District 11 Division of Operations & Instruction
Visual Arts







 

Grade 3, Quarter 3 Art:  Rock and Fossil Art

Overview
Watch the Fossil Video Introduction. There is considerable research on the academic value of students receiving instruction in the Visual Arts. All District 11 art classes are taught by qualified art teachers. Students will learn the elements of art and principles of design. They will learn about art in relation to history, culture, and the community. They will also recognize and use the visual arts as a form of communication, and will critique works of art through analysis, assessment, and evaluation. As we progress into the second quarter, more formalized assessments of each student's level of mastery begin and continue throughout the year. "Art isn't everything, it is about everything."
~ Gertrude Stein

Curriculum Integration:
This is an Integrated Unit for Science and
Art.


Daily Lessons 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Enduring Understandings - important ideas that students should carry with them years beyond the instruction received this year.

  • People and cultures communicate through visual arts.
  • Visual arts tell stories with mood and emotion through images.
  • Visual arts inform us about our culture, history and society. 

Essential Questions - most important “big picture” questions students should be able to answer after completing learning activities.

  • What is art?
  • What makes a piece of artwork good?
  • How can I communicate my ideas thoughts and feelings effectively through art?

Standards-Based Assessments
Standard 1:. Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. Selects visual images for works of art to communicate ideas.
Standard  2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard  3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials.     Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of culture. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of community.
Standard 5: Critiques works of art through analysis, assessment, and evaluation. Describes/shows similarities and differences between works of art.   Describes the mood and/or feeling in works of art. Explains personal likes and dislikes about works of art.


District 11 curriculum is designed to prepare and equip students to be successful in the 21st Century. Curriculum resources and lessons included here have been aligned to the Colorado Standards for each content area. In addition, the entire program has been aligned with the knowledge, skills, and learner attributes the Partnership for 21st Century Skills promotes as necessary for success in the 21st Century. You will see the highlighted core values embedded in these lessons and activities.
 
A Academic Preparedness: the foundation required for either higher education, or high-wage, high skills jobs
C Cultural Competence: the ability to understand and interpret political and cultural events from multiple perspectives in a global society, a core competency in 21st Century Skills
H High-Functioning Team Member Skills: collaboration is a core competency in 21st Century Skills
I Innovative Thinking and Problem Solving Skills: a core competency for 21st Century Skills
E Effective Use of Information Technology: a core competency for 21st Century Skills
V Vital Participation in Civic Responsibility: "share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society" Standards for the 21st-Century Learner from American Library Assoc.
E Effective Communication Skills: a core competency for 21st Century Skills


Lessons 1-2:  Creating Trace Fossils
Duration:  2 class periods
     

Standard
1:. Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. Selects visual images for works of art to communicate ideas.
Standard  2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard  3:
 Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4:
 Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of culture. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of community.
Standard 5:
 Critiques works of art through analysis, assessment, and evaluation. Describes/shows similarities and differences between works of art. Describes the mood and/or feeling in works of art. Explains personal likes and dislikes about works of art.
Assessment:  Grading Rubric
Materials:  pencil, sketchbook, blinder card, found object for the drawing ritual, fossil dough (double or triple the batch for the class-recipe below), wax paper for each student, found objects to press into the dough, scrap magazine, newspaper or old telephone book paper for wiping, black or brown tempera paint, brush, white or clear glue, water container, paper towels, newspaper to cover table

Activities

  1. Drawing Ritual in sketchbook- Look at this site for Rituals to Start an Art Class. This is a five minute sketch in your sketchbook. Use a blinder card (place the pencil through a hole in the center of a 8 x 8 inch card).  Only look down on your paper to reposition your pencil. Finish the drawing using your blinder.  Remove the blinder and use your VALUE SCALE to add values to your found object. Look at Unit 1, lesson #8 to create a value scale if you haven't done so. If you squint at your object the darkest values seem to "pop" out.  Color the darkest or #5 value first.  Finish adding your other values. Put the date in your sketchbook.
  2. Watch the Fossil Video Introduction.  What are fossils and how are they made?
  3. Fossil Lesson Plan  with two Fossil Dough recipes for the classroom.   
    To make this lesson more creative, double or triple the amount of dough per student. Take a ball of dough and flatten a bit. Etch your name into the bottom side of the dough with a tool or paper clip. Turn it right side up.
    Have assorted materials to press into the flattened dough such as leaves, shells or other found objects. Take care to position the objects in an interesting way, and if possible, overlap an object or two.
  4. Paint the dough with white or clear liquid glue to seal for the next step. Set the dough aside to dry overnight.
  5. Try this to create dark imprints which are natural looking: With dark tempera paint such as black or brown, paint over the entire fossil.
  6. Take old magazine paper or newspaper and hold this flat in your palm. Sweep over your fossil to wipe the extra dark paint off the fossil many times until the paper is dirty. Throw away the dirty paper in the trash can before you switch to a clean paper. Switch papers until the outer area of the dough is almost clean. You may leave the imprints dark, or you may wipe inside the imprints to lighten. Do not over wipe so that you cannot see your imprint outlines. You should see the outlines of the fossil imprints stand out.
  7. When this is dry place it on a table so everyone can see your fossil print. Good job!

Differentiation
Support: 
Fossil Detective Audio Leveled Reader Here is an easy Trace Fossil Lesson Plan.
Extension: 
You may also use plaster to create Trace Fossils. You will need an adult helper for this lesson.
How to make a Fossil Cast using tuna cans, clay and plaster.

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Lessons 3-4: Draw a Fossil
Duration:  1-2 class period(s)
     

Standard 1:. Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. Selects visual images for works of art to communicate ideas.
Standard  2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard  3:
 Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4:
 Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of culture. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of community.
Standard 5:
 Critiques works of art through analysis, assessment, and evaluation. Describes/shows similarities and differences between works of art. Describes the mood and/or feeling in works of art. Explains personal likes and dislikes about works of art.
Assessment:  Grading Rubric
Materials:  pencil, fossils or fossil references, 9x12 drawing paper, thin black marker and black ink pen, completed value scale
Vocabulary:
contour lines, values

Activities

  1. You do not need to do a drawing ritual today since you will be drawing all period.
  2. Put your fossil in front of you to draw.  If you do not have a fossil to look at you may refer to this excellent 3D Photo Fossils Gallery where you can view fossils from 3 angles. The Cenozoic period features body fossils of crustaceans. The last photo is a dinosaur jawbone. You may look at other fossil resources for your next drawing.
  3. Choose a fossil to draw from your references.  Make it large enough to fit the 9"x12" paper.  Use thick and thin contour lines. Go over your lines with thin black marker.
  4. Refer to your VALUE SCALE in your sketchbook and add your middle and darkest values with your pen.  Use cross-hatching (or criss-cross lines) for your darkest values, and hatching (strokes going in one direction) for your middle value. Try to blend your darkest to middle values for a smoother rounded effect. 
    TIP: Outlines or contour lines flatten the object and decrease spatial depth. But for this lesson it may be easier to add values with ink pen to the fossil that is outlined with a marker. In 4th grade the students will learn to add values to round an object without outlines.
  5. When you are satisfied put your name and date on the bottom right corner of your paper. Good job!

Differentiation
Support: 
Extension:  

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Lessons 5-6: Clay Fossils
Duration:  2 class periods
     

Standard 1:. Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. Selects visual images for works of art to communicate ideas.
Standard  2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard  3:
 Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4:
 Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of culture. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of community.
Standard 5:
 Critiques works of art through analysis, assessment, and evaluation. Describes/shows similarities and differences between works of art. Describes the mood and/or feeling in works of art. Explains personal likes and dislikes about works of art.
Assessment:  Grading Rubric
Materials:  pencil, sketchbook, blinder card, found object for the drawing ritualdinosaur skull and fossil photos, air dry, oven or kiln clay, clay tools, wax paper, writing paper

Activities

  1. Drawing Ritual in sketchbook- Look at this site for Rituals to Start an Art Class. This is a five minute sketch in your sketchbook. Use a blinder card (place the pencil through a hole in the center of a 8 x 8 inch card).  Only look down on your paper to reposition your pencil. Finish the drawing using your blinder.  Remove the blinder and use your VALUE SCALE to add values to your found object.  If you squint at your object the darkest values seem to "pop" out. Color the darkest or #5 value first.  Finish adding your other values. Put the date in your sketchbook.
  2. Look at Dinosaur Fossil Images to view large skulls and bones.  You may use other references of dinosaur bones. Choose your favorite photo and write some information about this dinosaur on some writing paper.
  3. Place a fist sized ball of clay on your wax paper.  Begin by forming the basic skull shape from the photo. Do not carve details yet. 
  4. When the outside shape is the way you like it use clay tools to cut into the clay and add detail with assorted clay tools. 
  5. When you have finished put the clay away to dry. Follow directions on the clay package if clay is to be fired in the kiln.
  6. When the clay has hardened or has been fired in the kiln you may display this along with the dinosaur information on a table outside the art room for all to see!

Differentiation
Support: 
Extension:  

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Lesson 7: Cave Art Mural
Duration:  1 class period
     

Standards-Based Assessments
Standard 1:. Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. Selects visual images for works of art to communicate ideas.
Standard  2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard  3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of culture. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of community.
Standard 5: Critiques works of art through analysis, assessment, and evaluation. Describes/shows similarities and differences between works of art. Describes the mood and/or feeling in works of art. Explains personal likes and dislikes about works of art.
Assessment:  Grading Rubric
Materials:  pencil, sketchbook, blinder card, found object for the drawing ritual, long tan or brown mural paper, photo references of cave art animals, charcoal, brown and warm colored chalk pastels
Vocabulary:
pictograph- cave art painted on stone

Activities

  1. Drawing Ritual in sketchbook- Look at this site for Rituals to Start an Art Class. This is a five minute sketch in your sketchbook. Use a blinder card (place the pencil through a hole in the center of a 8 x 8 inch card).  Only look down on your paper to reposition your pencil. Finish the drawing using your blinder.  Remove the blinder and use your VALUE SCALE to add values to your found object.  If you squint at your object the darkest values seem to "pop" out.  Color the darkest or #5 value first.  Finish adding your other values. Put the date in your sketchbook.

  2. Here is a brief history of CAVE ART. You may look at the gallery of cave art as well.

  3. What materials were used to create the cave paintings? The people didn't have paintbrushes and paints to work with. Instead, they used animal fat, clay and charcoal as paints and feathers, sticks and their fingers to paint with.
    What kinds of animals were painted? For the answer look HERE.

  4. Try to draw some animals that remind you of cave art. Look for some photo references of the animals of cave art, such as horses, deer, bison, lions, hyenas...Do not copy the cave art but use photos of an animal that was used in cave art (unless it is extinct like the mammoth). Simplify this photo in your sketchbook. Cave art is very simple and stylish!
    Draw a few more simple drawings of some animals in your sketchbook. Choose your favorite drawing. You will use this drawing for your mural art.

  5. Have mural paper taped to a wall in the school hallway or tape it to the floor. Use a pencil to outline your sketchbook drawing on the mural paper anywhere you'd like.

  6. Then use charcoal and go over your pencil lines. You may OVERLAP animals. Add brown and earth or warm tones with chalk pastels in your animal. You may also add color outside you animal and around the border of your mural paper. You may add more animals on your mural paper if you can.

  7. If you prefer to use a separate sheet of 12"x18" tan or manila paper for your cave art instead of mural paper then do so.

  8. When the mural has enough pictographs hang this outside the art room. This will please your viewers!

  9. View the student ART GALLERY for some fabulous cave art.

Differentiation
Support: 
Extension:  Here is more information on the Lascaux Caves.
 

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Lesson 8:  Rock Art-The Lascaux Caves
Duration:  1 class period
     

Standards-Based Assessments
Standard 1:. Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. Selects visual images for works of art to communicate ideas.
Standard  2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard  3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials. Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of culture. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of community.
Standard 5: Critiques works of art through analysis, assessment, and evaluation. Describes/shows similarities and differences between works of art. Describes the mood and/or feeling in works of art. Explains personal likes and dislikes about works of art.
Assessment:  Grading Rubric
Materials:  pencil, sketchbook, blinder card, found object for the drawing ritual 

Activities

  1. Drawing Ritual in sketchbook- Look at this site for Rituals to Start an Art Class. This is a five minute sketch in your sketchbook. Use a blinder card (place the pencil through a hole in the center of a 8 x 8 inch card).  Only look down on your paper to reposition your pencil. Finish the drawing using your blinder.  Remove the blinder and use your VALUE SCALE to add values to your found object.  If you squint at your object the darkest values seem to "pop" out.  Color the darkest or #5 value first.  Finish adding your other values. Put the date in your sketchbook.
  2. Read or listen to the audio book, Rock Art From the Stone Age.
  3. Follow one of these lessons to create Rock Art like those found at the Lascaux caves: Lascaux Cave Lessons.

Differentiation
Support: 
Extension:  Here is more information on the Lascaux Caves.
 

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Lesson 6:
Duration:  1 class period
     

Standards-Based Assessments
Standard 1:. Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. Selects visual images for works of art to communicate ideas.
Standard  2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard  3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials.     Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of culture. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of community.
Standard 5: Critiques works of art through analysis, assessment, and evaluation. Describes/shows similarities and differences between works of art.   Describes the mood and/or feeling in works of art. Explains personal likes and dislikes about works of art.
 
Activities

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Differentiation
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Extension:  

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Lesson 8:
Duration:  1 class period
     

Standards-Based Assessments
Standard 1:. Recognizes and uses the visual arts as a form of communication. Selects visual images for works of art to communicate ideas.
Standard  2: Knows and applies elements of art and principles of design. Identifies primary colors.
Standard  3: Knows and applies the use of tools, materials, techniques, and processes. Demonstrates appropriate used of tools and materials.     Demonstrates instructed techniques and processes.
Standard 4: Demonstrates an understanding of art in relation to history, culture, and community. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of history. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of culture. Produces art that has been influenced by aspects of community.
Standard 5: Critiques works of art through analysis, assessment, and evaluation. Describes/shows similarities and differences between works of art.   Describes the mood and/or feeling in works of art. Explains personal likes and dislikes about works of art.
 
Activities

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Differentiation
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Lesson 9:
Duration:  1 class period
     

Enduring Understanding: 
Essential Questions:  
 
Activities

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Differentiation
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Extension:  

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Lesson 10:
Duration:  1 class period
     

Enduring Understanding: 
Essential Questions:  
 
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Differentiation
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Lesson 11:
Duration:  1 class period
     

Enduring Understanding: 
Essential Questions:  
 
Activities

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Differentiation
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Extension:  

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Lesson 12:
Duration:  1 class period
     

Enduring Understanding: 
Essential Questions:  
 
Activities

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Differentiation
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Extension:  

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Lesson 13:
Duration:  1 class period
     

Enduring Understanding: 
Essential Questions:  
 
Activities

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Differentiation
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Lesson 14:
Duration:  1 class period
     

Enduring Understanding: 
Essential Questions:  
 
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Differentiation
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Extension:  

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Lesson 15:
Duration:  1 class period
     

Enduring Understanding: 
Essential Questions:  
 
Activities

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Differentiation
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Extension:  

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Sample Units

District 11 Diamond Units/Lessons Overview - includes information about the purpose, goals and structure of these sample instructional units:

Parents

 

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