Incredible Art Department
Notan Collages - "Expanding the Square"
Notan is a Japanese word that expresses the interaction between light and dark. Learners explore Notan while creating dimensional art pieces that examine positive and negative spaces. They'll discuss the art of Notan, create their...
Quaver
World Percussion — Latin America Project Book
What's the most popular music style in Brazil? What about Cuba? Or the Dominican Republic? An immersive project teaches young learners about the salsa, the samba, and the merengue with research assignments and dance performances.
Curated OER
Comedia dell' Arte Paper Masks
Students create masks from the Italian Renaisance theatre and use them in one-act plays they write. they analyze the role and development of theatre in world cultures.
Broadway GPS
The Lion King—The Broadway Musical Study Guide
Musicals have been adapted from stage plays, novels, and movies. With The Lion King, Disney transforms its animated film into show-stopping, live-action musical theatre. The guide Disney provides to accompany a study of the award-winning...
Curated OER
Celebrating Ancestors
High schoolers participate in a "hands-on" activity, to explain that African masks were and are more than aesthetic artifacts, they are functional implements of the many cultures of the African continent.
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Folktale through African Art
Students study folktales and other stories from West Africa. By hearing and reading these stories they explore many new cultural and religious beliefs, such as spirits inhabiting nature and possessing special powers. Once the students...
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Deaf and Diverse
Students examine deaf culture and the role that American Sign Language plays in forging a sense of community.
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Clay Magic Pots
Fifth graders create clay artwork that resembles African and Egyptian monolithic sculptures. In this visual arts lesson, 5th graders are shown examples of monolithic and figural sculpture from Egyptian and African cultures, then they...
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Brushstrokes From West to East
Students meld their ideas about art with the philosophy of the Chinese. They discuss each art project, discover the history and culture of each project in China. They create a tea ceremony and various Chinese art projects.
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"In a Grove" and "Rashomon" by Akutagawa
Students read and analyze the short stories, "In a Grove," and "Rashomon," by Akutagawa. They discuss the samurai warrior culture, watch a short video, take a quiz, participate in whole-group discussions, identify similes and metaphors,...
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American Indian Art
Student complete a month-long unit on the symbolic and practical reasons for American Indian artwork. They explore websites, discuss elements of design, create an Indian backpack, Kachina Doll, weaving, sand painting, and totem pole.
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A Celebration of Africa
Students investigate early African civilizations. They create Kufi hats, musical instruments, pottery and African masks, sing songs, play African studenT games, and participate in a feast and tour of a museum where their artwork is...
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Male Nok Head SculptureNigeria, Africa
Sixth graders create sculpture. For this visual arts lesson, 6th graders design and create Nok sculptures that feature patterns and textures in the style of the Nok culture.
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Sunflowers - Artists
Students demonstrate an interest in and knowledge of the artists who painted sunflowers. They are introduced to the style of expressionism as they discuss and explore the many connections between art and culture.
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Forming Relationships Using Music & Rhythm
Students make connections to other cultures and traditions through music, dance, art, and poetry.
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African Masks
Fourth graders create three-dimensional paper African masks. They analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of Africa. they discover that masks were worn for various ceremonies.
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Japanese Noh Masks
Students examine Japanese theatre and create their own face masks which display certain emotions, props, costumes and perform in improvisational theatrical games.
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VISUAL ARTS
Pupils learn the historical context of mask-making explore the elements of the art form.
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Checkerboard
Students explore the game of checkers and the folk art that has been used to create checkerboards. They create their own checkerboards that reflect current culture.
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Amazing Aztecs
Students research information about the ancient Aztec culture. In this Aztec instructional activity, students conduct Internet research about Aztecs to find the answers to questions about their language, jewelry and tools, and the Aztec...
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Arctic Mask Design
Students assess the connection between animals and Arctic people. They design and create masks that reflect this relationship. They hold an art show to display their masks.
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Dancing Feathers
Fifth graders read and analyze the novel, 'Dancing Feathers.' They identify the main story elements, develop personal and fictional narratives, retell the story from a different point of view, create a mask, and design a postcard.
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Arm and Face Casts - body art
Students study African masks. They also study African American Art and look for its influence in Modern Art. They research and design their own culture.
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Latin American Film
Students identify characteristics in a Latin American film. In this filmography lesson, students describe their favorite movies and the reasons why they like them. Students are shown a short clip of a Latin American movie and discuss the...