Geometry and art: Art museum visit

This lesson is the second in 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 grades K–2 Visual Arts Education and Mathematics

By Loretta Hopper

Learn more

• A Lifetime of Color: Study Art This website provides definitions and examples of simple art terminology that may serve as a review for both teacher and students.

Related pages

• Tangrams: While reading Grandfather Tang's Story by Ann Tompert, students will be using tangrams to create the animals that the fox fairies are turning themselves into in this story.
• The Greedy Triangle: Students review geometric terms by making predictions about what the Greedy Triangle will become as the teacher reads the book, The Greedy Triangle. Students will create geometric creatures after the review.
• Congruent figures: This is a fun, hands-on activity to help students identify congruent figures.

Related topics

• Learn more about art, fine art, geometry, mathematics, museum education, and shapes.

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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:

• Data Collection sheet
• pencil
• clipboard

Pre-activities

• students should complete the lesson preceding the visit entitled Geometry and art: Art museum pre-visit
• students will need to be able to identify and label geometric shapes

Activities

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.
6. Each group will share information with the rest 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 can easily be modified to apply to a visit to a different art museum or to an in-class lesson on art. Use the attached Ackland Virtual Tour PowerPoint presentation and painting Background Information for a virtual visit!

This lesson is the second part of a three-part unit focusing on geometry, improving observation and writing skills, and developing critical thinking skills. The other two lessons are entitled Geometry and art: Art museum pre-visit and Geometry and art: Art museum post-visit.

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.

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