My love of history has always gone hand in hand with a love for art, so I was excited when I was recently asked to present a couple of professional learning sessions for my districts history teachers.
I have always incorporated art in my units and lessons whenever I can, and I use artworks as bulletin board and room decoration, and I think it is an important aspect of human history that cannot be overlooked. Art is a cultural hallmark that allows us to distinguish cultures, periods, and places. Art tells us much of what we need to know about particular periods and places, intentionally or unintentionally providing important economic, social, and political details. Art is both primary and secondary source material. Art reflects both a contemporary perspective of the periods and events of history and how perceptions of earlier periods have changed. The study of art promotes analytical and critical thinking skills. Finally, appeals to a variety of student interests and learning styles.
So what do you with art in the classroom? Often, I use an artwork as a hook or a warm-up to get students’ interest and attention. Choose a work that relates to your lesson. It could be one that students would be familiar with or something they would not. Sometimes the unfamiliar leads to great discussions since students are all analyzing something fresh. For this activity, I practice a spiral questioning technique, moving from most basic to advanced, scaffolding to get to high order thinking. Start with “What do you see? No interpretations, no analysis. Just what do you see in the work?” Then gradually move into interpretation: “What does this element mean? What was going on at the time this painting was done? How does this relate to ….? Etc.”
Another tool that can be a lot of fun is the act-it-out, a strategy that I learned from Teachers Curriculum Institute (TCI) or History Alive. Project a painting, poster, or photograph and ask volunteers to stand in front and assume the roles of characters in the work. They assume their postures, maybe even use simple props, and create a backstory for the character. Then, the teacher (or another student) interviews them as if he/she is a reporter on the scene. This can be done either to introduce or review a topic they’ve read or studied about. Students have fun in the process, and usually some historical connections are made.
If you have several works for them to consider, do a gallery walk. Post copies of the work around the room or in the halls. Divide the class into small groups and rotate them through, allowing them to see and discuss each work and take notes. You can guide the notetaking as you see fit, but there are at least three big questions: 1) Description. What do you see? What is it? 2) Context. How does this work reflect the time and place of its creation? 3) Synthesis. Can you relate this work, the theme, the ideas behind it, to any other place and time?
Small groups might also
look at works chosen by the teacher or brought in by students to reflect a
particular period, for example the Renaissance.
You might have 4 or 5 works. Each
group has to determine why their assigned work is the quintessential
Renaissance work. If you were in charge
of curating an exhibit and had to choose one and only one work to represent the
characteristics and ideals of the Renaissance, why should it be your assigned
work? They then have to make their case to their peers and convince their
classmates in order to reach a class consensus.
After looking at an iconic work in class, you might ask students “How would this work be different if it were painted today or in another period and place?” For example, what would Mona Lisa look like today? What would a Mona Lisa of the Songhai Empire look like?
Some resources for American History:
After looking at an iconic work in class, you might ask students “How would this work be different if it were painted today or in another period and place?” For example, what would Mona Lisa look like today? What would a Mona Lisa of the Songhai Empire look like?
Some resources for American History:
•
Using Art in American History http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/war-for-independence/resources/using-works-art-teaching-american-history
•
Robert Hughes American Visions series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTeDUqlasCw&list=PLDF4A4CCB9DB13FEF
Sources for World
History:
•
Simon Schama’s Power of Art series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP8Wkjs0P1o&list=PLhVnATSukg2H47jGXi0FjsrBRY_Z13TyP
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