Timeline

In accordance with the New York State Learning Standards, this unit lends itself to the Language Arts, Social Studies and Technology disciplines as well as the Arts. Within the time frame of one month of instruction and execution of this unit, it has been broken down into four lesson plans with day by day objectives.

Lesson #1: The Sensory Palette: Spiraling Through the Guggenheim

Day 1.  Students will view and discuss postcards from the Guggenheim Museum as an orientation to the museum site. Utilizing postcard photos, aerial view of museum and park sites, and interior and exterior views, students will spiral through this unique design.

After viewing postcard photos, students will respond in their notebooks to the following:

1.   How does this setting make you feel?

2.   What sounds do you hear? (a blend of urban street sounds & nature sounds of Central Park)

3.   What odors do you think you would experience? (horse manure, bus fumes, car exhaust fumes, hot dog vendor foods)

4.   What sights do you see and how do they change with the different seasons? (tree leaves, flowers, wildlife, tall buildings, smoldering heat of steamy summers to frosty snow and ice of winter)

5.   What sensations of touch would you feel? (seasonal fashions, bear midriff to bulky layers of coats, hats and scarves, cold cutting winds off the park to the sweaty palms of a handshake)

Class discussion will follow as to the sharp contrast of the built environment to the natural environment.

HW: Create an original artistic interpretation, music, dance poetry, or illustration to reflect today’s experience (spiraling dance, flute notes, landscape painting).

Spiraling through, finding location and spiraling through unique design.

HW follow up:  Visit a web mapquest of NYC with the Guggenheim Museum location, and take a virtual tour of the Guggenheim neighborhood. (Note- it is advisable to give students web sites for this assignment; only ask them to search if they have learned search strategies in another class or from the media specialist.)

http://www.newyorkled.com/guggenheim.htm Guggenheim Museum Map Site

http://www.aviewoncities.com/nyc/gugg... New York City Buildings: Guggenheim Museum

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/7202497 New York City guide and map of Guggenheim Museum

Lesson #2: The Literary Palette: Following the Wright Path

Day 2. Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision for the architectural design of the museum. Students read aloud “Frank Lloyd Wright” (see Resource List).

Upon completion of the read-aloud, students will respond to the following during class discussion.

1.   What was the main idea expressed in this story?

(Wright’s philosophy of  “Organic Architecture” utilizing natural forms and shapes in buildings)

2.   How did the Guggenheim Museum take its shape?

(It takes its spiral shape from a seashell)

3.   How do we know Wright created a distinct form of American architecture?

(Wright was a man of vision who was far ahead of his time)

4.   Describe Wright’s home, “Fallingwater”.

(It is a beautiful home built over a natural stream as if it always existed on that spot)

5.   Why do you think Wright is still considered an architectural genius?

(Architects today still use many of his ideas of suiting a particular site and function)

HW: Visit the following website: http://www.thais.it/guggenheim/default_uk.htm – photos and discussion by Wright of his design for the Solomon Guggenheim Museum of New York.

Design a home of your own, draw a picture of it, and write a paragraph telling what materials your house is made of and why.

Lesson #3: The Modern Palette: Discovering Contemporary Strokes

Day 3 - Students will imagine they are entering the museum and walking through the spiral ramps to locate the permanent collection to browse and select one painting they admire. While visiting the computer lab in our school, students will view the Guggenheim’s permanent collection online, and will respond in their notebooks to a class slide show presentation.

Class discussion will focus on strategic questioning skills to elicit well-informed responses.  Teacher will avoid asking questions with yes/no responses or with answers in the questions.  Students will be able to respond and incorporate sensory modes, integrate factual information, compare/contrast, categorize, summarize, predict, and speculate.

Sample student responses would look like this:

1.   Describe what you see in each painting?

(A Woman with Yellow Hair by Pablo Picasso, who appears to be resting on a couch.)

2.   Why do you think the artist choose this subject to paint? Explain.

(He may have known this woman and admired her beauty, or even loved her.)

3.   What is unique about the painting style these artists have used? Describe.

(Picasso uses bright bold colors in an unnatural way.  Her skin color is a light purple. He uses lines that create a vertical and horizontal movement.)

4.   How do we know these artists loved color?  Explain.

(The artist loves to use bright powerful colors, which really stand out and capture your attention.)

5.   Which paintings do you like best? Why?

(I really would like to paint this because I like the colors, and the girl is very pretty and relaxed.  I don’t think it would be too hard for me to do.)

Homework:  Using the Internet, explore the web site: http://www.guggenheim.org. Find a modern art painting you are attracted to, create a color copy and research the following:

Write a biographical study of the artist’s life and this work.

Reflect upon the following:

How did Modern Art shape the art world we know today?

Why were you attracted to this artist’s work?

Criteria are based on student’s own personal preference; however, they must be able to articulate a rationale for this selection.

Lesson #4: The Studio Palette: Illuminating Expressive Hues

Day 4 - Students will review the color wheel and palette as they explore the variety of colors used by the Impressionists and Modern Artists. Color theory will be reviewed as well as proper techniques for mixing colors: http://members.cox.net/mrsparker2 - Exploring Color Theory for Teachers and Kids

Day 5 - Students will investigate the qualities of acrylic painting.  Students will review the characteristics of the Impressionist movement, short, quick, brushstrokes, light brilliant color, fleeting images and how this led to the use of color and methods and materials of the Modern Art movement in a new and different way. (Jackson Pollack drips and splatter paintings will be explored.)

Day 6 - 16. Students will create individual sketches of their paintings. They will work independently to design their composition. Using acrylic paint, they will creatively design a modern art masterpiece. 

As part of their evaluation, students will present their paintings to classmates and discuss what they’ve learned and respond to student questions.

Students will value the fruits of their labors by creating a Guggenheim SHOWCASE ART GALLERY of their paintings.