Art Reflecting History Lesson Plans

Students explore the symbiotic relationship between the city and art, specifically: How art reflects, represents, and responds to the city., How art (or the lack of it) affects life in the city., and How the city provides unique opportunities for the creation and participation in various forms of art.

Learners work in small groups to investigate a variety of art and architecture forms common during the Old Kingdom epoch in Ancient Egypt. Learners then evaluate how these art forms reflect a culture's beliefs and values. And, finally, groups do research on an assigned art form and create an example.

What would it be like to restore modern works of art? By acting as modern art conservators, learners assess the first-hand difficulties faced in restoration efforts. In addition, they create modern art pieces from random materials. Then, they resume the role of art conservator to analyze their classmates' work and discuss preservation techniques.

Motivate your class with this art instructional activity relating to the Lyme Art Colony. Learners create a television news report based on five topics; the American art colony at Lyme, daily life in a boardinghouse in 1910, making the most of limited choices, the life and times of Florence Griswold, and American Impressionism. They use the Florence Griswold Museum's online resources to conduct research.

Discuss the lives of artists in the Lyme Art Colony in the 1900's using this resource. Young historians write and perform a short scene depicting individuals who lived in the Griswold boardinghouse, used by the colony artists. They use the Florence Griswold Museum's online resources to gather information about the people of the art colony.

Observe images and discuss what messages they convey. For this critical thinking lesson plan, students determine whether works of art are trying to persuade their audience. They also consider the media and how they communicate messages to viewers.

Students explore the development of wood art. For this art history lesson, students study the art work of Gary Stevens. Students describe, analyze, and derive meaning from the art they see. Students write a theory about the artist's purpose for the work of art and support their answer with reasonable personal opinions.

Students rate a variety of kid-friendly museum Web sites for both their educational and entertainment value. They reflect in writing about the overall success of each site to pique their interest in art, science, history or culture.

Students practice evaluating art by creating a research project and presentation. In this art culture lesson, students research the Internet and library to discover a piece of art or artist whom they feel has an impact on the world of art. Students create a PowerPoint, written or Oral presentation to demonstrate their knowledge of the subject they have chosen.

Students analyze and create a time line. In this history lesson, students research and write a time line displaying historical events and how they have impacted their family members and ancestors.