Feed the Artist

 

 

Introduction
Task
Process
Evaluation
Conclusion
Teacher Notes

E-mail:
Laura Rychly
rychlyl@uga.edu
Bill McAuliffe
billmca@uga.edu

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Teacher Notes

This activity was designed to be done by 6-8th graders in an art class. Here is some information on why we decided to do the project.

We felt that students today are not exposed to enough art in their everyday lives. Students have gradually received less art instruction each year due to budget cut backs across the nation. By doing this assignment students are, for lack of a better word, forced to look at many pieces of art and look at them from many different perspectives.

The students would work alone on this project because art is such a subjective topic. No one can tell you what looks good to you; that is ultimately your decision. The students would then also have to reflect on what they have seen and thought about all the pieces of art. The paper afterwards is the most important piece to the project because it makes them focus everything that they have seen.

If you are going to do this project you have to have access to a computer lab with internet capabilities because there are so many pieces of art that the ones in books will not suffice. The students have to be given the opportunity to really express themselves with their selection of the art and they need to see many examples so that they find the right piece for them.

We think as teachers it is important not to limit our students based on our own preferences. We chose to limit their mediums only because there would have been too many different styles of art to grade. The students have to feel that they are given the full chance to express themselves. If a student feels that the mediums that are given are not adequate it would be fine with us to let them chose one on their own.

The student would have 2 weeks to finish this assignment provided they work at least 2 hours a day researching art and writing their essay (in class and at home).

The teacher's responsibility in this assignment is to guide the students with any technical problems they might be having; however, it is important that a teacher does not suggest some of their favorite works so that the student does not zero in on one particular style of art.