“Art History: History of the 20th Century” Curriculum
Unit 8 – 1950’s/ Abstract Impressionism & Color Field Painting
Duration: 2 Weeks (7 class periods)
Stage 1 – Desired Results
Established Goal(s):
Media
Content Standard 1: Students will Understand, select and apply media, techniques and
processes.
a.
apply media, techniques and processes with sufficient skill, confidence and
sensitivity that their intentions are understood
b.
conceive and create original works of art that demonstrate a connection between
personal expression and the intentional use of art materials, techniques and
processes
c.
communicate ideas consistently at a high level of effectiveness in at least one
visual arts medium
Elements And Principles
Content Standard 2: Students will Understand and apply elements and organizational
principles of art.
a.
judge the effectiveness of different ways of using visual characteristics in
conveying ideas
b.
apply comprehension and skill in incorporating the elements of art and principles
of design to generate multiple solutions to and effectively solve a variety of
visual art problems
Content
Content Standard 3: Students will Consider, select and apply a range of subject matter,
symbols and ideas.
a.
b.
use, record and develop ideas for content over time
use subject matter, symbols, ideas and themes that demonstrate knowledge of
contexts, and cultural and aesthetic values to communicate intended meaning
History And Cultures
Content Standard 4: Students will Understand the visual arts in relation to history and
cultures.
a.
analyze and interpret art works in terms of form, cultural and historical
content, and purpose
CREC© 2009-2010
“Art History: History of the 20th Century” Curriculum
b.
analyze common characteristics of visual arts evident across time and among
cultural/ethnic groups in order to formulate analyses, evaluations and
interpretations of meaning
c.
compare works of art to one another in terms of history, aesthetics and culture;
justify conclusions made and use these conclusions to inform their own art
making
Analysis, Interpretation And Evaluation
Content Standard 5: Students will Reflect upon, describe analyze, interpret and evaluate
their own and others' work.
a.
b.
c.
d.
research and analyze historic meaning and purpose in varied works of art
reflect critically on various interpretations to better understand specific works of
art
defend personal interpretations using reasoned argument
apply critical and aesthetic criteria (e.g., technique, formal and expressive
qualities, content) in order to improve their own works of art
Connections
Content Standard 6: Students will Make connections between the visual arts, other
disciplines and daily life.
a.
analyze and compare characteristics of the visual arts within a particular
historical period or style with ideas, issues or themes of that period or style
b.
compare the creative processes used in the visual arts with the creative processes
used in the other arts and non-arts disciplines
c.
d.
create and solve interdisciplinary problems using multimedia
apply visual arts skills and understandings to solve problems relevant to a
variety of careers
Understanding(s):
Cross-curricular:
1. The post-war economic boom made
Americans prosperous and brought
a renewed emphasis to an idyllic
lifestyle.
Essential Question(s):
Cross-curricular:
1. How did the nuclear family change
in the 1950s?
2. How did artists, writers, and
musicians respond to paradox of the
CREC© 2009-2010
“Art History: History of the 20th Century” Curriculum
2. In the aftermath of World War II,
idyllic culture of the 1950s and the
artists sought to express their
crisis of the war’s aftermath?
concerns in a new art of meaning
Art:
and substance. This led to the
1. What two styles put New York on
counter culture of beatniks, action
the map of the international art
painters, and color field painters.
world?
Art:
2. What is the difference between
1. Abstract Expressionism and Color
Abstract Expressionism and Color
Field Painting were intrinsic
Field Painting?
American art movements
emerging from the influx of
artists fleeing form Europe.
2. Abstract Expressionists were
action painters dripping,
splattering and throwing paint on
the canvas, where the canvas
became an arena to act.
Whereas Color Field Painters
were interested in creating calm
and inwardly direct color
paintings inviting meditation and
even spiritual responses.
Knowledge:
Skills:
Students will know:
Cross-curricular:
1. Does prosperity translate to
happiness and fulfillment?
2. The art world’s focus shifted from
Europe to New York City in the
post-war years.
Art:
1. Identify works by Abstract
Expressionist artists and Color
Field Painters
2. Differentiate between Color Field
painting and Abstract
Expressionism.
3. Just like during Impressionism new
technologies facilitate new artistic
materials, which can lead to new
styles: Acrylic paints were
invented.
Students will be able to:
1. Apply new techniques such as
staining, pouring, dripping, etc to
create a non-figurative painting.
2. Use the elements and principles of
art to create a non-figurative
painting using innovative.
3. Make connections between the new
American style and other 20th
European avant-garde movements.
4. Develop a sophisticated
understanding of relevant
vocabulary, terms, and ideas.
5. Analyze, evaluate, and create
connections between paintings,
photographs, and primary sources.
CREC© 2009-2010
“Art History: History of the 20th Century” Curriculum
Content Vocabulary:
Cross Curricular:
Nuclear family
Baby boom
Generation gap
Conservativism
Art:
Abstract Expressionism
Color Field Painting
Action Painting
Gestural
Luminescent
Navajo Sand paining
Symbol
Jungian
Automatism
Artists:
Jackson Pollack
Willem DeKooning
Arshile Gorky
Helen Frankenthaler
Mark Rothko
Richard Diebenkorn
Stage 2- Assessment Evidence
CREC© 2009-2010
“Art History: History of the 20th Century” Curriculum
Performance Task(s):
Other Evidence:
1. Comparison of two works of
art, one from Europe, the other
from the USA.
2. Non-figurative painting using
innovative techniques used in
action painting or color field
panting.
Formative Assessment:




Schema activator,
Preliminary research and sketches,
Group Analysis of a work of art,
Journal
Cross-curicular:
Creation of Beatnik style poem
correlating with a non-figurative
painting.
Summative Assessment:
Rubric Criteria:
(Included with Performance
Task)
Student Self-Assessments:
1. Written assignment
2. Art project
3. Critique
1. Rubric
2. Self-reflection
Writing Activity:(see attached rubric)
1. Description
2. Analysis
3. Interpretation
4. Evaluation
Art Activity: (see attached rubric)
Assessment points: 0=failed 1=below
standard 2=approaching standard
3=standard 4=exceeds standard/extra
credit

Use of innovative techniques
Creativity
Use of elements of design
Technique
Complexity
Craftsmanship
Stage 3 – Learning Plan and Resources
Anchor Activities:




Creation of timeline
Wikis
Cooperative learning
Peer tutoring,
Resources:

Gardner’s Art Through the Ages,
Richard Tansev, Fred S. Kleiner,
Harcourt Brace College Publishers,
1995
CREC© 2009-2010
“Art History: History of the 20th Century” Curriculum







Preliminary research and
sketches,
Group Analysis of a work of art,
Journal
Abstract Expressionism
Vocabulary Worksheet (see
attached sheet)
Video Notes
American Visions: The Empire
of Signs, Robert Hughes (see
attached sheet)
Ocean Park#124 by Richard
Diebenkorn
Fill out the worksheet (attached)








Art Across Time, Laurie Schneider
Adams,McGraw Hill, 2007
The Shock of the New, Robert Hughes,
Knopf, 1981
World History and Art, Gene A.
Mittler, Glencoe, McGraw-Hill
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/
http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/a/abstra
ctexpr.html
http://www.moma.org/collection
Jackson Pollock:
http://www.kaliweb.com/jacksonpolloc
k/art.htm
 Compare and contrast:
1. Jackson Pollock: Autumn
Rhythm
2. Willem de Kooning: Woman
and Bicycle
3. Mark Rothko: Orange and
Yellow
4. Helen Frankenthaler: Wales
 Watch Jackson Pollack work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrV
E-WQBcYQ
Cross-curricular
 Movie:
 Pollock, 2000
 Rothko’s Room, 2000
CREC© 2009-2010
“Art History: History of the 20th Century” Curriculum
Pacing Calendar:
Week One:
 Pre-teaching content
 Introduction to major concept
 Anchor Activities
 Practicing Skills
 Formative Assessment
Week Two:
 Performance task
 Summative Assessment
CREC© 2009-2010
“Art History: History of the 20th Century” Curriculum
CREC© 2009-2010