Creative Communication Developed By Suggested Length Suggested Grade Level(s) Subject Areas Gweneth Branch-Rice Lesson 1: Four 80 minute periods Lesson 2: 80 minutes Lesson 3: 80 minutes Lesson 4: 80 minutes 10, 11, 12 Social studies, visual arts, language arts Overview Students will create art works in both visual and written form that explore how we develop and record our ideas. Links to Curriculum Outcomes Students will (be expected to) integrate information from many sources to construct and communicate meaning (language arts) analyse the factors that contribute to the perception of the self and the development of a world view (social studies) identify and use primary sources to evaluate questions (social studies) create art work that communicates intentions (visual arts) Links to Telling Stories: Themes / Key Words identity medium study Art Works Untitled, Robert Harris, CAG H-7968 36-37 Near Glasgow, Robert Harris, CAG H-7968.25 Untitled, Robert Harris, CAG H-7968 100-101 The Local Stars, Robert Harris, CAG H-13 Letter, Robert Harris, CAG H-1725a and CAG H-1725b Letter, Robert Harris, CAG H-3072a and CAG H-3072b
Lesson #1: Bodacious Books Students will create their own sketchbook or journal using simple book making techniques. Hand Bound Journal / Sketchbook, Robert Harris, CAG H-7994-1 pieces of heavy cardboard or matt board (1 cm. wider and 1 cm. taller then the folded pages) paper fabric white glue ribbon or cord exacto knife Robert Harris bound some of his own sketchbooks. View, with students, the image above, finding the many reasons why such a sketchbook is a wonderful record of daily life and ideas. 1. Share with students that creating your own book is a fun and creative activity and that artists frequently make unique books. Accordion books are easy to make and offer flexibility in their usage. Students will make these books, using the following steps: Step 1: Cut a piece of paper the height you want your book to be and 8 times the width. Step 2: Construct your pages by folding your paper back and forth as if you were making a fan. Step 3: Cut two pieces of matt board 1 cm. wider and 1 cm. taller than the folded accordion. Step 4: Choose some fun and funky fabric for the covers or decorate your own (batik, tie dye, etc.) Step 5: Cut two pieces of fabric 2 cm. wider and taller than your matt board pieces. Step 6: Cover one side of each matt board piece with a thin coating of white glue, lay the fabric on top and smooth it out. Step 7: Cut diagonal slits from the edge of the fabric to the corner of the matt board on all four corners. Use white glue and smooth the fabric around the edge of the matt board to the other side and secure.
Step 8: On the inside of the book cover glue down a piece of ribbon. It should go horizontally through the centre of the cover and extend about 20 cm. past each edge. Step 9: Glue the end page of the book to the inside of the cover. Put a piece of wax paper between this page and the rest of the book. Complete the same steps for the back cover. Put weight (a couple of heavy books) on top of your book until it dries. Yea! You have made a book and it will make you smile every time you use it! Computer Option Search online for examples of artist created books. Have students write about the experience in their journals. Lesson #2: How to Use Your Book Students will use the book they created in Lesson # 1 to record images that inspire them. Untitled, Robert Harris, CAG H-7968 36-37 Near Glasgow, Robert Harris, CAG H-7968.25 Untitled, Robert Harris, CAG H-7968 100-101 sketchbook drawing tools 1. Viewing and discussing the works listed above will give students information about how artists make use of their sketchbooks. Some ideas to think about and discuss are: the energy and emotion expressed in the sketches the value of recording ideas on a regular basis the value of recording details for future use (a man s hat, a lady s parasol) recording impressions playing with media and style 2. The quality of line is immediately apparent in Harris sketches. Class discussion could result in a brainstormed list of line qualities. Lines can be horizontal, vertical, curved, repeated, hard, soft, thick,
thin, broken, continuous, diagonal, etc. Vertical lines can appear strong and secure, horizontal lines can be calming and peaceful, and diagonal lines can suggest movement and action. Lines can also be real or suggested a row of trees can imply a line as can overlapping objects. 3. Using various media (photos, collage elements, sketches, found objects), students will create a series of images that utilise different qualities of line. The beautiful books the students created in Lesson #1 can be the repository for these compositions about line. Students could display their finished books in the classroom and comment on the ideas of others. Lesson #3: Vicarious Journal Writing or How Fun to be Someone Else Students will use their imagination to write a fictional journal entry from the point of view of a character in one of Robert Harris genre paintings. The Local Stars, Robert Harris, CAG H-13 paper writing tools 1. To warm up, have students take turns each saying aloud one thing they notice about the art work. No two ideas can be repeated. This encourages the students to really look closely at the painting. 2. Students will then form groups with six members, each member of the group assuming the identity of one of the characters in the painting. From their character s point of view, students write a journal entry for the day leading up to the scene depicted in the art work. Some ideas to consider are: What is the overall mood of the painting? How are the characters relating to each other?
What can you tell about them by observing their clothing, facial expressions, and posture? These art works are a record of life in the 1880s. What has the artist revealed about the nature, personality, and attitude of the people depicted? 3. Upon completing their journal entry students will share their writing with their small group. 4. As a group students could then write a short one act play, using the journal entries as a starting point and telling us what happens next. Each play should begin with the characters assuming the poses of the people in the art work and then making it come to life. It would be fun to video their plays in order to compare and contrast the ideas expressed. Video tapes could be edited to form a heritage minute. Lesson #4: What s Up or How has Communication Changed Since the 1800s? Students will compare and contrast methods of keeping in touch during the 1800s with the methods we use today. Letter, Robert Harris, CAG H-1725a and CAG H-1725b Letter, Robert Harris, CAG H-3072a and CAG H-3072b paper writing tools access to a computer Communication is a way to tell others about our ideas, feelings, and to feel in touch with our fellow human beings. There are many different ways to communicate writing, speaking, drawing, or creating a piece of music are just a few. 1. Students will form small groups and read the letter that Robert has written to his mother. Talk about the topics of discourse, use of language, and the style of writing used.
2. Compare this letter to the types of communication we use today (fax, e-mail, text messaging): How have the method, style, and topics changed and how are they the same? Has traditional letter writing all but disappeared? How has the global community changed how we keep in touch? Is language changing? How? Why? 3. Students could create an updated communication from Robert to his mother, imagining he were an artist working today. Would his concerns as an artist change? What kind of art work would he be producing? Students could create a display of both communications for peer feedback. Wrapping up the Learning Students could also bind their journal entries and letters into books and have an exhibition of these unique creations. Suggested Resources Making Books by Hand, Mary McCarthy (North Light Books) Cover to Cover, Shereen LaPlantz (Lark Books) heritage minutes on CBC TV www.makingbooks.com