1. Instruct students to close their eyes and imagine a landscape painting. Without having students answer out loud, prompt them to visualize by asking them what they see in their landscape painting. Are there hills, trees, water, houses, etc.?
2. Next show students the landscape painting, Grotto of Sarrazine near Nans-sous-Sainte-Anne, painted by Gustave Courbet, a French artist who was painting in France around time the Civil War was being fought in America. Do not reveal the title of the work. Ask the following questions: (Refer to the Image Bank by clicking on the thumbnail above to find answers to questions.)
• How does this landscape look similar to or different from the one you imagined?
• Why do you think this painting is classified as a landscape? What do you see
that makes you think this is a landscape? (Even though it might be different from what they imagined, it is still primarily an image of natural scenery.)
• What is the subject of this painting? What evidence do you find that tells you?
3. Use the following questions related to visual art elements, emphasizing texture and space, to further discuss the work. It might be a good idea to refresh students' minds about the elements by listing them on the board (refer to the Glossary, or The Elements Of Art Web page on this site).
• Which element(s) of art do you see clearly in this painting? Where do you see them?
• Which element(s) of art do you think the artist was most interested in? What evidence do you find that makes you say that? (The artist was interested in texture; he not only painted this work with brushes, but he also used a palette knife to scrape the surface of the canvas to simulate the texture of the rocks. He also seems to have been interested in space; the spiral shape of the mouth of the cave draws us into the painting, giving a sense of depth in a shallow space. The viewer's attention is drawn past the lighter colored rocks and into the dark recesses of the cave.)
• Why do you think Courbet focused on the cave and didn't show any of the landscape around it? (By filling the entire canvas with the cave, the cave appears very large in what is actually not a very large painting—only 19 11/16 x 23 5/8 inches.)
4. Share additional facts and details about the painting and its historical context with students. Use the information below and/or information provided under Brief History of the Landscape Genre and in the Image Bank. Also consider the accompanying discussion questions.
• In Courbet's time there was great interest in the study of the age of the earth and the formation of different types of rocks. In the late 18th century and the 19th century, scientists set out on voyages of exploration to research how the earth was formed and how it has changed, and is still changing, over time. These expeditions made important contributions to geology—the branch of science that focuses on "the study of the earth."
• How do you think the study of geology might have influenced Courbet's choice of subject matter in this work? In what way might it have influenced what he wanted to represent in the work? (In the mid-1860s, Courbet frequently painted caves to freely explore composition and technique freely. He was very interested in creating rough textured surfaces by scraping with a palette knife across the paint on his canvas. Focusing on rough textural rocks allowed him to create these colored scraped surfaces and allowed him to freely experiment with how he applied and manipulated paint on the canvas.)
5. Next, show students the image Study of Rocks by an unknown artist. Begin by explaining that this image is an early type of photography called a daguerreotype, taken around the time that Courbet painted his Grotto. Do not reveal the title of the work. Use the following questions to examine this work and compare it with Courbet's Grotto of Sarrazine near Nans-sous-Sainte-Anne. (Refer to the Image Bank by clicking on the thumbnail above for answers to the questions.)
• Would you call this work a landscape? Why?
• What is the subject of this photograph?
• What do you see that lets you know this is the subject of the photograph? How is this subject similar or different from the subject of Courbet's painting?
• What other similarities or differences do you see between this photograph and Courbet's painting?
• Which elements of art do you see clearly represented in this photograph? Do you think that the photographer was interested in focusing on the same elements of art that Courbet focused on? What do you see that makes you think that? How does the photographer use texture in this image? Space?
• Why do you think this work is titled, Study of Rocks? What does the title tell you about the photograph? What doesn't the title tell you about the photograph? What else do you want to know about the photograph? Chart students' responses.
6. Let students know that very little is known about the Study of Rocks photograph. We don't know exactly where or why it was taken. We don't know what type of rocks these are, or if the site still exists today.
Share any additional background information, found in the Image Bank, about Study of Rocks with students and then ask students to consider what they think the purpose of this photograph might have been. (It is quite possible that this image was taken for artistic or scientific purposes. It may have been used as a reference for an artist like Courbet to use in his studio to practice his techniques for painting texture, or it may have been used as a reference of for a type of rock, type much like images seen in a modern field guide.)
7. Ask students to debate whether they think this image was made for artistic or scientific purposes by listing visual evidence in favor of one side or the other. Chart their responses. Are there similarities between the lists made for both artistic and scientific purposes? Explain to students that both artists and scientists observe their subjects carefully and closely.
8. Instruct students to bring a rock about the size of their palm to class. If it is possible, go outside as a class and have the students look for rocks. You may want to have a few extra rocks on hand for students who forget to bring one or bring one that is too small.
9. Inform students that they will be working as both artists and scientists to observe their rocks. They will create their own study of a rock and record basic scientific descriptions of the rock.
10. Begin the observational drawing activity by asking students to look closely and carefully at their rocks for about 5 minutes. Pass out magnifying glasses for closer inspection. Have students consider the following questions when looking at their rock:
• How would you describe the shape of your rock? Is it box-like, round, oval, etc.?
• Look closely at the grain size on the surface of your rock. Is there a unique pattern
to the grain visible on your rock? Does the rock seem to be made up of different types of rock? How can you tell?
• How would you describe the overall texture of your rock? Smooth, rough, slick, sharp? Students could create rubbings of their rock using graphite to see the texture and how it translates visually onto paper. They could use this study to think about how they will draw the texture of their rock in freehand.
11. Next, pass out drawing paper and pencils (and/or colored pencils) to students. Explain that the observations they made prepared them to draw a close-up study of their rock with emphasis on its space, shape, form, and texture. Remind them of the way that Courbet simulated texture in the surface of the cave walls in his painting. Ask them to try to simulate the rock's texture in their drawing.
12. After students have completed the artistic observation of their rock, connect the drawing process back to scientific observation. Design a worksheet that requires students to record scientific observations about their rocks, including written descriptions of the rock's color, texture, shape/form, grain size, etc., measurements of the rock's length and width (in inches and/or centimeters), and weight (in grams). Demonstrations might be necessary with this step if students are unfamiliar with processes of weight and height measurement or using magnifying glasses. Group or partnership work could be encouraged here.
13. Discuss with students the ways that their artistic observation informed their written scientific description of the rock.
• Did the prolonged study that you did while drawing the rock reveal visual evidence that you might have otherwise overlooked?
• How difficult or easy did you find it to recreate the surface texture of your rock in the drawing? Did you use the patterns you saw with your magnifying glass? What techniques did you use to create your rock's texture?
• Do you think that your drawing could be used to identify the type of rock you examined? Why do you think it could/could not be used in this way? |
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| Grotto of Sarrazine near Nans-sous-Sainte-Anne, Gustave Courbet, about 1864 |
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Common Core Standards for English Language Arts
Grades 3–5
SPEAKING AND LISTENING
3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
3.6 Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. (See grade 3 Language standards 1 and 3 for specific expectations.)
4.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
4.3 Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker or media source provides to support particular points.
5.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
5.3 Summarize the points a speaker or media source makes and explain how each claim is supported by reasons and evidence, and identify and analyze any logical fallacies.
Grades 6–8
SPEAKING AND LISTENING
Comprehension and Collaboration
1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Visual Arts Standards for California Public Schools
Grade 4
1.0 Artistic Perception
Analyze Art Elements and Principles of Design
1.5 Describe and analyze the elements of art (e.g., color, shape/form, line, texture, space, value), emphasizing form, as they are used in works of art and found in the environment.
2.0 Creative Expression
Skills, Processes, Materials, and Tools
2.1 Use shading (value) to transform a two-dimensional shape into what appears to be a three-dimensional form (e.g., circle to sphere).
Grade 6
1.0 Artistic Perception
Develop Perceptual Skills and Visual Arts Vocabulary
1.1 Identify and describe all the elements of art found in selected works of art (e.g., color, shape/form, line, texture, space, value).
1.2 Discuss works of art as to theme, genre, style, idea, and differences in media.
1.3 Describe how artists can show the same theme by using different media and styles.
2.0 Creative Expression
Skills, Processes, Materials, and Tools
2.1 Use various observational drawing skills to depict a variety of subject matter.
Communication and Expression Through Original Works of Art
2.4 Create increasingly complex original works of art reflecting personal choices and increased technical skill.
California Science Standards for California Public Schools
Grade 4
Earth Sciences
4. The properties of rocks and minerals reflect the processes that formed them. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know how to differentiate among igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks by referring to their properties and methods of formation (the rock cycle).
b. Students know how to identify common rock-forming minerals (including quartz, calcite, feldspar, mica, and hornblende) and ore minerals by using a table of diagnostic properties.
Investigation and Experimentation
6. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. Students will:
a. Differentiate observation from inference (interpretation) and know scientists' explanations come partly from what they observe and partly from how they interpret their observations.
b. Measure and estimate the weight, length, or volume of objects.
f. Follow a set of written instructions for a scientific investigation.
Grade 6
Focus on Earth Science
Plate Tectonics and Earth's Structure
1. Plate tectonics accounts for important features of Earth's surface and major geologic events. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know evidence of plate tectonics is derived from the fit of the continents; the location of earthquakes, volcanoes, and mid-ocean ridges; and the distribution of fossils, rock types, and ancient climatic zones.
Resources
2. Sources of energy and materials differ in amounts, distribution, usefulness, and the time required for their formation. As a basis for understanding this concept:
b. Students know different natural energy and material resources, including air, soil, rocks, minerals,
petroleum, fresh water, wildlife, and forests, and know how to classify them as renewable or
nonrenewable.
Investigation and Experimentation
3. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. Students will:
a. Develop a hypothesis.
b. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes, and binoculars) to perform tests, collect data, and display data. |
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