Outline: Native American Art
Courses: Art Appreciation
Duration: 18 weeks
Goal: Research the Navajo, Pueblo, and Plains Indian tribes of North America to incorporate historical, cultural, and spiritual impact on Native American art, both past and present. This study will encompass a variety of disciplines of art including: digital technology, 2 and 3 dimensional design, clay sculpting, printmaking,painting, and scaled models.
Week 1: Overview/History
Objectives: 1. Familiarize students with Native American tribes of Pueblo, Navajo, and Plains Indians’ cultural influences on art
2. Identify available resources to those tribes based on geographical location
Academic Connections: History, Geography, and Science
Approach: Challenge students to ponder whether a society could preserve itself if isolated for outside influences.
Resources: movie—Last of the Dogmen
Activities: Mapping activity
Student Outcome: Increase students’ interest by connecting past to present; Exhibit 1 for Art Fair
Assessment: Informal class discussion using group collaboration
Week 2: Overview/History
Objectives: 1. Define elements of art based on identified categories of war, spirituality, healing, traditions, government, and daily living.
2. Explore art samples in relation to language and communication
Academic Connections: History, Science, Speech, Language Arts
Approach: discuss primitive language and petroglyph evidences
Resources: youtube: Mystery of the Anasazi (SECRET ANCIENT HISTORY DOCUMENTARY)
Activities: design petroglyphs and paint them on medium size rocks
Student Outcome: Students will use their knowledge of primitive drawings to create a petroglyph collaborative rock garden sculpture; Exhibit 1 for Art Fair
Assessment: survey, self-critique, rubric
Week 3/4/5: Art in War
Objective: 1. Identify art in war focusing on leadership, preparation, battle, and celebration
2. Understand the significance of the horse to the warrior
3. Compare 2d and 3d art forms
Academic Connections: History, Government, Equine Science
Approach: Discuss the value of the horse to Native American culture with emphasis on military strategies of the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Explain the importance of photographic journaling to support historical facts.
Resources: Battle of the Little Big Horn
Activities: 1. Research war horse symbols
2. Paint model horse according to breed with historically accurate war symbols
3. Mount horse in display format with accessories
Student Outcome: Student will distinguish between 2 and 3 dimensional representation; Exhibit 2 for Art Fair
Assessment: Self-critique; rubric
Week 6/7/8: Art in Spirituality
Objective: 1. Identify art in spirituality among tribes
2. Understand their belief system as it relates to nature
3. Introduce basic pottery skills
Academic Connections: Science, History, Agriculture
Approach: Discuss 3-d art; the use of clays in sculpting, pottery, and firing techniques
Resources: Video tour of the medicine wheel; native tarot art cards
Activities: Dream catcher with hand crafted clay beads
Student Outcome: Students will use knowledge of radial symmetry and spiritual beliefs to create artistic representation; Exhibit 3 for Art Fair
Assessment: Oral Presentation; self-critique; rubric
Week 9/10: Art in Healing
Objective: 1. Study herbal medicines as healing properties
2. Understand the role of the Shaman in Native American society
3. Connect healing to spirituality and nature
4. Develop basic printmaking skills
Academic Connections: Dance, Music, Horticulture, Anatomy
Approach: Discuss the medicinal uses of plants and the art of printmaking
Resources: “Finding Bear Spirit” and guest speaker on holistic medicine
Activities: 4-block collage depicting various herbs using printmaking techniques
Student Outcome: Students will learn basic printmaking skills; Exhibit 4 for Art Fair
Assessment: self-critique, rubric
Week 11/12: Art in Tradition
Objective: 1. Investigate traditional stories from various tribes
2. Use knowledge of story to create a visual representation in tiles
Academic Connections: Literature, Music
Approach: Discuss folklore and legends passed from generations through painting, weaving, story quilts, beadwork, and pottery
Resources: Art Trunk Lending Program—Buffalo Bill Historic Center
Activities: Tile project (9x9) to replicate assigned story; Exhibit 5 for Art Fair
Student Outcome: Students will produce story replication through painted tiles
Assessment: self-critique, rubric
Week 13/14: Art in Hierarchy
Objective: 1. Define levels of hierarchy within a tribe
2. Identify and research significant leaders in that tribe
3. Learn ink transfer techniques
Academic Connections: Government, History
Approach: Discuss use of color and shadows to create contrast; use knowledge of printmaking using ink transfers
Resources: computer; photoshop, laser ink copies
Activities: Create an ink transfer of assigned chief or warrior, Art Exhibit 6 for Art Fair
Student Outcome: Students will use photoshop techniques ad pens and pastel pencils to redesign an ink transfer portrait
Assessment: Self-critique; rubric
Week 15/16/17: Art in Daily Living
Objective: 1. Explore art in various components of daily living: clothing, jewelry, housing, and hunting
2. Understand the relation of a scale for proportional visual representation
Academic Connections: Math
Approach: Discuss basic elements of design: proportion and scale
Resources: Museum virtual tours
Activities: In groups, re-create a scaled model village depicting everyday life and how art was prevalent in this society
Student Outcome: Students will use math skills to replicate a model village to scale; Exhibit 7 for Art Fair
Assessment: Rubric
Week 18: Art Fair Preparation