6th grade language arts and social studies alligned their curriculum to offer students the opportunity to learn about Asian cultures through arts integration.
The collaborative unit explored the Asian continent, during which 6th grade social studies teacher, Mr. Taylor, led his students into an immersive journey into Chinese history, culture and art.
State Core Discipline and National Arts Standards
Content Standard 13: World History Beginnings of Civilization Through 1500 C.E. Students will analyze key historical periods; patterns of change over time; and ways people view, construct, and interpret the history of nations and cultures of the world.
H.13.6.11 Analyze the rise and contributions of major empires and civilizations of the world using a variety of sources
H.13.6.14 Examine key concepts and influences of major belief systems on societies
H.13.6.17 Analyze long-term effects of technological innovations on civilizations
Visual Arts Perceive- Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work
VA:Re.7.1.6a Identify and interpret works of art or design that reveal how people live around the world and what they value
VA:Re.7.2.6a Analyze ways that visual components and cultural associations suggested by images influence ideas, emotions, and actions.
VA:Cn11.1.6a Analyze how art reflects changing times, traditions, resources, and cultural uses.
Goals and Objectives
Students will learn China's contributions in communication (Shūfǎ - caligraphy and Wood block printing) and how religious beliefs impacted the iconography.
Students will learn about ancient and contemporary Chinese forms of communication and analyze how these methods have had long term effects.
Students will learn the basic principles of Chinese caligraphy as a technology used to communicate
Students will be provided materials and instruction to translate their name into Chinese and produce a Shūfǎ (caligraphic writing).
Using printmaking techniques students will create personalized chops (stamps), inspired from actual Chinese chops, from linoleum blocks
Students will recreate a Chinese artifact (fan or scroll) using traditional materials, methods and iconography to convey a historical story
Arts Integration Projects
To assit the 6th grade classes with their arts integration projects, Mr. Jones, Director of Arts Integration and Museum Partnerships visited Mr. Taylor's classes to provide materials, instruction and a presentation that providing a historical overview as well as artistic approach to the various cultural projects.
Presenation created by Director of Arts Integration Aaron Jones
書法/书法 (shūfǎ) Chinese Caligraphy
Chinese calligraphy or Shūfǎ as it is called in China (translated as the 'way of writing') is the writing of Chinese characters as an art form, combining purely visual art and interpretation of the literary meaning. This type of expression has been widely practiced in China and has been generally held in high esteem across East Asia.
Students were provided materials (calligraphy brushes, ink, tracing guides, rice paper) and instruction on the art of Chinese calligraphy.
Students practiced the correct method of holding a brush as well as practiced the eight basic brush strokes. Students then researched Chinese characters to produce their name in Mandarin.
The brush is held vertically, gripped with the thumb and middle finger with the index finger, the ring finger and the little finger providing a balance.
The Chinese language has over 50,000 characters; out of these, around 6000-7000 are commonly used in everyday life.
Calligraphy is a reflection of the inner mind, emotions, and intellect of the calligrapher. As it is said- “The way characters are written is a portrait of the person who writes them.”
Each character or character combinations represent a word or a concept; changing one character from a combination could change its entire meaning.
Resources
印鑑 (yìn jiàn) Chinese Chop
Once students learned to create their names in Chinese characters the next project was to create a Chinese chop. The Chinese chop or seal is used in China to sign documents, artwork, and other paperwork. The Chinese chop is most commonly made from stone, but can also be made in plastic, ivory, or metal. There are three Mandarin Chinese names for the Chinese chop or seal. The seal is most commonly called 印鑑 (yìn jiàn) or 印章 (yìnzhāng). It is also sometimes called 圖章 / 图章 (túzhāng).
The Chinese chop is used with a red paste called 朱砂 (zhūshā). The chop is pressed lightly into the 朱砂 (zhūshā) then the image is transferred to paper by applying pressure to the chop.
Because carving in stone is both expensive and dangerous, the activity was modified to a print making project. Students created a "chop" using a linocut method.
Students used their Chinese characters and traced them in reverse on the surface of the print making block.
Once the characters were traced, students then carved the characthers into the block using a gouge.
Once the design was carved into the block students began the printing process.
Printing stations were set up for the students to roll ink onto their blocks.
Red ink was used to represent the color of traditional seal paste.
Once the block is covered with ink a sheet of paper is placed over the block and rubbed to create a print.
The result is a vibrant print of the Chinese characters.
Chinese Fans and Scrolls
As a final project for the China unit students were given the choice of creating either a Chinese fan or a scroll. Mr. Taylor required the students to study traditional examples of the object selected and then to create a replica from provided materials and embellish the objects using traditional tools, media and Chinese iconography.
Students researched traditional examples of the objects they chose.
Sketches of their designs were made for approval before working on the final object template.
Students then used acrylic paint to embellish their works of art.
Only traditional subject matter could be used to make their objects look more authentic.
Once the embellishments were completed, students then had to create backings to stabilze their scrolls.
If students opted for creating a fan, ribs, guards and backing were added.
As a requirement to the project students had to include a phrase, translated into Chinese characters, onto their scroll or fan.
The student's signature Chinese seal served as the final element to the cultural masterpieces!
STUDENT PROCESS & FINISHED WORKS
