Adirondack
Curriculum
Project - www.adkcurriculumproject.org 
NYS Content
Area Standard
The
Arts Standard 3: Respond to and analyze artworks
Performance Indicators 1 & 2
• discuss and write their analyses and interpretations using
appropriate critical language
• identify, analyze, and interpret the visual and sensory
characteristics that they discover in natural and human-made forms
Social Studies Standard 3 Geography:
Performance Indicator 4
• describe the relationships between people and environments and the
connections between people and places
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Title:
Artwork Inspired by Geography
Grade Level: 11-12th
Author: Ashley Havens
Heuvelton Central School
Email: ahavens@heuvelton.k12.ny.us
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Adirondack Curriculum Content Area
___ Natural History
_X_ Human History
_X_ Culture & the Arts
___ Government & Civics
___ Economy
___ Health, Recreation &
Life Skills |
Investigative Question or Issue: How has/does geography of
an area affect and/or inspire artists?
Challenge:
Context for this Challenge: Although
originally conceived as a challenge for Art class, this project might
lend itself nicely to a multidisciplinary approach combining elements
of Art, Social Studies, and English Language Arts. The teacher(s)
involved may want to create interest in this project by showing
students a slide show of different geographic features of the
Adirondacks along with artwork inspired by these features. These slides
might be accompanied by musical selections from the time period in
which the artworks were created and photos of national events taking
place at that time as well.
This slide show should be followed by a discussion that explores
student reactions to the presentation:
1) What are your responses to the images you have seen?
2) In what ways might these places, events, images and sounds be
connected and interpreted through the work of the artist? What is the
evidence in the artwork that supports your thinking on this?
The Challenge: In
teams of two paired with the help of your teacher, select an artist
whose work you believe has clearly been influenced by the Adirondacks.
Research your artist using approved on-line and other resources.
Create an engaging and
informative PowerPoint presentation that introduces your artist, the
geographic and social context of his work, and your interpretation of
his/her work to the class.
As you prepare your presentation, please consider the following:
1) Your presentation
should be no longer than 3 minutes in length
2) Your presentation should include a title
slide that identiies you as authors and indicates the topic you are
exploring
3) Your presentation should include several
well designed slides that communicate (both in text and
illustrations) your researched response to the following Focus Questions:
- When and where did your artist live?
- What experiences did your artist have with the
Adirondacks that you think influenced his/her work? What evidence can
you show of this influence?
- What was going on in the United States at the
time of the artist's work that may have influenced his/her work? What
evidence can you show of this influence?
- What is your interpretation of your artist's
work? What response does it evoke in you?
4) Prepare a well
written, one page essay/summary of your findings to give to the student
audience so that they may follow the major insights of your
presentation. This essay/summary should meet all the criteria for
Quality Writing posted in class.
Both members of your research team should share equally in the
preparation of your presentation and be prepared to respond to
questions regarding any aspect of your work.
As a corollary to this presentation, each team member should produce a
two-dimensional work of art that is in the style of the chosen artist
or is inspired by local geography that is personally meaningful. This
work will be shared with and critiqued by class members
The student should also write an entry in their personal journal
explaining the reason for their choice of geographic location and its
meaning to them.
Student Handout
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Quality Standards:
PowerPoint Presentation
- Presentation
is engaging and informative
- Presentation
is no more than 3 minutes in length
- Presentation
begins with a title slide that identifies the authors and the topic of
the presentation
- Presentation
includes several slide that address all of the Focus Questions directly
and fully
- Presentation
includes a one page essay/summary of the major insights of the
presentation that is given to the audience. This summary meets all
criteria for Quality Writing.
- Each
member of the research team shares equally in the preparation of their
product
- Each
member of the research team adequately responds to questions
about any aspect of their work
Personal Work
- Each
team member produces a two-dimensional work of art either in the style
of the featured artist or inspired by a feature of local geography that
is personally meaningful
- Each
team member writes an entry in their personal journal explaining the
reason for their choice of geographic location and its meaning to them
Examples of Student Wor
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Adapted for the Adirondack
Curriculum Project from
the work of Education By Design TM and Leading EDGE, LLC
©ACP 2002
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Produced
at the 2008 Adirondack Geography Institute; reviewed & edited by
the ACP.