Bridging Our Understandings Through Symbols.
Grade 4-5
Section One
Benchmarks (Language of the Benchmark in Bold that will be assessed with this activity.)
Strand I: Artistic Foundations
Standard 3: Demonstrate understanding of the personal, social, cultural historical
contexts that influence the art areas.
3.1 (K) Describe the personal, social, cultural or historical contexts that influence
creation of visual artworks including the contributions of Minnesota American Indian
Tribes and communities.
3.2 (K) Describe how visual art communicates meaning
Strand II: Artistic Process: Create/Make
Standard 1: Create or Make in a variety of contexts in the art area using the artistic
foundations
1.1
(P/P) Create original two and three-dimensional artworks to express specific
artistic ideas.
1.2 (R) Revise artworks based on the feedback of others and self-reflection
Section Two
Learning Goals:
The student will:
1. (K) describe how the cultural symbols of the Lakota Winter Counts and symbols
from our current culture are influenced by their cultural and historical context.
2.
(P/P) create an original symbol that expresses a specific idea about an event
from their life and reproduce it using the process of relief printmaking.
3. (P/P) revise their symbol based on the feedback of others.
4. (K) write or talk about how their relief print of a personal symbol expresses and
communicates the story about an event from their life.
Section Three
Assessment Activity: (Assessment activity as you would explain it to students. Align
the activity to the learning goal(s).
You will:
1. research about Lakota Culture using the website http://wintercounts.si.edu/index.html
2. listen to the conversation about Lakota culture by clicking on the link “Who are the
Lakota? Historical Overview” and record information on the “Data Retrieval Sheet”
(#4)
3. add information by reading teacher selected articles about the Lakota and Winter
Counts.
4. discuss key points in a brief group discussion with another group of students in the
class.
5. observe a variety of Lakota Winter Count examples from the Smithsonian Museum of
Native American Art. http://wintercounts.si.edu/index.html Click on “View Winter
counts. Click on “Artifacts” and scroll through Winter Count Keepers choose two
keepers to compare and contrast using “Comparing and Contrasting Winter Counts”
(#5)
6. observe the symbols used in the winter count by Winter Count Keeper, Rosebud. Look
at his winter count on http://wintercounts.si.edu/index.html Click on symbols that you
find interesting and read about their meaning. Complete the worksheet “Symbol
Analysis from Rosebud’s Winter Count” (#6)
7. write a short descriptive paragraph about an event that has occurred in their life that
will not happen again tomorrow, next week or maybe ever again. Use “Planning My
Personal Symbol” (#7) to write about this event. In the box, draw the symbol that will
represent this event. Consider all the important qualities of a symbol that others can
understand. Use the qualities you listed on your t-chart “Brainstorming About
Symbols” (#1) in your design
8. test the symbol on a group to see if they can read the meaning of the symbol. Listen
closely to discover the features of the symbol that make it unclear. Do not reveal the
meaning-only listen.
9. redesign/revise the symbol based on the feedback from the group and try it out again
with a second group
10. use the “Designing My Personal Symbol” (#8) to record all feedback.
11. draw with pencil a final symbol design on a sheet of 4x4 white paper
12. transfer the symbol design to a piece of 4x4 E-Z cut linoleum. (reverse the symbol
image on the E-Z cut)
13. plan on your drawing what will be cut to create a relief print. Conference with the
teacher before beginning to carve the symbol design
14. carve the E-Z cut to create a relief block using safety methods for using carving tools
15. make a proof print of the personal symbol. Critique the print with teacher/peers and
make any revisions on the E-Z cut printing plate
16. print for a final copy of the symbol
17. print your personal symbol based on a life event onto class winter count that brings
together all the student’s stories. Decide the over-all composition of the class winter
count. Identify and present their symbol’s story to the class
18. write a paragraph or talk about how the relief print of a personal symbol expresses
and communicates the story about an event from your life. (focus on shape, detail,
texture, and color) Use “Reflecting on My Personal symbol” (#9)
19. describe how the cultural symbols of the Lakota Winter Counts and symbols from our
present-day culture are influenced by their cultural and historical context. Use
“Reflecting on My Personal symbol” (#9)
20. discuss how your family records important events
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Section Four
Student Evidence created from the Assessment Activity
1. (K) The student will describe how the cultural symbols of the Lakota Winter
Counts and symbols from our current culture are influenced by their cultural and
historical context. (short answer selected response)
2. (P/P) The student will create an original symbol that expresses a specific idea about
an event from their life and reproduce it using the process of relief printmaking.
(original student created print of symbol that expresses a specific idea)
3. (R) The student will revise their symbol based on the feedback of others.
(Designing My Personal Symbol)
4. (K) The student will write a paragraph or talk about how their relief print of a
personal symbol expresses and communicates the story about an event from their
life. (focus on shape, detail, texture, color)
(Reflection on Personal Symbol or an oral presentation)
Teacher Evaluation Criteria for:
Learning Goal #1
Strand I: Artistic Foundations
Standard 3: Demonstrate understanding of the personal, social, cultural
historical contexts that influence the art areas.
Benchmark 3.1 (K) Describe the personal, social, cultural or historical contexts that
influence creation of visual artworks including the contributions of Minnesota
American Indian Tribes and communities.
Learn Goal #1 (K) The student will describe how the cultural symbols of the Lakota
Winter Counts and symbols from our current culture are influenced by their cultural and
historical context. (short answer selected response)
Rubric:
Level 4-Exemplary
Description of the cultural and historical contexts that influence the creation of symbols
found in Winter Counts and symbols used our current culture is thorough and detailed.
Level 3-Proficient
Description of the cultural and historical contexts that influence the creation of symbols
found in Winter Counts and symbols used our current culture is complete and accurate.
3
Level 2-Emerging
Description of the cultural and historical contexts that influence the creation of symbols
found in Winter Counts and symbols used our current culture is mechanical and/or
limited.
Level 1-Apprentice
Description of the cultural and historical contexts that influence the creation of symbols
found in Winter Counts and symbols used our current culture is incorrect and/or
inconsistent.
Teacher Evaluation Criteria for:
Learning Goal #4
Strand I: Artistic Foundations
Standard 3: Demonstrate understanding of the personal, social, cultural
historical contexts that influence the art areas.
3.2 (K) Describe how visual art communicates meaning
Learn Goal #4 (K) The student will write a paragraph or talk about how their relief print
of a personal symbol expresses and communicates the story about an event from their
life. (focus on shape, detail, texture, and color)
Rubric:
Level 4-Exemplary
Description of how the personal symbol print communicates meaning about an event
from their life is thorough and detailed. (focusing on shape, detail, texture, color)
Level 3-Proficient
Description of how the personal symbol print communicates meaning about an event
from their life is complete and accurate. (focusing on shape, detail, texture, color)
Level 2-Emerging
Description of how the personal symbol print communicates meaning about an event
from their life is mechanical and/or limited. (focusing on shape, detail, texture, color)
Level 1-Apprentice
Description of how the personal symbol print communicates meaning about an event
from their life is incorrect and/or inconsistent. (focusing on shape, detail, texture, color)
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Teacher Evaluation Criteria for:
Learning Goal #2
Strand II: Create/Make
Standard 1: Create or Make in a variety of contexts in the art area using the
artistic foundations
1.1 (P/P) Create original two and three-dimensional artworks to express specific artistic
ideas.
Learn Goal #2 (P/P) The student will create an original symbol that expresses a specific
idea about an event from their life and reproduce it using the process of relief
printmaking.
Rubric:
Level 4-Exemplary
The specific event from the student’s life expressed in their symbol is clear and obvious
in the final relief print.
Level 3-Proficient
The specific event from the student’s life expressed in their symbol is clear in the final
relief print.
Level 2-Emerging
The specific event from the student’s life expressed in their symbol needs an explanation
to be completely understandable.
Level 1-Apprentice
The specific event from the student’s life expressed in their symbol is only
understandable with an explanation
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Teacher Evaluation Criteria for:
Learning Goal #3
Strand II: Create/Make
Standard 1: Create or Make in a variety of contexts in the art area using the
artistic foundations
1.2
(P/P) Revise artworks based on the feedback of others and self-reflection
Learning Goal #3 (P/P) The student will revise their symbol based on the feedback of
others.
Rubric:
Level 4-Exemplary
The revision(s) to the symbol of specific event from the student’s life based on the
feedback of others is thorough in the final relief print.
Level 3-Proficient
The revision(s) to the symbol of specific event from the student’s life based on the
feedback of others is accurate in the final relief print.
Level 2-Emerging
The revision(s) to the symbol of specific event from the student’s life based on the
feedback of others is limited in the final relief print.
Level 1-Proficient
The revision(s) to the symbol of specific event from the student’s life based on the
feedback of others is inconsistent in the final relief print.
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