Grades:
K-3
Idea File:
Place in Art
Students examine the influence of culture on one artist’s work and collect pictures and articles representative of their own cultures to create a collage.
Resource:
For Young Artists: An Artist in the FamilyTeaching Concepts:
- Colombia is a country in South America with a rich cultural tradition.
- The music and art of a place are important in understanding the people who live there.
- Culture and artistic tradition can be shared in families.
Academic Content
- Visual Arts: purposes of art, Latin American culture
- Social Studies: continents and countries
Lesson Idea
Additional Resource: the Kentucky Virtual Art Museum CD-ROM
Open: Using the Kentucky Virtual Art Museum, show students one of your favorite pieces of art that shows the influence of another culture. Discuss briefly how people create many different kinds of art.
View: The video segment about Manuela and her grandmother.
Discuss: Review the elements of Colombian coastal culture evident in the video, including the music, crafts, dancing, and colorful skirts. Discuss how all of these elements are special to this culture. One of the purposes of the grandmother’s art is to pass on the culture. Think about how the art tells stories and passes on tradition (narrative purpose of art). You’ll find information about Colombia in the “For Primary” section of the Visual Arts Toolkit binder.
Expand: Guide students to consider what is special about where they live and what they do. Have students collect items and pictures suitable for a collage. Construct collages. Do a “Show and Tell” with the collages, giving students a chance to describe what is important to them about their roots (place, family, music, language, etc.).
Author: Mary Henson