Higher Achievement
Oct. 19th, 2009 11:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fabrisseI'm supposed to consult with my students about what seminar they will be given for the first thirteen weeks, but I told them they could pick anything for the second term; the first term was going to be "Technology and Art."
Oddly enough, especially after last year's weirdness, the lesson plans seem to be pretty good. However, some of them are too simplistic, and others I'd like to supplement.
So. Many of you are artists and artisans. Many of you have obscure pockets of knowledge about your art and/or craft.
What do you think a bunch of sixth graders should know?
Does anyone know where I can get a mirrored cylinder (for cheap) to show some of the optical illusion pieces from the Renaissance -- like the skull at the bottom of Holbein's Ambassadors. I do know that the mirrored cylinder isn't required for that piece specifically, but I'd still like to have one for the purposes of week four's class on optical illusions.
I'm planning to bring in watercolors (including brushes and pencils), pastels, modelling clay, and a basic calligraphy kit for tools and color work. In addition, I'm buying a pinhole camera kit (although if anyone can help me save $25 by making an even more basic one, that would be really cool). Does anyone have other ideas? One of the projects is supposed to be on kaleidoscopes and another on stained glass windows. I may combine the two into a more general discussion in order to focus on other media.
Which works of art -- non-denominational for preference -- would you point them at? Why?
I'm already planning to broaden the definition of art from the one given in the lesson plans. They seem to be focussing exclusively on visual art. I want them to understand that music, storytelling, and fabric work (from chain mail to cutwork embroidery) are also arts (and may also require technology).
Please, oh wise Friends list, help me broaden horizons.
Oddly enough, especially after last year's weirdness, the lesson plans seem to be pretty good. However, some of them are too simplistic, and others I'd like to supplement.
So. Many of you are artists and artisans. Many of you have obscure pockets of knowledge about your art and/or craft.
What do you think a bunch of sixth graders should know?
Does anyone know where I can get a mirrored cylinder (for cheap) to show some of the optical illusion pieces from the Renaissance -- like the skull at the bottom of Holbein's Ambassadors. I do know that the mirrored cylinder isn't required for that piece specifically, but I'd still like to have one for the purposes of week four's class on optical illusions.
I'm planning to bring in watercolors (including brushes and pencils), pastels, modelling clay, and a basic calligraphy kit for tools and color work. In addition, I'm buying a pinhole camera kit (although if anyone can help me save $25 by making an even more basic one, that would be really cool). Does anyone have other ideas? One of the projects is supposed to be on kaleidoscopes and another on stained glass windows. I may combine the two into a more general discussion in order to focus on other media.
Which works of art -- non-denominational for preference -- would you point them at? Why?
I'm already planning to broaden the definition of art from the one given in the lesson plans. They seem to be focussing exclusively on visual art. I want them to understand that music, storytelling, and fabric work (from chain mail to cutwork embroidery) are also arts (and may also require technology).
Please, oh wise Friends list, help me broaden horizons.
no subject
Date: 2009-10-19 11:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-20 01:12 am (UTC)I know I have two or three lesser take aways:
Taste is individual.
Creativity can take many forms.
Technology may not be necessary to create art -- singing, dancing, and storytelling may all be done naked without accompaniment -- but technology helps create permanent art, from cave painting to quilting to concert recordings.
edited to add: The one place the lesson plans seem off is that even when the link between, say, fractals and physics is emphasized it's always a visual emphasis. We get stained glass windows and paintings, but no music, sculpture, dance, theater, storytelling, architecture, textile art, or cookery. I know there are people who would debate whether the last two should be included, but I want them to see a wide range of possibilities for art and their own creativity.