided Practice

Teacher repeats steps as students follow along. Peer tutoring will be encouraged.

Independent Practice

Teacher circulates to students offing feedback and guidance.

Assessment:

Each student will fill out an exit card including reflection and a grading rubric that provides a self-check that provides a personal success rating.
(See attached worksheets.)

Criteria for success:

Each student has created a tessellation.
Each shape of the tessellation includes a pictograph or literary representation describing an event
Emphasis is used through contrasting Elements of art.
Color is used in the composition (may be monochromatic).

Closure:

Why people create art
Why people create personal symbols
The process used in creating a personal narrative
An important detail they learned from the unit.