Crossing Borders/Breaking Boundaries
Pre- and Post-Encounter Arts of the Early Americas
June 22 – 29, 2009
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Unit of Study:            Pre- and Post Encounter Art of the Early Americas

Lesson Title:               Using Textiles to Tell Our Story

Subject Area(s):         Math, Social Studies, Art

Grade Level:              Second Grade

Author:                       Ronique McDaniel

County:                      Prince George’s County, MD

Length of Time:        Two to three 45-minute sessions

*This lesson is part of a unit lesson on Pre- and Post Encounter Art of the Early Americas. The connecting lesson was created by teammate Anya Barnes.

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Abstract:

Since the beginning of time people have needed a way to express themselves. Many people forget that written language was not the only way used to communicate. Symbols and pictures were used by a great number of people especially by the indigenous peoples of North America to communicate amongst each other, as well as telling their story to others centuries later. Students will learn through various explorations how important ancient artifacts are to understanding the lives of indigenous people as well as having the opportunity to create their own artifact to express themselves. Through using a variety of resources, students will learn the importance of carefully evaluating information. Students will be exposed to current groups who still use textiles as a way to non-verbally hand down traditions.

Background:

Students will be introduced to a few of the indigenous groups of people in North America, and discover ways they communicated with each other and shared their history. They will research what types of material they used and why, based on their resources. Students will learn that there are other ways of communication besides many of those they may be familiar with such as: telephones, writing, etc.

Materials:

The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy pictures by Jerry Pinkney
Pictures of pre/ post-encounter tunics and artifacts
Fabric
Scissors
Glue
Maps

Resources:

The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy pictures by Jerry Pinkney

Library of Congress: www.loc.org, www.loc.org/teachers

Dumbarton Oaks Museum: www.doaks.org

 

Standards/ Learner Outcomes:

Fine Arts Standards

Visual Arts
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 art.
1.a.Describe colors, lines, shapes, textures, forms, and space found in observed objects and the environment
2.a. Describe how artists use color, line, shape, texture, form, and space to represent what people, see, know, feel, and imagine
2.b. Use color, line, shape, texture, form, and space to represent ideas visually from observation, memory, and imagination
Content Standards

Content Standards

Math:

Number Computation & Relationships
Represent and analyze growing patterns that start at the beginning and show no more than 3 levels, and ask for the level, using symbols, shapes, designs and pictures
Transfer a repeating pattern from one medium to 2 different media using more than 3 different objects in the core of the pattern such as: red, green, red, green; A,B,A,B

Geometry:

Combine and subdivide squares, triangles, and rectangles to identify a new shape
Identify and demonstrate slides, flips, and turns
Recognize that basic shapes have several lines of symmetry
Social Studies

Geography:

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.

History:

Examine significant ideas, beliefs, and themes; organize patterns and events; and analyze how individuals and societies have changed over time in Maryland, the United States and around the world.

 

Objectives/ Skills:

Fine Arts Objectives
Students will use color, line, shape, texture, form, and space to represent ideas visually from observation, memory, and imagination in order demonstrate the ability to perceive, interpret, and respond to ideas, experiences, and the environment through visual art.

Content Objectives
Students will use a variety of materials in order to represent and analyze growing patterns. (Math)
Students will view various maps in order to apply 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. (Social Studies)

Keywords/ Vocabulary:

Artifact
Tunic
Textile
Quilt
Aztec
Maya
Tocapu

Motivation:

Students will be asked prior to the lesson to bring in an item from home that is important to their family
Explain to students that just like their family has something that is a symbol for their family, people from the beginning of time have used symbols to represent their families as well
Students’ finished projects (class tunic) will be displayed in the school lobby.

Scope and Sequence:

Teacher Directed-       Reading Assignment, Artifact Examples
Guided Practice-         Pattern Modeling
Independent Practice- Personal Pattern Making

Assessment:

Technique Practice
Final Project
Self-Assessment

Closure/ Reflection:

Tunics/textiles were used first by the indigenous people and many people since to tell stories of their culture through various colors, pictures/ symbols
concepts and processes to examine the role of culture, teachnology, technology and

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Sponsored by
Sponsored by the the Maryland Humanities Council
and the Center for Renaissance & Baroque Studies