Geometry and Art: Art Museum Visit

Geometry and Art: Art Museum Visit is the second lesson of a three-part unit integrating math, writing and visual arts. In this lesson students apply their knowledge of geometry by sorting, classifying and counting plane geometric figures during a visit to the art museum to look at and compare twentieth- century paintings. Students then collect data and share what they observe.

A lesson plan for grade 2 Visual Arts Education, English Language Arts, and Mathematics

By Loretta Hopper

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Related topics

• Learn more about English language arts and mathematics.

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Learning outcomes

The student will identify geometric shapes, collect data and interpret information. While focusing on geometry, the students will discuss similarities and differences in paintings.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

45 minutes

Materials/resources

Each student will need:

• a data collection sheet
• a pencil
• a clipboard

The teacher will need to become familiar with the following art terms and how they relate to works of art. Click on this link for art terms.
Art Terms

Technology resources

If an art museum visit is not available:

• color monitor with access to the Internet
• open Ackland Virtual Tour
• practice running the PowerPoint presentation “Ackland Virtual Tour”
• open Background Information

Pre-activities

• students should complete a pre-visit activity to the art museum. See the lesson “Geometry and Art: Art Museum Pre-Visit.”
• students will need to be able to identify and label geometric shapes.

Activities

This lesson is designed to accommodate three different classroom needs:

• A visit to the Ackland Art Museum, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
• Or a visit to another art museum,
• Or a virtual visit to the Ackland Art Museum.

For an Ackland Art Museum visit:
  Docent introduction:

1. Students will look at three different paintings in the twentieth-century gallery: Slow Down Freight Train, by Rose Piper; Mending Socks, by Archibald J. Motley, Jr.; and Flemish VIII by Al Held.
2. The museum docent will lead a discussion on similarities and differences between the works of art with a focus on realistic and abstract designs, along with identifying geometric shapes, and how the use of different shapes elicit different emotional feelings.

  Museum activity:

3. Students will be divided into small groups for a data-collecting experience.
4. Each group will be assigned to one abstract geometric painting.
5. Each student will be given a Data Collection Sheet to be completed (open Data Collection print and copy).
6. Each group will share information with the rest of the class.

For an art museum visit other than the Ackland Art Museum:
  Docent introduction:

1. Select three different paintings incorporating geometric shapes.
2. The museum docent will share background information about each painting.
3. The museum docent will lead a discussion on similarities and differences between the works of art with a focus on realistic and abstract designs, along with identifying geometric shapes, and how the use of different shapes elicit different emotional feelings.

  Museum activity:

4. Students will be divided into small groups for a data-collecting experience.
5. Select different paintings with geometric shapes.
6. Each group will be assigned to one abstract geometric painting.
7. Each student will be given a Data Collection Sheet to be completed (open Data Collection).
8. Each group will share information with the rest of the class.

For a virtual tour:
  Teacher introduction:

1. Students will look at three different paintings from the twentieth-century gallery (open Ackland Virtual Tour).
2. The teacher will share background information about each painting (open background information).
3. The teacher will need to become familiar with the following art terms and how they relate to works of art. Click on this link for art terms. Art Terms
4. The teacher will lead a discussion on similarities and differences between the works of art with a focus on realistic and abstract designs, along with identifying geometric shapes, and how the use of different shapes elicit different emotional feelings.

  Classroom Activity:

5. Students will be divided into small groups for a data-collecting experience.
6. Assign one abstract geometric painting to each group (open Paintings for Data Collection).
7. Each student will be given a Data Collection Sheet to be completed (open Data Collection).
8. Each group will share the data collection with the rest of of the class.

Assessment

Check the Data Collection Sheet to determine if the student has completed the task. By the answers on the sheet, determine that the student understands the assignment.

Supplemental information

This lesson is the second part of a three-part unit focusing on geometry, improving observation and writing skills, and developing critical thinking skills. Students have an opportunity to visit the Ackland Art Museum, at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, or visit another art museum, or take a virtual tour of artwork from the Ackland Art Museum. The other two lessons can be found in the LEARN NC lesson plan database as:
Geometry and Art: Art Museum Pre-Visit
Geometry and Art: Art Museum Post-Visit

For a visit to the Ackland Art Museum or another art museum, the teacher needs to make prior arrangements with the museum.

For more information about the three paintings from the Ackland Art Museum, open Background Information.

When collecting data from the assigned geometric painting, students may need help writing the title of the painting and the artist’s name.

The third lesson, Geometry and Art: Art Museum Post-Visit, has students creating spread sheets and charts of the collected data.

Related websites

Ackland Art Museum:
http://www.ackland.org/

Vermeer Link:
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search.asp
(when you get to this web site, type in “Vermeer” in the artist block)

If you need PowerPoint player use this link:
http://www.learnnc.org/topics/edtech/freeware.html#office

Comments

This lesson was easily adapted to differentiate between three groups. Students needing a concrete learning experience were assigned the painting with a strong, simple geometric design. Students ready for a complex level of observation investigation were assigned a painting with an obscure use of geometry. And, those students still needing some concrete support were assigned a painting with transitional geometric shapes.