Studio art lesson plan: symbol of coexistence
Objectives1. After studying the five main religions (Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam), students will identify and explain the different key symbols of these religions.
2. Taking their knowledge of the symbols of each religion, students will make connections between what the symbols of each religion represent. 3. Using materials such as paint and pencils, students will create an original symbol that is representative of the similar themes and coexistence of each religion, as well as themselves as an individual. 4. After completing their symbol project, students will describe in essay form the connections not only between the symbols used in their artwork, but also the connection of the artwork to themselves. |
Judaism
Chai Symbol- consists of two Hebrew letters, Cheit and Yod, which together mean "living" |
Hindusim
Aum Symbol- the most sacred sound representing various triads in the Hindu faith (the three worlds, the three major Hindu gods, and the three sacred Vedic scriptures) |
RationaleFreedom of Faith will span English, social studies, and studio art class, allowing students to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for different religions, specifically Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. When covering this topic in art class, the focus will primarily be on the symbols of each religion, while looking at the ways many of the symbols of the religions have similar meanings. This lesson will require students to make connections between the religions and design their own symbol in which symbols chosen from each religion function together as one. Additionally, given the symbols they select, students will be required to describe how their new symbol relates to them as a person. Students will constantly be accommodating and assimilating new information throughout the course of instruction in each of the classes. The use of two List, Group, Label activities in this lesson, each with a different focus for the symbols used, will allow students to change their schema based on the new information they have learned. Going in to the final List, Group, Label, students will have gained a deeper understanding of the symbols and themes of each religion and use that to construct their answers for the activity. At the conclusion of the unit in all three content areas, students will better understand these religions from a historical, cultural, and symbolic perspective.
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COMMON Core STate standards
Writing Standards (6-12)
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Speaking and listening standards (6-12)
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Art standards
Standard 1 - Creating, Performing, and Participating in The Arts: Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts (dance, music, theatre, and visual arts) and participate in various roles in the arts.
Visual Arts:
Key idea: Students will make works of art that explore different kinds of subject matter, topics, themes, and metaphors. Students will understand and use sensory elements, organizational principles, and expressive images to communicate their own ideas in works of art. Students will use a variety of art materials, processes, mediums, and techniques, and use appropriate technologies for creating and exhibiting visual art works.
Visual Arts:
Key idea: Students will make works of art that explore different kinds of subject matter, topics, themes, and metaphors. Students will understand and use sensory elements, organizational principles, and expressive images to communicate their own ideas in works of art. Students will use a variety of art materials, processes, mediums, and techniques, and use appropriate technologies for creating and exhibiting visual art works.
Standard 3- Responding To and Analyzing Works of Art: Students will respond critically to a variety of works in the arts, connecting the individual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavor and thought.
Visual Arts:
Key idea: Students will reflect on, interpret, and evaluate works of art, using the language of art criticism. Students will analyze the visual characteristics of the natural and built environment and explain the social, cultural, psychological, and environmental dimensions of the visual arts. Students will compare the ways in which a variety of ideas, themes, and concepts are expressed through the visual arts with the ways they are expressed in other disciplines.
Visual Arts:
Key idea: Students will reflect on, interpret, and evaluate works of art, using the language of art criticism. Students will analyze the visual characteristics of the natural and built environment and explain the social, cultural, psychological, and environmental dimensions of the visual arts. Students will compare the ways in which a variety of ideas, themes, and concepts are expressed through the visual arts with the ways they are expressed in other disciplines.
Standard 4 - Understanding The Cultural Dimensions and Contributions of The Arts: Students will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society.
Visual Arts:
Key idea: Students will explore art and artifacts from various historical periods and world cultures to discover the roles that art plays in the lives of people of a given time and place and to understand how the time and place influence the visual characteristics of the art work. Students will explore art to understand the social, cultural, and environmental dimensions of human society.
Visual Arts:
Key idea: Students will explore art and artifacts from various historical periods and world cultures to discover the roles that art plays in the lives of people of a given time and place and to understand how the time and place influence the visual characteristics of the art work. Students will explore art to understand the social, cultural, and environmental dimensions of human society.
Materials- Paint
- Paintbrushes - Paper - Pencils - Colored Pencils - SMART Board - Notes from previous lessons - List, Group, Label worksheets |
Buddhism
The Eight Auspicious Symbols- the parasol, the golden fishes, the treasure vase, the lotus flower, the conch shell, the endless knot, the victory banner, and the wheel |
Procedure
Anticipatory Set:
1. Throughout the unit, students will have been keeping track of the symbols of each religion. Each student will be called on to share one symbol they learned about, what religion it is associated with, and what it represents. 2. As each student describes a symbol from the previous lessons, the information will be added to a List, Group, Label graphic organizer that was started at the beginning of the unit after the scavenger hunt. As part of this activity, the class will be able to revise their thoughts from the beginning of the unit by regrouping and relabeling the symbols as they labeled them on the first day. The graphic organizer will be filled in by the teacher and presented in the front of the classroom on the SMART Board. A blank version of the graphic organizer can be seen to the right. Body: 1. In small groups, students will create a new List, Group, Label, where they will sort the symbols based on theme. A blank copy of that graphic organizer can be seen to the right. 2. Each group will share out the themes they determined, as well as what symbol they placed under each theme. Students may be called on to justify why they selected the symbols they did for each theme. 3. Drawing on at least one of the themes determined by their group, student will individually create a new symbol that represents the coexistence of all the religions discussed by combining symbols. Students will be given the choice of painting or drawing their symbol. In their written reflection, students will be asked to make connections between the theme they chose and themselves. |
Anticipatory Set List, Group, Label
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Lesson Body List, Group, Label
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Closure:
1. Students will share their symbol with the class, explaining what theme they chose and why.
2. For homework, students will write an essay on the symbols they used. Students can draw upon information from their classes, including ideas they have learned in English or social studies, and will not be required to do any additional research on the religious symbols when completing this activity. The essay will be graded using a rubric and must answer the following questions:
- What symbols did you use for your piece?
- What do each of these symbols represent in their respective religions?
- What is the common theme between the symbols you selected?
- How does the selection of that theme represent you as a person?
1. Students will share their symbol with the class, explaining what theme they chose and why.
2. For homework, students will write an essay on the symbols they used. Students can draw upon information from their classes, including ideas they have learned in English or social studies, and will not be required to do any additional research on the religious symbols when completing this activity. The essay will be graded using a rubric and must answer the following questions:
- What symbols did you use for your piece?
- What do each of these symbols represent in their respective religions?
- What is the common theme between the symbols you selected?
- How does the selection of that theme represent you as a person?
Assessment
Asking students to describe a certain symbol will serve as a pre-assessment, showing what they have learned over the course of the unit. At the conclusion of the activity, the written assignment will serve as a summative assessment for not only this project, but the unit as a whole. Both the artwork and written piece will be assessed using a rubric. In a real classroom, we would work as a class to create the rubric, but a sample rubric is attached to reflect what items would be important in assessing this assignment.
Christianity
Ichthys- representative of the Christian story of the loaves and the fishes and Jesus' reference to his disciples as "fishers of men" |
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Extension ActivityStudents can research the religious symbols of other religions not discussed in this unit. After learning about new symbols, students could do a short written piece describing how these symbols could be incorporated into the themes they had previously determined for the other symbols.
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Islam
Allah- written in green, an important color in Islam |