Central Unified School District
Arts Every Day
Grade 6 Visual Art Unit 1
Lesson Title: Lost Temple of the Aztecs, Theme 4.1
Integrated Learning Objectives: Students will write an explanation based on artistic choices describing a symbol created to represent the Aztec culture.
Standard(s)
Resources
Assessment of Student
Performance or Artwork
Materials
Physical Space Requirements
and Grouping(s)
Common Core State Standards
W 6.2b Develop the topic with relevant facts,
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or
other information and examples.
W 6.2d Use precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to inform about or explain a
topic.
CA Content Standard
WS 1.2b Develop the topic with supporting
details and precise verbs, nouns, and adjectives
to paint a visual image in the mind of the
reader.
Houghton Mifflin 6th Grade Reader
Finding Facts and Details HO
Student Reflection HO
Visual Art
1.1 Identify and describe all the elements of art found in selected works of art
(color, shape/form, line, texture, space and value.
1.2 Discuss works of art as to theme, genre, style, idea, and differences in
media.
4.1 Construct and describe plausible interpretations of what they perceive in
works of art.
2.4 Create increasingly complex original works of art reflecting personal
choices and increased technical skills.
Visual Art vocabulary, Marcels-kid-crafts.com (free Aztec symbol collection),
handsonarts.blogspot.com
Print of Diego Rivera mural, “The Totonac Civilization,” 1942.
Aztec Symbols Background Knowledge, aztec-history.net/Aztec symbols ,
Aztec-history.com
How to Make a Print HO, How to describe art HO
Students will create a symbol that represents the Aztec culture then emboss it onto a Styrofoam plate with a pencil. The plate
will then be rolled with water-based ink and printed onto heavy paper. The student will write an explanation of the symbol
neatly under the print.
Roller, ink, newspaper, hard board, construction paper, Styrofoam plates, #2 pencil
Extra: Diego Rivera print of mural, “Scholastic Art, Mexican Muralists, working with Narrative Art,” March 2008
For printmaking it is a good idea to set up an inking table and students can take turns making prints until they all have had a
chance to make at least 3 successful copies of their created Aztec symbol.
Written in collaboration with Fresno County Office of Education and Central Unified School District
For questions contact [email protected]
Page 1 of 10 Gr. 6 Visual Art Unit 1
Direct Instruction
Materials
Introduce
I Do
Objective
Prior
Knowledge
Vocabulary
Warm-Up
Teacher
Modeling
PRACTICE
We DO
Guided
Practice
APPLY
You Do
Independent
Practice
Assess
Closure
Expository Writing:
Explanation
TE Theme 4, Finding Facts
and Details HO
Central Unified School District: Arts Every Day
Grade 6 Visual Art Unit 1
Facts and details about the Aztec
civilization
TE Theme 4, Finding Facts and Details HO
Students will identify the
Students will identify the characteristics of
characteristics of a good
the Aztec civilization.
explanation.
Sentence structure, elements
Facts vs opinion, TE 383 Expanding Your
of paragraph
Vocabulary, Descriptive Words
Explanation, details, text
Aztec, civilization, symbolism, visual art
structure, coherence, concise, vocabulary HO, Key Vocabulary TE 361A
conventions
T/S Look at the picture of the T/S Look at the image on p.372 and discuss
mask on p. 361, explain to a
using the elements of art. Eg.The image has
partner what you observe.
curvy lines and is symmetrical. How to
describe art HO
T Model analyzing T 4-6 by
T Model filling out, Finding Facts and
filling out, Finding Facts and
Details HO
Details HO, TE 383M
Use Prologue p. 365(paragraph 3-4)
T Analyze using the Rubric
PB p. 460
T/S Prewrite PB 226
T/S Fill out Finding Facts and Details HO
T/S Draft
Use Who were the Aztecs? p. 370
T/S Revising
TE 838M-383N
S Edit and Publish
TE 383N
T Using the rubric on PB
p.460 analyze students
published explanation.
S Fill out Finding Facts and Details HO
Use The Aztec Year p. 371
S Use their notes to draw a symbol that
represents the Aztec culture. (remind
students that they will be making a print
and the more details the more difficult)
Students orally share the meaning of their
symbol and how it represents the Aztec
civilization.
Styrofoam Print Making
Roller, ink, newspaper, hard
board, construction paper,
Styrofoam plates, #2 pencil
Students will create a printed
symbol that represents the Aztec
civilization.
Symbol of Aztec culture created
during previous lesson
Ink, roller, print making, “lift the
print”, “ghost print”
Final Project
Write an explanation of a created
symbol
Paper, pencil, computer (optional)
Students will write an explanation based
on artistic choices describing a symbol
created to represent the Aztec culture.
Print of Aztec culture created during
previous lesson
Explanation, details, text structure,
coherence, concise, conventions, Aztec,
civilization, symbolism, visual art vocab.
T/S Look at the image on p.371
S Have a partner describe their created
and discuss using the elements of Aztec symbol using the elements of art.
art. How to describe art HO
How to describe art HO
T- Model how to etch a symbol
into Styrofoam and print
How to Make a Print HO
S etch their drawn symbol that
represents the Aztec culture into
the Styrofoam
S practice rolling the symbol
with paint and pressing the
symbol onto paper
S- Print one final symbol that will
be used for display and written
explanation.
N/A
Revisit objective
Page 2 of 10 Gr. 6 Visual Art Unit 1
T Using a print created by a student,
model writing an explanation of the
meaning the symbol using the elements
of art and details from the Aztec
civilization.
T/S Using a print created by a student,
model writing an explanation of the
meaning the symbol using the elements
of art and details from the Aztec
civilization.
S write an explanation of the symbol they
created using the elements of art and
details of the Aztec civilization. (have S
refer to notes from Facts and details
about the Aztec civilization)
Do a gallery walk of the student created
symbols. S- write a one word description
of the symbol on a sticky and post it on
student artwork.
T- Evaluate student explanation using
rubric from PB p.460 (S should include
the elements of art in their description)
Student Reflection HO
K-6
Visual Art Vocabulary
Background: The part of the scene or picture that appears to be in the distance. The background is the top
section of the painting or the part of the image that seems to be the furthest from the viewer. Objects are
smaller, not as detailed, and are often obscured by things in the fore and middle grounds, making them seem far
in the distance.
Collage: An artistic composition made of various materials (e.g., paper, cloth, wood) and glued onto a
surface.
Color: The visual connections depending on the reflection or absorption of light from a given source.
Contour: is sometimes defined as drawing a line where two planes meet.
Cool Colors: Colors suggesting coolness: blue, green and violet.
Foreground: The part of the scene or picture that is nearest to and in front of the viewer. Foreground is at the
bottom section of a painting. Objects in this area are more detailed, larger, and seem closer to the viewer.
Form: A three-dimensional volume or the illusion of three dimensions (related to shape, which is twodimensional); the particular characteristics of the visual elements of a work of art (as distinguished from
its subject matter or content).
Genre: The representation of people, subjects, and scenes from everyday life.
Horizon Line: The line where the ground meets the sky.
Hue: The attribute of colors that permits them to be classed as red, yellow, green, etc.
Illustration: A drawing, picture, photograph, or diagram that accompanies and complements printed,
spoken, or electronic text.
Landscape: Artwork with land as the main subject.
Line: A point moving in space. It can vary in length, width, curvature, color, or direction.
Media: The materials used by an artist to create a work of art.
Middle Ground: The area in the middle of a painting or the area between the foreground and the background.
This is often where the main action takes place. Objects in this area look smaller than and are often placed
behind the foreground objects.
Mural: A large picture painted directly onto an interior or exterior wall or other surface.
One-Point Perspective is created when parallel lines recede toward a common vanishing point on the
horizon line.
Page 3 of 10 Gr. 6 Visual Art Unit 1
Overlap: To position things in such a way that the edge of one thing is on top of and extending past the
edge of another.
Portrait: A painting, drawing, photograph, etc. of a person, especially of the face.
Primary Colors: The painting pigments of red, yellow, and blue. From those pigments all paint colors are
created.
Proportion: The relationship in size of one part to the whole and of one part to another.
Sculpture: A three-dimensional work of art, either in the round (to be viewed from all sides) or bas relief
(low relief, in which figures protrude slightly from the background).
Secondary Colors: Colors that are mixtures of two primary hues: orange made from red and yellow;
green made from yellow and blue; and violet made from blue and red.
Storyboard is a graphic organizer made up of a series of illustrations or images displayed in sequence
and chronological order for the purpose of planning and visualizing a live action or animated motion
picture, commercial, or other visual media.
Shade: Color with black added to it.
Shape: A two-dimensional are or plane that may be open or closed, free form or geometric, found in
nature or made by humans.
Style: A set of characteristics of the art of a culture, period, or school of art; the characteristic expression
of a particular artist.
Texture: The surface quality of materials, either actual (tactile) or implied (visual). Texture is one of the
elements of art.
Theme: An idea based on a particular subject.
Three-Dimensional: Having height, width, and depth.
Tint: Color lightened by adding white.
Unity is the relationship among the elements of a visual that helps all the elements function together.
Unity gives a sense of oneness to a visual image. In other words, the words and the images work together
to create meaning.
Value: Lightness and darkness of a hue or neutral color; the gradations of light and dark in twodimensional artwork and on the surface of three-dimensional objects.
Value Scale: A scale showing the range of values from black to white and light to dark.
Vanishing Point is a term used in perspective to describe the point on the horizon where parallel lines
appear to meet.
Page 4 of 10 Gr. 6 Visual Art Unit 1
Aztec Symbols
Most of us know only a little about the Aztec symbols that were used in the empire centuries ago.
Symbolism was a part of everyday life for the people of central Mexico. Symbols were used in writing, in
keeping time and dates, in names and titles, on buildings and in artwork- even in clothing. It identified
and explained the gods, showed social level, and foretold good and bad fortune. In keeping with the
culture of the Aztecs, much of the symbolism was focused around religion and war. Symbols involved
both realistic human forms as well as forms of nature. Jaguars, snakes, dogs, birds and even insects were
common. Combined with other symbols a rich story could be told.
(see websites listed above for more information)
Sample of 6th grade student print contributed by Cheryl Shellenberg
Page 5 of 10 Gr. 6 Visual Art Unit 1
Name ______________________________________________
Date _______________________________________________
Finding facts and details
WE DO
Topic/Purpose: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
List Details: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Conclusion __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
YOU DO
Topic/Purpose: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
List Details: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Conclusion __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Page 6 of 10 Gr. 6 Visual Art Unit 1
How to Make a Print
By Cheryl Schellenberg
Supplies: brayers (roller), boards, printing ink, Styrofoam paper plates, white copy
paper or light weight paper, scrap paper, pencils, and newspaper, paper towels for
spills.
Optional: use tempra paint with starch added, old rolling pins, white boards
Step One: Take a round styrofoam plate and cut the rim off so it lays 100% Flat
Step Two: Sketch your design first on scrap then redraw it on plate using pencil onto
the plate. Press down with the pencil firmly enough to deeply groove the plate but don't
go all the way through it.
Step Three: Squeeze the printing ink onto a board and roll the brayer back and forth
over the ink until the brayer feels sticky and not slick when it rolls.
Step Four: Place the plate on newspaper and roll the brayer over the print first
horizontally then vertically.
Step Five: Take the plate with the ink side up and place on a clean newspaper and
then lay a sheet of paper over the top of the inked plate and press down firm( but not
smashing,) with your hand.
DONT try to flip the ink plate face down onto a paper it never turns out as nice!
Step 6 "Lift the print" is the tech term for lifting the paper up off of the plate. Slowly peel
up the paper from the plate to reveal the image. Then you can put a new sheet of
paper right on top of the plate and press again and lift to make what is called a "ghost
print". It is fainter than the first printing but still cool!
Note: Google Styrofoam printing and you will find many instructions and ideas for printing in the
classroom.
Page 7 of 10 Gr. 6 Visual Art Unit 1
Name______________________________________________
Date_______________________________
Student Self-Reflection
Explanation of an Aztec print
Describe: How you increased your knowledge of the Aztec culture by creating a symbol.
Analyze: What helped you write your explanation?
Interpret: How did you increase your skill in using the elements of art to analyze your work?
What was your strongest area? How did you know that? What was your area for greatest
improvement? What can you do to get better?
Decide: What was the most effect part of the process, writing, taking notes, or creating the
symbol? What part of the process needs to be improved?
Page 8 of 10 Gr. 6 Visual Art Unit 1
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
How to Describe Art
Instructions
1 Outline the overall form, composition or subject matter of the piece. Include
what medium(s) or technique has been used to create the work. An example
could be, "This oil on canvas painting portrays a woman and two children
in a pastoral setting." This gives the reader a quick sense of what you are
describing and prepares the reader for you to go into greater detail.
2 Describe the piece in a detailed and systematic way. Start at a logical point,
such as the focal point, a corner or the ground floor (if your piece is a
building) and describe in detail what you see. Do not hesitate to describe
areas that may seem obvious, such as a human face in a painting, because
everyone tends to see an image in a slightly different manner. By doing
this, you may point something out that your reader may not have seen and
you are also detailing your point of view.
3 Use directional words to guide the reader through your description. You
might begin your formal analysis with, "The focal point of the work is the
central figure, a woman in a red dress." After describing the woman, you
might write, "To the right of the woman, stands a small boy..." Tell the
reader where to look next. Give the reader directions by using language
such as, "In the upper left corner," "diagonally across from," "beside," or "to
the right of."
4 According to Schneider Adams: "They consist of line, shape, space, color,
light, and dark, which artists arrange in many different ways to achieve
broader categories of design. These, in turn, consist of balance, order and
proportion, and pattern and rhythm." Detail how the artist employed each
of these elements and how they contribute to how the piece makes you feel.
Read more: How to Describe Art | eHow.com
http://www.ehow.com/how_6146108_describe-art.html#ixzz28MhVpELz
Information from : http://www.ehow.com/how_6146108_describe-art.html
The Visual Experience T24
Page 9 of 10 Gr. 6 Visual Art Unit 1
Guidelines for Describing an Artwork
When you describe an artwork, list only things that you can see. Report only facts. Don’t worry about
what the work mean, or whether you like it or not. The guidelines below can be used to describe works
with or without recognizable shapes. You may not use all of the items listed in the guidelines for a
particular work.
. 1) Label information: Artist, title, and date of work. Medium (what is it made of). Processes used to make
it. Size of art work. Country where it was created.
. 2) Subject Matter:
.
a) Figures, animals, objects (trees, sun, clouds, grass, birds, machines, buildings, etc.). If there are no
recognizable objects in the artwork, describe art elements: line, color, value, shape, texture,
space, movement.
.
b) Describe what figures, animals and other things that move are doing. How many are there?
.
c) What is large/small, near/far, in front/behind?
3.) Art Elements:
. a) Lines. Are they straight, curved, swirling, jagged, diagonal, vertical, horizontal, continuous, broken,
heavy, thin, dark, light? Do they occur at edges where color, value or texture changes suddenly? Are
there lines that direct your attention from one place to another?
. b) Colors. Are they warm, cook, bright, dull, opaque, transparent? Are they like colors you see in the real
world, or different from real world colors? Is there a dominant color? Are there related colors?
. c) Values. Are the colors dark? Light? Both? Are there strong contrasts of dark/light? Are there soft contrasts
of dark/Light?
. d) Shapes. Are shapes realistic, unrealistic, or not representational? Do shapes appear flat or do they appear
to have depth (roundness)? Are they geometric (squares, triangles, circles)? Are they organic (curved
and irregular edges)?
. e) Textures. Are they visible in the artwork? Where? Don’t confuse texture with patterns like checkerboard,
stripes, and polka dots.
. f) Space. Does space appear deep? If so, is it due to: overlap; placement of small objects high in the picture
and large ones low; making objects smaller as they get farther away; linear perspective (converging
lines); colors that seem to advance and recede: Does space appear shallow? Why?
. g) Movement. If movement is suggested in the work, is it due to: alternating shapes; figures and other life
forms doing something; repetition of one thing after another; elements that progress from large to small,
small to large, dark to light?
. http://panthers.k12.ar.us/high_school/departments/art/lessons/guidelines%20for%20describing%20an%20art
work.pdf
Page 10 of 10 Gr. 6 Visual Art Unit 1