Art Exploration

what can art teach us about ourselves?

Module summary:

Learn about form and content in art
Explore famous art through form and content, historical context, and creative implications
Visit Denver Art Museum
- Review Star Wars and the Power of Costume exhibit
- Complete museum scavenger hunt

Students will understand that analysis, examining something in detail, allows you to create connections, explain yourself, gain deeper knowledge, and invigorate your critical thinking abilities. Wahoo!
Students will understand that art reflects our society, that it can bring new meaning to a subject, and gives us an important creative outlet.

Writing

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through effective selection, organization, and analysis of content
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research

Language

Demonstrate command of conventions of standard English grammar when speaking and writing
Demonstrate command of standard capitalization and punctuation

Monday:

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Denver Art Museum!
- engage in Star Wars costume exhibit (review verbally)
- complete museum scavenger hunt

Thursday:

Government component of trip: breakfast with congressmen, visit to State Capitol

Friday:

Form and content analysis

Choose a famous piece of art (see below for choices, or find your own)
Write about its form and content with as much detail as you can:
- Form - describe literally what you see: shapes, colors, lines, space, texture, light, contrast, movement
- Content - describe what is happening in the painting, in detail; consider objects, characters, setting, tone, mood
- The goal here is to get to know the painting as much as possible; to consider what is happening literally and what the painting might be saying. Consider the painting in detail!
- How long? I knew you would ask. There is no set length. Write as much as you can think to write, then go back and write some more. Then show it to me, and if I think it isn't enough, I'll suggest other elements of detail to include :)

Famous Painting PowerPoint

Short story

Choose a famous piece of art (see below for choices, or find your own)
Write a short story inspired by the painting - either about what's happening in the painting itself or about what led the artist to create the painting.
Format and strategies:
- Be sure your story includes the basic plot components - intro, conflict, rising action, climax, conclusion
- Feel free to create a plot overview before writing, or just sit and free write to get the story going - your choice
- How long? that's up to you. It should be longer than a page double spaced (to ensure you are covering the entire plot arc), but after that, it's your discretion.