Art Lesson Plan for M Jordan
Date: March 24-April 25
Title: Kuna Molas
Grade: K-5
Instructional Objective:
1a. Students will know the differences between materials, techniques, and processes.
1b. Students will describe how different materials, techniques, and processes cause different responses.
1c. Students will use different media, techniques, and processes to communicate ideas, experiences, and stories.
1d. Students will use art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner.
2c. Students will use visual structures and functions of art to communicate ideas.
3a. Students will explore and understand prospective content for works of art.
3b. Students will select and use subject matter, symbols, and ideas to communicate meaning.
4a. Students will know that the visual arts have both a history and specific relationships to various cultures.
4b. Students will identify specific works of art as belonging to particular cultures, times, and places.
5a. Students will understand there are various purposes for creating works of visual art.
6a. Students will understand and use similarities and differences between characteristics of the visual arts and other arts disciplines.
6b. Students will identify connections between the visual arts and other disciplines in the curriculum.
Materials: Scissors, Glue Sticks, Construction Paper, Crayons, Rulers, K-1 Pre cut animals, 2-5 Stencils.
Vocabulary: Kuna, Mola, Culture, Positive shape, Negative Shape, Symmetry.
Elements:
Line
x
Space
x
Form
x
Shape x
Color x
Texture x
Principles Balance
Emphasis
Movement Pattern Repetition
Proportion
Rhythm Variety
Unity
of Design
x
x
x
x
x
x
Content Organization Product
Clear and
Protection
Affirmation Affiliation Novelty Choice Authenticity
W
and
of
Focus
Compelling
from Adverse
of
O
Substance Knowledge
Product
Consequences Performance
Standards
for Initial
W
x
x
x
x
Failures
x
x
x
x
x
x
Art Production
Essential Question
How does the culture of a group of people affect their art?
Bell Ringer:
What are some traditional forms of art?
People in all cultures have traditional forms of artwork.
Teacher begins with a general discussion about tradition and traditional artwork.
Mention quilt making, redware pottery, pysansky (Ukranian eggs), the Hopi and Kachina
dolls, Molas, local art. (Show students pictures of the art.)
Anticipatory Set
Today you will create your own art from another culture.
State Objective
I can understand that cultures create art that have specific functions within the culture
(Student Friendly)
and draw upon local symbols and motifs.
I can identify and describe distinguishing features and organization of molas created by
the Kuna Indians of Panama
Input: Art History/Instructions
I can identify Kuna art.
I can create a cut-paper mola inspired by the traditional Molas of the Kuna tribe.(K-3rd)
I can create a cut-paper mola inspired by the traditional Molas of the Kuna tribe with
symmetrical balance and motifs. (4th & 5th grades)
I can incorporate a theme or meaning into the design that is recognizable by my peers.
Teacher introduces students to molas, the traditional artwork of Kuna women in Panama.
Molas are the brightly colored applique panels made only in the San Blas region of
Panama by the Kuna Indians. The Kunas have resided in the Panama/Colombia area for
centuries. They managed to survive successive waves of European exploration and
settlement. During the 1800s, the Indians began migrating eastward. The commercial
activity of this introduced them to cloth, scissors, needles, and thread, thereby beginning
the body adornment and clothing that was needle worked. The Kuna Indian women's
traditional costume is colorful and the wearer expresses pride in her Kuna identity.
The term Mola can mean "cloth," "clothing," or "blouse." Girls learn to make Molas at a
young age. A woman might spend up to 100 hours completing a Mola. The source for
traditional design inspiration for Molas include the following: natural-world native animals
(iguanas, lizards, parrots, fish), local vegetation (palm trees, coconut crops, sea grasses),
and the shapes of the coral reefs around the San Blas Islands.
Teacher shows a brief Power point that has images of actual molas the women who
make them while discussing their history, how they are made and why they are important
to the culture. Teacher points out basic design principles such as positive/negative
space and symmetry that are present in mola artwork.
The geographic area that we live in is also rich in traditional artwork.
Artists learn from tradition and apply what they learn to their modern artworks.
Molas are intricately designed artwork made from layers of fabric.
Positive shapes are shapes that stand out from the background
Negative shapes are shapes that appear in the background, behind the positive shapes.
Symmetry is a type of balance in which the contents on either side of a center line are
exactly or nearly the same, like a mirror image in which things on each side of a center
line are identical. (The wings of a butterfly are symmetrical)
Who are the Kuna Tribe and where are they located?
What are Molas?
What are positive and negative shapes?
What is symmetry?
How are Molas created and what are they used for?
What is your center object going to be? (Remember it needs to be simple.
This is going to be abstract so don’t try to make it look realistic.
Simple design less details.)
What designs are you going to do around your center object?
What kind of lines and shapes will you use?
What colors would you like to use.
What importance will your mola have for you?
Teacher tells students that now they will create their own molas using construction
paper. They will need to design with positive and negative shapes. (4th & 5th GradesTheir final design must also be symmetrical in some way. Ask how symmetrical designs
could be created with each animal.)
K-1st will use pre-cut animals.
2nd-5th may use stencils or create their own
Procedure
Demonstration, Modeling Behavior
Check for Understanding
Guided Practice
Independent Practice
Closure
1. Choose 4 colors of paper. Cut out a design as the top piece. (k-1 will use pre-cut
shapes) Choose a design for a shape.
2. Leaving a thin border, cut out the second color around the first shape. Glue the
top to the second layer. You can use paper clips to help hold the paper together
when cutting the shapes.
3. Then cut the third shape by layering the two glued shapes on top of the third. Glue
all cut pieces together, being sure to leave a thin border around each time you
cut.
4. From the scraps of paper left, cut out and glue details for eyes, mouths, or other
ornamental traditional designs.
5. Glue the shape to the whole sheet of construction paper.
6. Cut and glue shapes around the main shape/design. Students may use scrapes
left over from their classmates.
Teacher will demonstrate the steps.
Teacher Observation.
Teacher circulates the room answering questions and offering support as needed.
Students create their molas.
When all students have finished their molas, have students display them together.
Discuss how many different kinds of animals the class created. What differences do the
students notice? How are they similar? Guide students in an art criticism exercise where
they describe, analyze, interpret and evaluate their classmates’ artwork. Review with the
students the basic components of art criticism:
Describe: What do you see in the artwork?
Analyze: What details did the artist include?
Interpret: How does the artwork make you feel?
Art History/Resources
Evaluation Criteria related to Objectives:
Evaluate: What do you like about the artwork and why?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clOoZZkTptI
Did the students demonstrate an understanding of the concept introduced?
Did the student show individual creativity?
What are some
traditional forms of art?