Exemplar 3�Explore the Mystery of Life Secrets in the
Learning and Teaching Process Teaching
Objective Teaching
Activity Question�Description�Instruction Teaching Aids Through the
creation of life from a void, stimulate curious exploration
Motivation (1) Motivate learning start from the theme "Explore the mystery of life"
��Question: "Have you ever seen how chickens are incubated? "
��"Have you ever queried why some objects can give birth to something else?"
��"What is the relationship between two objects?"
��Guide students to talk about why different kinds of (oviparous) animals can lay different kinds of eggs, but the same kind of eggs will be incubated to different small animals.
��"Guess: If a shell can hatch Can you imagine the result?"
��Introduce the Greek myth about the birth of the Goddess "Venus" from a shell.
��Bring up the topic: "Secret in the Shell"
PowerPoint to display the topic
Display The Birth of Venus and stimulate students to explore and experience the theme
Art appreciation and criticism
(2) Art appreciation and criticism - interactions among students
��Encourage students to concentrate on describing the artwork.
Question: "What can you see from the first sight of this painting?"
��Allow students to express their feelings towards the painting freely.
��Assist students in analysing the artwork from a formal perspective.
Question: "How does the manipulation of lines bring about the atmospheres of birth?" (emphasizes the expression of dynamics)
Question: "How does the organization of the painting bring about the atmosphere of birth?" (emphasizes the feature of symmetry and makes conspicuous by contrast)
��Interactive discussion with students: What does the painting intend to 'tell'? Encourage students to perceive and interpret the artwork from multiple perspectives.
��Supplement contextual knowledge about the painting and ask students to speculate on the motivation of making the painting.
��Compare and contrast the extent of line movement from viewing two or more pieces of artwork.
��Point out the relationship among various visual elements, composition, the overall feeling and communication of a theme.
The painting The Birth of Venus (1482) by Botticelli
Stimulate response and association towards movement within short moments
Art making preparation:
Experimental activity (1):
Response on association of lines and movement
��Allow students to respond to the music/sound and express their feelings in their drawing.
��Explain briefly the development of sketches: for example, encourage students to talk about how sound can relate to different contexts.
��Teacher talks about or writes down different movements in daily life context, and allows students to express their associated feelings in lines.
��Make deductive comments and analysis of sketches.
For example, relationship between movements and various kinds of lines: straight lines/curves, thick/thin lines, horizontal/vertical lines, diagonal/
big diagonal, dotted/solid lines, continuous straight lines/continuous curves.
Different activities and noise in daily life
environment Literary description to delineate a moment of movement
Teaching
Objective Teaching
Activity Question�Description�Instruction Teaching Aids Stimulate
imagination towards new life within short moments
Art making preparation:
Experimental activity (2):
Associate lines and shapes with images of life
��Allow students to imagine and sketch the kind of life split open from the shell.
��Students analyse and explain their sketches, for example encourage students to guess the meaning of life their peers intended to express; or ask students to present their ideas.
Music excerpts related to the rhythm of new life
(3) Generating ideas and ways of presentation for art making:
��Guide students to recognize the differences among the displayed artwork, select and concentrate on the focus of the artwork.
Botticelli, The Birth of Venus (1482)
Modified version of The Birth of Venus Relationship
between dynamics of lines and composition, and the changes of subject and motif Allow students to feel the interest of the works after being modified
Compare the modified versions of the masterpiece, and understand that
movement can be created through the properties, directions and rhythm of lines.
Modified pictures 1-10 (Due to copyright restriction, only some of the pictures prepared for this unit can be shown)
Teaching
Objective Teaching
Activity Question�Description�Instruction Teaching Aids
��Explain how the changes of the central focal image can influence the message conveyed by the artwork.
��Observe and imagine how to deal with changes in composition so as to make the theme conspicuous by contrast.
Modified version of The Birth of Venus
��Display different images of Venus and inspire students to use imagination to make their own artwork.
(Due to copyright restriction, images prepared for this activity cannot be shown.)
Inspire creativity from a diversified choice
��Ask students to talk about more possibilities.
��Remind students other characters in the picture can also be changed.
��Display related artwork for discussion.
Teaching
Objective Teaching
Activity Question�Description�Instruction Teaching Aids Review:
lines and shapes can express dynamics
Use imagination to sketch the birth of life in the shell
Preparation for art making
Art making
��Distribute drawing paper.
��Explain the requirements clearly:
�Use landscape format to draw. Students can make their own drawing of life in the shell or modify, change or recreate some characters in The Birth of Venus for a drawing of their own.
�Use lines to express the dynamics of new life.
�Pay attention to the expression of dynamics in composition.
Hints:
1. Use lines to express dynamics of life.
2. Stimulate diverse art making theme.
3. Understand the importance of aligning form (lines and making conspicuous by contrast in composition) with the presentation of the theme.
Interim art appreciation and criticism for strengthening and consolidating art making concepts and appreciation and assessment of final art work
(Show 3 to 5 students work and make comparison) Question:
��"Which piece of work is the most dynamic? Why?"
��"On the whole, which piece of artwork do you feel is the most creative or can show the dynamics of new life?"
��"Interpret the message of each piece of work. What do they express?"
��"May I invite the student who create the work to explain his/her work?"
��"Which piece of artwork can you make the closest guess at the ideas presented?"
��"Which piece of work can stimulate a new view of life?"
Students
work
Tidying up and cleaning
Suggested Questions � Consolidate and develop the motivation and direction for art making
1. Align with the theme which motivates ideas for art making:
��What are the most important and valuable things in the world?
��How can we change them into life with dynamics?
2. Elaborate the development of the theme:
��The shell amazed at the birth of life. Because of the affection and caring of the new life, it even changed itself. How would it change?
��Because of the preciousness of life, it makes people in the vicinity change for the sake of valuing and protecting the life. What will they become?
Suggested assessment criteria for the artwork
��Complexity: Variety of lines (15%)
��Unity: Unity of symmetrical composition, effectiveness of making conspicuous by contrast in composition and focus, dynamics of the overall painting (20%)
��Motif (communication): Appropriateness of the interpretation of the mystery of life (35%)
��Creativity: Creativity in manipulating visual elements and principles of organization, uniqueness of images, extraordinary viewpoints towards life (30%)
Suggested assessment criteria for overall learning (visual arts work process, dialogue,
observation and written record)
��Exploration: Variety and constructiveness of questions raised by students
��Substantial qualities: Different levels of interpretation of life
��Commitment: On-going exploration
��Creativity: Fill-in-slot with various innovative ideas, elaboration and modification
��Critical response: Reflecting, revolving and revising comments
Significance to
Learning ��Through integrating visual arts learning domains into a theme, students can construct knowledge from their life experience and visual arts experience. As well, they will experience the relationship between the visual arts and other learning areas.
��Students will acquire a more in-depth study on the meaning and value of life in this learning and teaching unit.
Curriculum implementation
Miss CHAN Hei, Student of B.Ed (Honour)(Primary), the Hong Kong Institute of Education
Source
Concept & strategies guide
Miss WONG Lai-fong, Lecturer of the Creative Arts Department, the Hong Kong Institute of Education
Exemplars 4 to 8 provide different learning and teaching topics/units for Key Stages 1 to 3.