Art as a Reflection of Society

How is Rodin's "Monument for the Defense of Paris" an example of the birth of democracy? What does the sculpture say about the price of liberty and democracy? To conclude a three-lesson unit that asks class members to analyze works of...

Guide your class on an art adventure sharping with them the changes reflected in Renaissance art. Students will use a T-Graph and a Venn Diagram to compare what they notice in art from the Middle Ages and Renaissance. They will note...

A three-tiered activity guides eighth graders through an engaging social studies activity. After completing the pre-activity, that prompts learners to participate in a seminar on Richard Westall's painting The Sword of Damocles,...

Connect art to social issues with a extended inquiry project. Individuals or small groups select a social issue and a type of art to explore. They complete a KWL chart for both the social issue and the art strand and take time to create...

Learners formulate a definition of art in the introductory lesson for a unit on various art forms. The learning emphasis is placed on Oregonian artist Duff Severe and reflective writing. Young scholars compose an essay describing various...

Students observe art from different Aboriginal cultures.  In this art evaluation lesson, students discover the different traditions of cultures from the Pacific North West.  Students judge the art from these cultures with a specific...

Curator, artist, art handler, archivist, conservator-restorer, guide. Who would have thought there were so many different kinds of museum professionals? After a visit to an art museum, class members reflect on the role of the museum in...

What does "The Sword of Damocles" have to do with the formation of American democracy and the US Constitution? Class members begin their study of changes in a democratic society by considering the allusions in English painter Richard...

Art can express acts of injustice and move society to action. Upper graders analyze contemporary art relating to specific moments in history. They discuss propaganda, anarchy, sociology, and violence as activism. After researching and...

Combine literature and history by examining the work of Japanese writers after the Russo-Japanese war. This resource is for advanced classes with an interest in how literature reflects and reacts to societal change. Activities outlined...