Materials prepared by Shari Hofschire, Dr. Frances Thurber and Dr. Joanne Sowell.
Materials prepared by Shari Hofschire, Dr.
Frances Thurber and Dr. Joanne Sowell.
SOME IDEAS FOR THEMES
Below are some themes to get students started thinking about
significant ways to deal with art. Take a look at these and see
what interests you or gets you started thinking. You will need
to focus these themes for your students and especially with my
list you will need to narrow these themes considerably.
How would you approach a curriculum unit differently if the topic
were "Bears" or if the theme were "Art reflects
the way people interact with animals." Which starting point
leads you to more interesting questions? Which allows you to use
works of art from a greater variety of times and places?
Art illuminates an artist's vision of life
Art is an encounter with a whole new world (past, present, future;
real or IMAGINED).
Art gives shape to a culture. Art expresses universal aspects
of a society. Art celebrates unique aspects of a culture. Art
is a reflection of culture. Art is the celebration of a civilization
Art teaches us about being inside/outside a particular time/place.
Art is a way that humans seek meaning or "make sense"
in their lives.
Art expresses humanity's relationship with the environment.
Art shows us more than one perspective on an issue, idea, or emotion.
Art provides a means for humans to rethink or even remake their
world.
Architecture (designed places and spaces) expresses what humans
value: personally, societally, and historically.
Art appears as "object" and/or "idea".
Art is an interior landscape. (A personal creative expression
that teaches us about ourselves.).
Art gives us insight into our human past. Art teaches us what
"old" means.
Art confronts apathy.
Art expresses humans' need for relationship. Art explores the
idea of "family".
Art expresses humans' struggle for power. Art expresses humans'
search for freedom.
Art explores the meaning of "hero/heroine."
Art protests the status quo. Art changes peoples' minds.
The following themes are very broad and will need to be narrowed
down:
How do cultures use objects to influence the natural world?
How have cultures used sacrifice to affect their world?
How have cultures expressed the reciprocity between human beings and the world around them?
How have cultures used art to express the life cycle - either of the earth or of human beings?
How have cultures used art in sacred rituals?
How have cultures used art to commemorate their dead?
How have cultures used art to affect an afterlife?
How have cultures used art to portray reality? (remember that different views of reality are possible)
How has art been used to confirm and define the social order?
How have cultures used art to affect or protest the social order?
How has art been used to represent power?
How has art been used to legitimize leadership?
How has art been used to portray an ideal?
How have artists used art to portray individual identity?
How has art been used to portray membership in a group?
How have cultures used art as narrative?
(for this theme you might want to narrow by choosing some other
idea such as power, the sacred, nature, the social order, etc.
to combine with it)