LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Who was Wassily Kandinsky?

http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L557

A lesson plan for Grades 3–5 Mathematics and Visual Arts Education

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

About this resource

Appropriate grades
3–5
Subjects
arts (general), mathematics (applied mathematics, geometry)
Provider
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

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This lesson provides students with an exploration of the geometric figures Wassily Kandinsky used in his art. Students participate in a scavenger hunt to become familiar with Kandinsky’s works and the geometric figures used in his paintings. Illuminations provides an activity sheet and detailed instructions for completing the lesson.

Students will:

  • Identify the geometric figures Wassily Kandinksy used in his art.
  • Describe how Wassily Kandinksy used geometric shapes to create paintings.

NCTM Standards and Expectations:

  • Build and draw geometric objects.
  • Describe location and movement using common language and geometric vocabulary.
  • Recognize geometric ideas and relationships and apply them to other disciplines and to problems that arise in the classroom or in everyday life.
  • Create and describe mental images of objects, patterns, and paths.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Visual Arts Education (2001)

Grade 3

  • Goal 1: The learner will develop critical and creative thinking skills and perceptual awareness necessary for understanding and producing art.
    • Objective 1.02: Apply knowledge and concepts gained across the curriculum as a source of ideas for art.
    • Objective 1.07: Elaborate on an idea or theme.
  • Goal 3: The learner will organize the components of a work into a cohesive whole through knowledge of organizational principles of design and art elements.
    • Objective 3.03: Identify geometric shapes: circle, square, rectangle, triangle, diamond, oval, octagon, and pentagon.
    • Objective 3.10: Respect the work of others when critiquing art.
    • Objective 3.12: Recognize symmetrical and asymmetrical balance.
  • Goal 6: The learner will reflect upon and assess the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others.
    • Objective 6.01: Understand that the purpose for a work of art affects how it is made.
    • Objective 6.08: Critique artwork in relation to design principles: emphasis, movement, repetition, space, and balance.

Grade 4

  • Goal 3: The learner will organize the components of a work into a cohesive whole through knowledge of organizational principles of design and art elements.
    • Objective 3.02: Differentiate horizontal, vertical, parallel, and diagonal lines.
    • Objective 3.03: Compare relative positions of objects in space through color intensity and value.
  • Goal 6: The learner will reflect upon and assess the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others.
    • Objective 6.03: Critique artwork through the use of design principles: emphasis, movement, repetition, space, balance, and value.

Grade 5

  • Goal 1: The learner will develop critical and creative thinking skills and perceptual awareness necessary for understanding and producing art.
    • Objective 1.02: Practice a variety of methods of observation from different points of view to explore spatial relationships.
    • Objective 1.03: Use current events as a catalyst for the discussion and production of art.
  • Goal 6: The learner will reflect upon and assess the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others.
    • Objective 6.02: Critique artwork in relation to design principles: emphasis, movement, repetition, space, balance, value, unity.

Mathematics (2004)

Grade 3

  • Goal 3: Geometry - The learner will recognize and use basic geometric properties of two- and three-dimensional figures.
    • Objective 3.01: Use appropriate vocabulary to compare, describe, and classify two- and three-dimensional figures.

Grade 5

  • Goal 3: Geometry - The learner will understand and use properties and relationships of plane figures.
    • Objective 3.04: Solve problems involving the properties of triangles, quadrilaterals, and other polygons.
      • Sum of the measures of interior angles.
      • Lengths of sides and diagonals.
      • Parallelism and perpendicularity of sides and diagonals.