Art practice activities (Click the links provided below to download Art practice lessons)
LESSON PLAN
Lesson Topic:
Olive Cotton- Art Practice based on ‘Teacup ballet’ lesson 1 and 2
Date:
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VELS Domain(s):
Discipline-based learning
Grade(s)/
Year Level(s):
4,5,6
VEL Dimension(s) or Religious Education Guideline:
The Arts
Duration
of
Lesson:
105 mins (2 lessons)
Learning Outcome(s)/Standard(s):
Students will explore, plan and capture an individual and original photograph using a digital camera on a black and white setting, based on the practices of Olive Cotton, experimenting with perspective (subject equality), angle, light and shade/shadow.
Photographs may use or be focused on elements inside or outside of the classroom; the class teacher will provide some extra random household objects, including lamps and torches, for optional use by students.
Photographs will be loaded as the produced and saved in individual students names. The class teacher, out of class time, will print photographs on gloss photo paper. Students will then give their photograph a relevant title based on ideas from the naming practices used by Olive Cotton. The student will write their photograph title and their name on the back of their photograph and photographs will be displayed in classroom; a class discussion will be had based on the students paintings and the objects and elements involved.
Indicators
· Creation of an original independent photograph using the elements or angle, subject equality, perspective, light and shade/shadow
· Relevant and creative title for artwork based on the basic principles Olive Cotton used to title photographs
Assessment:
· Photographs will be collected and observed by class teacher, checking for evidence on originality, creativity and use of the elements of subject equality, perspective, angle, light and shade/shadow.
· Class teacher will observe students creation of a relevant title for their photograph, based on the principles used in naming the works of Olive Cotton
These elements, present or not, will be recorded on individual student marking sheets (see Appendix A).
Teaching Focus:
The teacher focus will be to successfully facilitate individual creativity and inspiration, without too much guidance from the teacher; to have each individual child inspired to create their own photographic work.
· Ennis, H & S McInerney, S. Olive Cotton: photographer, National Library of Australia, Canberra, 1995.
Pupils will have taken part in the two ‘Art Appreciation’ lessons based on Olive Cottons work, viewed her various works and explore and discussed the themes surrounding and used in Cottons photographs and how they are used.
Lesson Resources:
· Digital Cameras (as many as are available/the school can provide at one time)
· Lamps, torches (as many as are available or teacher can provide)
· A small collection of random household objects such as books, flowers, cutlery, crockery, etc. for optional use
· Glossy A4 photo paper
· Lap top or computer for digital camera connection and printing
· Pegs
· String
Content of Lesson:
A. Introduction 5mins (x2- 5 per lesson)
The students will be reminded of the content covered in the art practice lessons and revisit Cotton’s ‘Teacup ballet’ specifically. The teacher will explain the task to be completed and rough overview of how they will produce photography based on cottons work, working towards their own photographic display, over two lessons. Briefly explain extension activities. Further explain these activity in subsequent lesson during which time more student will more likely have completed the task.
B. Development 15 mins (5 mins for subsequent lesson)
1. Teacher and students will revisit the concepts used in Cotton’s works and explore the ways by which these concepts could be used. Angle, perspective and subject equality, shade and light, focal point, balance.
What other ways could we use these concepts in our photographs around the school? (Before introducing lamps and torches).
2. Students will be given a quick tutorial in how to use the digital cameras including the setting, the flash and various safety and handling precautions. Due to the expense of these items a class discuss will be had about how to safely and correctly use the cameras. During this time there will likely be at least one camera between table groups if possible, otherwise sitting as a collective the teacher will handle, explain and pass the camera around. Class ‘camera rules’ discussion: how should be handle/use the camera correctly?
3. Teacher will introduce the ‘optional use’ objects and display them at the front and centre of the room. Explain these objects must be shared and do not have to be used as a tool for their photographs.
4. Teacher will list instructions - Brainstorm?
- Explore/note/plan
- Set up your photograph
- Take your photograph
5. Teacher will explain to students that they will be given ‘exploration and planning time’ whereby the students are allowed to explore the classroom and limited are of the school ground to determine some possible focus areas for their photographs, children will come back with a list of things they may use and why. What were some of your ideas? Where else could you look for objects/focus, other than amongst the items provided? Children will come together and briefly share some ideas in a class discussion. Explain that children cannot take photos of each other or be part of the photographs.
6. Children sent back to table groups and asked to beginning individual brainstorming before teacher begins to send groups both outside and around the classroom periodically, to explore ideas for their photographs. What objects could you use/would you like to use? Brainstorm and note.
Consolidation and Practice
Approximately 60 mins total (Exact time unspecified, will require splitting over two weeks of art classes/sessions as required)
1. Students are given time in groups to explore inside and outside the classroom for inspiration for their photographs- around 10 minutes per group
2. Check over students planning notes and ask about ideas to ensure they are all on the right track
3. Begin handing out cameras as students have their photograph planned and prepared, make sure students photograph has worked correctly, save it onto a PC in the students name before moving the camera one, ensuring no work is lost. Provide extension activities if need be (re-iterate these and camera handling in subsequent lesson). When all students have completed their work, print photographs out of class hours, preferably to a 4x6 size per photograph
4. Hand out photographs and instruct students to think of a creative title to name their photograph in the same fashion Olive Cotton went out naming her works. Get the children to write their name and the photograph title in the back of the photograph
5. Set up a display using string and pegs I the classroom with the students, create an ‘Olive Cotton inspired photography’ sign to be display with the photographs if this was not completed in extension activities.
Early Finishers – Extension Activities
Some children will take longer to prepare and produce their photograph; early finishes (whether it be in the initial or follow on lesson) can complete the following extension activities based on Olive Cotton Art practice-
~ Select 2 other works by Cotton that we have covered, give them new titles and explain why you gave them that title
~ Working in groups of two using a torch or lamp, explore different ways shadows can be created and used (this may include projecting interesting shapes onto a wall of piece of paper)
D. Closure 15 mins
View, display and discuss- have the class seated, gathered around the ‘exhibition’. Facilitate a class discussion about the various objects, practices and elements that individual students used. Encourage some or all students to share insights about their photograph with the class, this activity provides cross-curricular ties with communication, public speaking and presentation requirements within the English component of VELS.