The World Through Art
Updated: June 9, 2004
Grade Level: Middle School, High School
Curriculum Connections: Arts, Behavorial & Social Studies, Language arts
Required Software: Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2005
What's in this Lesson:
Teacher Guide (including How to Begin)
Student Activity, Step-by-Step:
Step A: Explore Art Around the World
Step B: Create Your Report
Step C: Present Your Findings
Teacher Guide
Summary:
This activity explores the question: what is the function of art? Students will review examples of different forms of artistic expression, from a range of cultures and throughout human history, and present a multimedia report of their findings.
Objectives:
To demonstrate the cultural influences of art and how it reflects the human experience and to allow students to prepare reports that reflect their understanding and creativity.
Time Allotted:
Approximately two or three class periods
How to Begin:
1. | Go to the article Art in the Encarta Reference Library 2005 and show the students the sculpture timeline of The Human Image in History. |
2. | Have the class guess where the images should be placed on the timeline. Ask the students why they think humans have wanted to capture their own image throughout time and why those images are so different at different times and in different cultures. |
3. | Have the class discuss why human beings create art. Tell them that in this activity they will try to answer that question by exploring art of different cultures. |
4. | Have the class list as many different forms of visual arts, music, and dance as they can. Talk about the ideas and feelings people express through these arts. |
5. | Prepare students for choosing their research topic by running Encarta World Atlas and clicking on locations such as Brazil, Mali, the United States, and China to explore examples of music and the visual arts. |
Extensions:
| • | Coordinate a group or whole-class Encarta multimedia presentation based on this activity. |
| • | Facilitate the presentation of student and class projects as part of a class Web site, perhaps linked with the Global SchoolNet Foundation home page, http://www.gsn.org |
Student Activity
Description:
You will create a multimedia report comparing your favorite forms or works of art with those from other cultures you select.
Step A
Explore Art Around the World
1. | Choose some of your favorite art forms, works of art, and individual artists to investigate with Encarta Reference Library 2005. Ask yourself: | • | How does this art express the thoughts and feelings of the culture that produced it? | | • | How does it express the artist's thoughts and feelings? | | • | How does it express my thoughts and feelings? |
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2. | Start Encarta and use the Dynamic Browser to find articles on your favorite art forms and artists. (Hint: Start with general entries, such as Dance and Music, before looking into specific forms such as Ballet and Rap.) Browse related entries, multimedia, and related Web sites. |
3. | Browse Encarta for similar articles and media on the arts of other cultures. (Hint: Use the Encarta World Atlas found in the Maps tool to explore the arts of cultures today. Browse the Dynamic Timeline as your first step in investigating art forms of historical cultures.) Choose two forms of artistic expression that appeal to you for more in-depth investigation. |
Step B
Create Your Report
1. | Gather information from all appropriate articles, sidebars, media features, and Web sources. (Suggestion: Use maps and other media from Encarta World Atlas to illustrate your ideas about how a culture's environment might affect the art it creates.) Be sure to gather information about the culture, not just its art. |
2. | Use the Encarta Researcher in the Homework Center to help you organize your information and outline your report. |
Step C
Present Your Findings
1. | Use the Encarta Researcher as your guide to preparing your report. Include any pictures, text, music, maps, or other items that support your thesis and help illustrate your findings. |
2. | If there is time, present your report orally and show examples of instruments, paintings, or dance used in the cultures you examined. |
