Relief: 5

This lesson explores:

model magic, foreground, middle ground, background, details, low relief and high relief

Lesson Plan

Morgan Hughes

Relief

Grade 5

Objectives

To create a relief using modeling clay and to be able to identify the differences between foreground, middle ground, and background within a landscape

Compare and contrast a relief sculpture and a 2-dimensional landscape

Identify and apply the 3 basic types of perspective and begin to understand 3-dimensionality

Understand and demonstrate what a horizon line is

Vocabulary/Key Words

Foreground, middle ground, background, layer, relief, horizon line, landscape

Materials

8”x8” cardboard, at least 3 colors of Crayola model magic, wooden clay cutting tool or plastic knife acrylic paint and roller

Motivation 

Show Ghiberti’s and Donatello’s images:

                What is a relief?

                On the Lorenzo Ghiberti or the Donatello relief what object or subject is in front of everything else?

                What is it called when something is in front?

                What is towards the back of this relief?

                What objects are in between?

                How do you know it is in between?

                What does it mean when something is in between?

Show landscape of Albrecht Altdorfer:          

                What is a landscape?

                Where is the horizon line?

                What is in the background?

                What is the middle ground?

                What is in the foreground?

Presentation of Content

Teacher will ask questions:

                If I were the middle ground what would be in the background?

                Show me what would be the foreground?

                Look out the window, what is in the background?

Teacher will demonstrate:                

                Explain you will be creating a landscape with modeling clay

                With roller, on the table, roll out a flat piece of clay

                Explain this is the background and place it on the cardboard

                With a carving tool draw a horizon line on the clay

                With another piece of clay, demonstrate what shapes and color combinations can be created by manipulating the clay by rolling and cutting

                Place these shapes over the background, explain this is the middle ground

                The third piece of clay will be shaped and placed over the middle ground creating the foreground

                Use paintbrush and paint to add detail and colors over clay   -

 Assessment and Evaluation

Teacher will:

Walk around room holding up examples of work that shows variation in foreground, middle ground and background

Show various color combinations and choices

Identify and show various choices of perspectives within their landscapes

Guide and help students decide what color and shapes to choose for their landscape

Make sure students are applying paint appropriately

Possible Extensions

Students will create a high relief as an introduction into 3-dimensional sculpture

NYC Strands of Arts Learning:

I.  Arts Making

II.  Literacy in the Visual Arts

III.  Making Connections

V.  Careers and lifelong learning