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Our Past is Our Present: Art History
Course Objective
To develop an acute awareness of art and how it intersects with our past and present lives
Curricular Components
Paintings, Essays, Museum articles, and Britannica Encyclopedia articles
Class Routine
10min Review
15min Lecture & Concepts
40min Gallery Observation, Discussion & Vocabulary
25min Writing Instruction
Subject-Specific Knowledge
Art, History, Science, Humanities, Psychology
Skills Development
Visual Analysis, Observation, Critical Reading, Socratic Discussion and Formal Writing
About The Course
Don’t be afraid of Art History or the idea of all the technical language - enjoy the pieces and the stories they tell about our unique human experience. No matter what subject you love, from Math to Science, Art plays a fundamental role in our understanding of nearly everything. Looking at art is an exercise in logic - the same logic that students will need to use in Math and Science. Incorporating art into your learning is an invaluable practice and one that continually provides paths for deeper exploration and meaning.
Through an in-depth analysis of famous artists and their work, this art history course is grounded in understanding how expression, and the techniques an artist uses, tells a story of the past and inspires the future. Many world innovators hold dearly to pieces of artwork that inspired them during their creative pursuits - I want each student to find a piece that inspires them as well. Students will have artistic discourses based on opinions, their own schema, and factual information. In addition, they will become stronger observers of detail and nuance - skills that are essential to the core traditional subjects of Math and English.
About The Instructor
Chelsey Dietrich
Ms. Chelsey Dietrich is a certified teacher with nearly fifteen years of education-industry experience in the US and China. She has taught small groups and tutored individuals in subjects ranging from elementary school English, middle school humanities, IBDP core subjects and test preparation (MAP, SSAT, SAT). Mrs. Dietrich holds a BA in Journalism from the University of Minnesota and a MA.Ed. in Education from Columbia University. She is a USA certified teacher in the subject of English.
Lesson Components & Structure
This course is designed to provide instruction and critical inquiry into a range of artists, artworks and movements. Art does not live in a vacuum, so we will be continually exploring how techniques and people influence technology, science, math and other core subjects. Students will sharpen their logical inference making, and verbal and written expression. Each three week block will be anchored to a specific artist. Within that week, we will explore the artist’s context, their famous works, the movement they belonged to and their major contributions and influences to modern society.
Each 1.5 hour class will follow roughly the same structure from week to week. Lessons will begin with a short ten minute review of the previous week’s lesson, covering relevant content and any updates. Students will then complete a very brief (five minute) quiz to ensure the retention of discipline-specific concepts and vocabulary. This will be followed by a collaborative lecture, discourse on new topics, and student driven questions of inquiry. The teacher will introduce the new topic through an engaging launch and teach new information. Throughout the lesson, the teacher will check for understanding and help illuminate connections to student lives. The final twenty-five minutes of class will be devoted to writing, with students being presented with a homework prompt, and learning academic writing skills. Each class, students will submit a written response and then produce a longer review at the end of each three week block. They will receive in-depth written feedback on their work and be able to produce final drafts.
Course Outline
Our Past is Our Present: Art History is both a practical and intellectual way to study five artists over the span of a 15 week semester (one artist every three weeks). The course will begin with a broad introduction to why we study art history and its role and connection to our everyday learning. The introduction will also focus on the concepts that we will be studying throughout each three week block. These concepts will be revisited throughout the course, and underpin students’ own development as knowledgeable patrons of the arts.
Block 1: Henry Matisse and the Fauvist Art Movement
Block 2: Piet Mondrian and the minimalist Stijl Art Movement
Block 3: Pablo Picasso and the Cubist Art Movement
Block 4: Frida Kahlo and the Surrealist Art Movement
Block 5: Georgia O’Keefe and the American Modernism Art Movement
Course Materials
All of the materials for this course are carefully curated by the instructor. Students will be provided with a PDF version of the lecture and any articles that will be required reading. By the end of the course, students will have a “course reader” addressing all topics covered, all articles read , all artworks viewed, and all essays written.
Deliverables
Students will be expected to produce approximately three short responses and one final essay per each three week block. Families should expect roughly 1hr of homework following each lesson. Students will also be expected to produce an end-of-course presentation where they will share their work with our class community.
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