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Purpose of the Unit

This is an interdisciplinary unit planned in conjunction with the fourth grade teachers, the art teacher, and music teacher. The school endorses the HOT School philosophy of integrating within disciplines to help instill higher order thinking. In this unit students will become acquainted with Australian history, culture, art, dance, and music. They will become connected to the Australian culture through an online discussion held with another group of fourth grade students in Australia.  This will initiate reflection on their own cultural identity. Each group will create a special project that they will share at the end of the unit. A goal of this unit is to help students think critically about why art is used to communicate.

Topics Covered:

• Internet research
• Word processing
• Online discussion
• Storybook
• Symbolic messages
• Cultural differences
• Appleworks paint
• Didgeridoo-music
• Dance
• Mural

In completing this unit students should be able to:
 

• examine and discuss Aboriginal Art.
• reflect on ones' identity.
• produce a storybook using illustration to tell the story.
• create symbolic artwork with traditional materials as well as a computer paint program.
• compare and contrast media used in creation.
• analyze aesthetics in art.
• identify a didgeridoo.
• create a didgeridoo.
• identify primary and secondary colors through dance.
• apply knowledge of symbols to create a mural.
• work together cooperatively as a team.

• Students will understand the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.
• Students will reflect upon, describe, analyze, interpret and evaluate their own and others' work.

Objectives:

• To introduce Grade 4 students to Aboriginal Art through a virtual tour of various websites via the internet.
• Students will identify the differences between primitive caveman's art and Aboriginal art.
• Students will comprehend symbolism.

Materials: access to the Internet, word processing program

Procedures: The teacher will take the students on a virtual tour of various websites via the internet.
Website visit will include some of the following:

After the tour, students will compare and contrast the differences between Aboriginal art and caveman art, answering the following questions.
Aesthetics questions:

• Do you find these examples of paintings exciting or beautiful? Why or why not?
• If you were walking along a mountain trail and saw this, would you stop and look more closely? Why?
• What intrigues you the most -- the power of the images, the unexpected location, or your uncertainty of their meaning? Are these paintings like a puzzle? What can we learn from puzzles?

• What colors do you see in the images? What types of shapes and lines are there? How are these lines, shapes and colors repeated? Does a discussion of line, shape, and color give an adequate evaluation of a work of this nature? Explain

• Why might someone want to know exactly when or why this image was painted?
• Is giving an approximate answer good enough? Why or why not?

• Is a brush the only way to apply paint? What else could you use?
• How many different way can you think of to apply paint to a surface?

Assessment:
Students will put finished assignment in portfolio for review. Discussion of answers will come later.

References:

Objectives:

• Students will produce a storybook for an outside assignment that they will spend 20 additional hours of time completing.
• Students will apply knowledge of symbolism in their storybook through drawing and writing.
• Students will comprehend steps used in creating a storybook.

Vocabulary: storyboard, "dreaming," illustration, accordion

Materials:  thumbnail story board handout, mat board in different colors, 12x18 white paper, paper cutter, glue, scissors, miscellaneous objects for decoration such as, buttons, scrap mat board, feathers, raffia, etc., crayons, watercolors, water, paintbrushes, newspaper

Procedure:

Part 2. Construction of the book will be demonstrated showing students how they can design the front and back covers using mat board. An accordion style paper will be folded and glued between the two pieces of mat board for the story. After students have finished making their storybooks, they will take them home, along with their storyboards to enlarge. They will work in pencil and after finishing each page, they will bring them in to be checked for approval of the final step. The final step is to finish them in class using either crayon, or crayon and watercolors.

Assessment:
Portfolio assessment

Objectives:

• To reconnect students to Aboriginal dot painting.
• Students will produce a symbolic painting of something important to them.
• To strengthen fine motor skills.
• Students will reflect on their own and others' work.

Procedures:
After looking at examples of Aboriginal dot painting, the students will produce a composition with the emphasis on their symbol. Again, discussion about "the dreaming" will help them to choose a symbol. Students will draw with pencils, and then paint.  After the lesson they will reflect on their work and write about their symbol in their regular class.

Assessment:
Portfolio assessment

References:

Objectives:

• Students will apply their knowledge of AppleWorks paint to create a composition.
• Students will produce the same image from lesson three using the paint program.

Vocabulary: Rotate, flip, horizontal, vertical, distort

Materials:  Imac computers, AppleWorks paint program, floppy disk

Procedure: Students' will have prior knowledge of how to use AppleWorks paint. They will be assigned the same instructions from the prior lesson, only this time they will create on the computer in the computer lab. The instructor will familiarize the students with the tools to help get them started.

Assessment:
Portfolio

References:

Objectives:

• Students will compare and contrast the aesthetic differences between the two mediums used in lesson three and four.
• Students will discuss whether the two mediums make the art different. (Is computer art, art?)
• Students will evaluate each medium, and write about the differences and similarities.
• Students will increase developmental skills in interpreting, analyzing, and critiquing theirs and others artwork.

Materials: word processing program

Procedures:  The students' artwork will be displayed so that the class can see everyone's work. The teacher will lead a discussion asking the class if there are differences between the two mediums, computer versus paint? Discussion will transpire and students' will end the discussion by writing how they feel about the two mediums. They will also do a self-critique of their own work. (This will be done in the computer lab)

Assessment:
Self-critique to go in portfolio.

Objectives:

• Introduce the students to the didgeridoo.
• Create a didgeridoo.
• Play a didgeridoo with the aid of the music teacher.

Materials: pcb pipe, paint, paint brushes, access to internet

Procedure: The students will view and listen to the sounds of the didgeridoo. Explanation of how the Aborigines play the didgeridoo will be taught by the music teacher. During the introduction a visitor will come in to play the didgeridoo (a music student who will help show us how to make didgeridoos). Demonstration of how to make a didgeridoo will be shown by our visitor. Students will paint their instruments with acrylic paints. The music teacher will then teach the students how to play a song.

Objectives:
 

• Have students watch a video on Aboriginal dance, and then reflect on culture.
• Students will participate in dance activity using color movement (ChromaMotion).
• Students comprehend how colors relate to many things including how a person feels.( Why would an artist pick red over blue?)
• Students comprehend how the arts intertwine.

Materials: index cards for each color in the primary and secondary families (ten of each color), paint in primary and secondary colors, large white paper, paint brushes, water containers, newspaper

Procedure:
Exercise 1:  The Primaries
With students, prepare Word Lists on the chalkboard that describe each of the three Primary Colors. For example: Red is - fire, hot, fast, hard, angry. Blue is - water, cool, slow, wavy, sad. Yellow is - sunshine, warm, light, round, happy. If the students have trouble identifying qualities, then begin by identifying objects that we associate with the primary colors, for instance the sun is yellow. Next, ask all the students to stand with space around them, and have them physicalize(move their bodies) as they say each word on the Word List. Their movements should reflect the qualities inherent to each word. The students should now be prepared to physicalize colors and identify colors in the physicality of their classmates. Distribute cards to the class. Each student should read their index card and then place the card in their pocket or face down on their desks. Ask the students to physicalize their given color and, without talking, group themselves with the classmates who they think are physicalizing the same color. After the class has formed three groups, have them show you and each other their cards. Check to see if everyone has grouped themselves with their like colors. Some students may have grouped with colors other than their own. Ask these students to show you their movement and discuss why they chose to join that group. What "movement qualities" drew them to their chosen group? Remember that there is no wrong choice.
Exercise 2: The Secondaries
Distribute the cards to the class. Each student should read their card and then place it in their pocket or on the table without revealing it to anyone. Explain to the students that just as Secondary Colors are formed from the combining of two Primary Colors, so may we physicalize the Secondary Colors by combining the movements associated with the two Primary Colors that, together form the Secondary Colors. For example:

Purple is created when red and blue combine. The students may, therefore, physicalize purple by
moving hot, fast, and angry (red) and then by moving slowly, wavy, and sad (blue).

Ask students how they would use specific colors and movement in a drawing or painting. Have them create a movement picture.

Assessment:
Portfolio assessment

Objectives:
 

• To introduce students to a fourth grade class from another land.
• Students become familiarized with another culture.
• Students discuss art and how it effects their culture.

Materials:  access to the Internet, paper, pencils

Procedure: Connections between the art teacher and an Australian fourth grade teacher will have already occurred. They will have formed a partnership for this lesson. The students will be unable to chat due to time differences, but they will be able to send messages back and forth via email. Students will have penpals assigned to them. They will each have specific questions that they will ask one another. Each student will give some background information about themselves prior to answering the questions. This will include: where they live (in a big city, suburb, etc); what kinds of hobbies they have; their favorite thing to do; the type of weather they have; and the geography of their surroundings. The teachers will have worked this out prior to going to the computer lab.
Questions asked will be:
1. Do you go to school all year round?
2. What is your school like? Describe the school. How big is it? How many students are there?
3. Do you take the bus to school? If so, how far is it for you to go.
4. Do you have activities after school? If yes, what kind?
5. What is your favorite subject?
6. Do you like Art? Why or why not?
7. Why do you think we have art in the world?
(Questions may be altered after students give background information)

Parental permission would need to be addressed before starting this lesson.
 

Assessment:
Portfolio

Objectives:

• Students will work cooperatively to create a mural.
• Strengthen democratic process in HOT school philosophy.
• Students will communicate an important message through their mural.
• Students will connect themselves with Australian students through their design.

Materials:  access to the Internet, pencils, paper, erasers, outdoor latex paint in primaries and secondaries, paint brushes, wood panels, chalk line

Procedure: For the big finale of this unit, students will be asked to create a mural that will connect them with their penpals. The students will be introduced to mural making through examples of murals found on the web. Examples:

The students (Australian students as well) will have to come up with their own ideas for the mural. They will be broken up into small groups. They will need large paper and pencils to map out what they want to do. Each group will share their design with the class. Significant ideas will be written on the board to help create a plan. Once the plan is made, the class will be divided into four groups. (If there are 24 students, there will be six students in each group) There will be four wooden panels. The design will be gridded for enlarging onto the panels. The panels will be laid down and a chalk line will be used to make a grid. Each person will paint in their section of the grid.

Objectives:

• Students will share their artwork with their penpal school.
• Students will analyze each other's work.
• Students will express their feelings.
• Students will identify the message sent in the mural.

Materials:  access to the Internet, scanner, digital camera

Procedure: Each mural will be shared through the world wide web. The students will get to see each other's mural, and with permission each other. They will express their feelings about their mural and why they made it. Each will comment on the other's mural. After this is done, the comments will be posted to the murals. The students will discuss art once more using the questions from the first lesson to lead the discussion. One last question will be asked, why is art important?

Parental permission would need to be addressed before starting this lesson.

Assessment:
Portfolio

Other references used for this unit:
Indigenous Cultures
Aboriginal Artifacts
Aboriginal History and Culture Research Project:
NSW Heritage Office Website
Fractured Australian History and Aboriginal Culture:
Aboriginal History and Culture Research Project:
Mimiga Wajaar
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The Australian Museum Aboriginal Heritage Unit
National Museum of Australia
ABORIGINAL ART of AUSTRALIA
Aboriginal Art and Culture Centre