THE BEAUTY OF NATURE
Unit Theme: Beauty in the World and Nature
Lesson: The Beauty of Trees
Level: Elementary School (4th grade)
Projected Time: 3 Class Periods
Lesson: The Beauty of Trees
Level: Elementary School (4th grade)
Projected Time: 3 Class Periods
LESSON OVERVIEW
Students will be examining different types of trees that they can find in their own backyards and school grounds. They will identify different types by their visual characteristics and how they relate to other trees in nature. Students will look at artists work who use trees in their art to connect the influence of trees and the beauty of them into actual art work. I want to connect my theme to contemporary art and also to older artists to show that the theme of nature continues throughout time. The activity I will have them do involves different types of trees and identifying them in nature. Throughout the entire lesson, students will continuously think about these two questions: What does beauty mean to you? and Where in nature do you see beauty and how is it beautiful?
VISUAL CULTURE COMPONANT
Students will recognize the treehouse, either from cartoons or if they have one in their backyard. They might not know what type of tree is used for the base of the tree to hold it up, so we will talk about why the oak tree is good for that because of it's thick trunk and solid branches that can support the weight of the house.
Students will associate the palm tree with summer and the beach and recognize it from trips that they most likely take in the summer. They will recognize it by the distinct leaves and how different they are from other tree leaves. We will talk about how palm trees are related to the beach and mostly found where the climate is warm and humid.
VOCABULARY
Beauty: The quality present in a thing or object that pleases a person and makes them feel happy
Actual Texture: The physical, tactile quality of an object
Implied Texture: Texture that is not physically there, but looks like it is
Line: A mark or stroke made with pen, pencil, etc.
Illustration: A visual representation of something to explain or clarify
Asymmetry: Not the same on both sides of the object
Identify: To recognize a particular person or thing
Bark: The covering of trees
Leaves: The petals of the trees
Branches: The limb or arm of a tree
Actual Texture: The physical, tactile quality of an object
Implied Texture: Texture that is not physically there, but looks like it is
Line: A mark or stroke made with pen, pencil, etc.
Illustration: A visual representation of something to explain or clarify
Asymmetry: Not the same on both sides of the object
Identify: To recognize a particular person or thing
Bark: The covering of trees
Leaves: The petals of the trees
Branches: The limb or arm of a tree
STANDARDS
Fourth Grade Standards:
2PE - Notice and describe different visual effects resulting from art making techniques
5PR - Combine the elements and principles of art and design to create visually effective compositions in original works of art
2RE - Develop and share their ideas, beliefs, and values about art
2PE - Notice and describe different visual effects resulting from art making techniques
5PR - Combine the elements and principles of art and design to create visually effective compositions in original works of art
2RE - Develop and share their ideas, beliefs, and values about art
OBJECTIVES
The learner will:
- Identify a tree that they believe exemplifies the concept of "beauty"
- Illustrate the tree they find into an image
- Compare the different types of trees and beauty in them and have them explain why they thought it was "beautiful"
- Develop an understanding of the concept of beauty and how it is different for every person and in every tree, but it is still there
- Demonstrate good craftsmanship (straight lines when appropriate, and correct colors, staying in the lines, neatness, etc.)
PROCEDURE
Day 1 - (45 Min):
Day 3 - (45 min):
- Students will be presented with a powerpoint presentation that will include different types of trees, contemporary artists, and the visual culture components.
- Then we will go outside and the students will perform a scavenger hunt of different trees and nature
- Once they identify trees, they will come back inside and research different types of trees that they wish to recreate from this website in the computer lab using the provided computers in said lab.
- They will then print out the description of the tree
- Students will read over the description of the tree they chose and using vocabulary terms and common vocabulary, they will think about the description and use their imagination to visually represent the tree from their minds onto the paper
- The students will watch my demonstration of how to create a tree from the description provided. I will take them step by step of how to correctly interpret the trunk, branches, leaves, details, and distinct characteristics of the the trees to get an actual visual representation of the tree.
- They will start with the trunk/base of the tree and work their way up to the leaves. Then add details, like grass and the background.
- Then they will recreate the image of the tree without knowing what it looks like
Day 3 - (45 min):
- Once they are completed, we will compare the trees painted by the students to how the trees look in real life
- Then we will compare the trees of the class to each other and identify what we think is beautiful about them and how their differences make them unique and beautiful
- We will then revisit the questions posed at the beginning of the project by asking, "What does beauty mean to you?" and "Where in nature do you see beauty and how is it beautiful?"
ARTISTS OR ART HISTORY FOCUS
Anya Gallaccio - Paisley, Scotland in 1963
Anya Gallaccio did the impossible. She brought the outside in with her installation of this tree. She uses organic materials such as, dried and rotting fruit, real chocolate and sugar, and trees cast in bronze. Her sculptures' multi sensory and experimental elements allow you to engage with the rich tactile qualities. The new piece is firmly rooted in the site, as if nature has broken into the space pushing through the gallery floor and walls. Gallaccios's work is concerned with nature, beauty and decay, she uses ephemeral materials to refer to the cyclic nature if life and death. She graduated from Goldsmiths College in 1988 and began her artistic start soon after in an exhibition called, Freeze. She is a professor at the Department of Visual Arts at the University of California, San Diego. |
Melissa Eder - Born on October 8, 1963 in Long Branch, New Jersey
She interested in exploring ideas related to beauty, popular culture, and kitsch. Can You Dig It? A Chromatic Series of Floral Arrangements is a series of photographs taken of floral arrangements that she have created in the last few years. Her series consists of 10 large photographs printed onto metallic paper. Part of her practice was to find and buy the fake flowers used in her images from dollar stores. They were gathered from various stores throughout New York and New Jersey with the backdrops being made of polyester spandex. This relates to my art theme because she talks about beauty and how the flowers, even though they are fake, they are still beautiful and will be beautiful forever. |
Linda Hemmersbach - Born in Cologne, Germany in 1984
She make abstract paintings, drawings, and small objects in clay, paper and from found materials. Through making, She is interested in discovering transitions from conscious to unconscious, exterior to interior. She has always had beauty influence her life and her work. She loved having beauty around when she was a child, and it continued into her adult life. She thinks this sense of preciousness has stayed with her in her art practice and is what still draws her to painting; the preparation of the surface, the grinding of pigments, the discovery of the new and unique through creation. And she have been told some of my paintings have jewel-like qualities. For her BA she studied Jewelry Design because she wanted to learn the craft of silversmithing and to make something that would last forever. The relates because she continues to use beauty, in jewelry, and in small objects.
She make abstract paintings, drawings, and small objects in clay, paper and from found materials. Through making, She is interested in discovering transitions from conscious to unconscious, exterior to interior. She has always had beauty influence her life and her work. She loved having beauty around when she was a child, and it continued into her adult life. She thinks this sense of preciousness has stayed with her in her art practice and is what still draws her to painting; the preparation of the surface, the grinding of pigments, the discovery of the new and unique through creation. And she have been told some of my paintings have jewel-like qualities. For her BA she studied Jewelry Design because she wanted to learn the craft of silversmithing and to make something that would last forever. The relates because she continues to use beauty, in jewelry, and in small objects.
EVALUATION
_____ Has the student identified a tree that the believe exemplifies the concept of "beauty"?
_____ Did the student illustrate the tree they found into an image?
_____ Did the students compare the different types of trees and beauty in them and have them explain why they thought it was "beautiful"?
_____ Has the student developed an understanding of the concept of beauty and how it is different for every person and in every tree, but it is still there?
_____ Did the student demonstrate good craftsmanship? (straight lines when appropriate, and correct colors, staying in the lines, neatness, etc.)
_____ Did the student illustrate the tree they found into an image?
_____ Did the students compare the different types of trees and beauty in them and have them explain why they thought it was "beautiful"?
_____ Has the student developed an understanding of the concept of beauty and how it is different for every person and in every tree, but it is still there?
_____ Did the student demonstrate good craftsmanship? (straight lines when appropriate, and correct colors, staying in the lines, neatness, etc.)
MATERIALS (enough for 20 kids)
- Construction paper (size 18 x 20) (One per student)
- Green, brown, black, white, red, blue, and yellow paint (various amounts, but at least 2 bottles of each)
- Computer lab (1 computer per child)
- Printer and printer paper (provided in computer lab)
- Description of the tree they choose (Different for each child)
- Paintbrushes of various sizes (40)
- Water Cups (One per table)
- Pencils (40)
- Erasers (40)
- Sponges for texture (One per table)
- Newsprint to cover tables (2 pads)
- Powerpoint of different types of trees
- Push Pins to mount the art on the walls (40 pins)