Who Are the Fourth Grade Artists (Mural Lesson)

Subject: Visual Art

Grade: 4th

By: Tanya Pafford

Rational

Art making has spanned centuries, races, cultures, and creeds. Art educators have a

responsibility to make their curriculum as diverse as possible. In addition to teaching

students art from different parts of the world, it’s important for art educators to help their

students become self-aware of themselves as artist and members of their community.

Through this lesson, students will have the opportunity to research and investigate their

family heritage and culture, as well as look internally to express their personal identity.

Objective

The student will work collaboratively to create a mural that depicts the different cultures

and identities that make up the fourth-grade class of their school.

Tennessee Academic Standards for Fine Arts Education

4.VA.Cr1.A Brainstorm original approaches to an art or design problem.

4.VA.Cr1.B Collaboratively set goals, and create artwork that is meaningful and has

purpose to the makers.

4.VA.Cr2.C Document, describe, and represent community spaces and environments.

4.VA.P2.A Analyze strategies for exhibiting and preserving a variety of art forms in both

traditional and emerging presentation spaces.

4.VA.R2.A Interpret art by analyzing how context, relevant subject matter, and use of

media shape meaning while using appropriate art vocabulary.

4.VA.Cn1.A Create art that communicates the cultural traditions of one’s community.

Materials and Technology

• Projector for Displaying Images

• Answer and Question worksheet

• Pencil

• Erasers

• Sketch Paper or Sketch Book

• Buttcher Block paper

• Liquid Tempera or Acrylic Paint

• Paint Brushes

• Water

• Sponges or Paper Towels

• Mounting Putty

Introduction to Lesson

Murals seem to have been around forever, and are arguably one of the oldest art

forms. Starting with the cave paintings at Lascaux Grotttoes and going all the way to a

painting on the side of a local store on Main St, murals span countries, times, and cultures

(Kordic, n.d.). The word mural stems from that Latin word “murus”, which means wall.

The definition of a mural could be any painting located on a wall, ceiling, or permanent

structure (Kordic, n.d.). The depictions within a mural could be a scene from everyday

life, a religious depiction, a political stance, or representation of the people who live in

the area. Kordic (n.d.) states that murals are created with the goal “to paint a picture of

society, created from stories, values, dreams, change”.

While the mural art form has been around for years, the art form gained strong

momentum with Mexican Muralism and artists like Deago Rivera. Murals became a way

for artists to express their beliefs and desire for social and political change, topics that

are usually very controversial (Kordic, n.d.). While some of the murals made today

address controversial topics, some are created to bring communities together and

beautify areas.

One the original ways of creating a mural is called fresco painting. A wall or

ceiling is covered with plaster, and while the plaster is wet, the artist will apply pigment

to it. While the plaster dries, the pigment becomes permanently part of the wall. Over

time, artists have adapted to use tempera, oil, acrylic, and spray paint. Recently, artists

have even branched out into using cut vinyl applied to the structure (Kordic, n.d.).

Within this lesson, students will be introduced to the history of murals, discuss

and critique several contemporary murals, and work together to create their own mural.

Students will be presented with the goal of creating a mural that depicts the different

cultures and students that make up the fourth grade of their school. Students will be

tasked with researching their family history and culture by interviewing their family.

Because there are families that don’t know their heritage, or students that are in foster

care or adopted, there will be the opportunity for the students to consider their own

personal identity. Ultimately, students will have to collaboratively work on creating a

mural that visually tells the school and community about the diverse cultures and

students that make up the fourth grade class of their school.

Lesson Sequencing

Day 1

Begin the lesson by presenting the class with the lesson objective. Give a brief

history and definition of the what a mural is. View the mural images and have a class

discussion and critique. Pass out the research worksheet and assign for it to be done by

the next class period. If the students have sketch books, have them attach the

worksheet in their books.

Day 2

Start by restating the lesson objective. Split the class into groups. Have the

students create the rules for working in groups (i.e. respect each other, no fighting, etc.).

Instruct the students to review their research pages. Have the students discus and

sketch at least three mural compositions that represent the people within their group.

Observe the groups and give feedback as necessary. Once a composition has been

agreed upon, give the group their butcher paper. Instruct them to use pencil to draw out

their composition first. The goal is for every group to at least have an agreed upon

composition sketch by the end of class.

Day 3

Restate the lesson objective. Have students get out their sketches and murals if

started. Hand out butcher paper to any groups that need it. Pass out painting supplies.

Observe groups and give feedback as needed. The goal is for students to be half way

finished with their murals.

Day 4

Restate lesson objective. Pass back murals and painting supplies, and have

students continue working on their project. The goal is for students to be completely

done with their projects at class end.

Day 5

Give the students parameters for exhibiting their murals (i.e. areas of the school

that are off limits) and mounting putty. Give the students around 5 minutes to converse,

and decide where to hang their murals. Have students choose a mural other than their

own, and give them 20 minutes to provide written critique response of it. Gather the

students back together and have volunteers share their responses.

Jeff Zimmerman, Incredibles Las Cosas Q’ Se Ven, 2001, Chicago, Illinois

The artist wanted to represent the “hopes and dreams of the immigrants” within

the community, and used depictions of real people for the mural.

Retrieved from

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/culturalriches/slide05.html

Questioning

1. What does this mural tell you about the people that live in the community?

2. What hopes and dreams do you see?

3. Can you relate to the hopes and dreams the artist painted? How are they

different or the same as your hopes and dreams?

4. Why would the hopes and dreams of the immigrants in the community be

important to create a mural about?

1. Does this mural tell you about the people in the community?

2. Why do you think the artist had the students pose the same way as the older

figurines? Do they look odd in the poses or natural?

3. Why did the artist name the mural Common Threads.

Meg Saligman

Common Threads

Philadelphia, PA 1998

“Commenting on shared humanity, this

work parallels contemporary, everyday

style with classical aesthetics. All

portraiture features local high school

students.”

Retrieved from

http://www.megsaligman.com/common

-threads/2016/5/2/common-threads

Family Heritage

Directions: With the help of your family members, answer the question to the best

of your ability.

1. Name

2. Age

3. Where are you from?

4. Where are your parents from?

5. Where are your grandparents from?

6. Do you have any siblings?

7. What’s your ethnicity?

8. Do you identify with a culture?

9. Do you have any family traditions?

10. What else do you find interesting about your family heritage?

Who Are You?

1. Name

2. Age

3. Describe yourself.

4. Do you have any hobbies?

5. What are some of your favorite things?

6. What do you want to be when you grow up?

The student will work in a group to create a mural.

The student did not participate.

0 points

The student somewhat participated.

1

The student mostly participated.

2

The student completely and actively participated.

3

The mural was well panned out and communicated the cultures and/or identities of the group members.

The mural was unorganized and did not communicate the cultures and/or identities of the group.

0

The mural was somewhat organized and communicated the cultures and/or identities of the group.

1

The mural was mostly organized and communicated the cultures and/or identities of the group.

2

The mural was very organized and communicated the cultures and/or identities of the group.

3

The mural was neat and made with great craftsmanship.

The mural was messy and the artist did not try their best.

0

The mural was somewhat neat and the artist somewhat tried their best.

1

The mural was mostly neat and the artist mostly tried their best.

2

The mural was neat and the artist somewhat tried their best.

3

References

Kordic, A. (n.d.), Mural. The History and the Meaning. Retrieved from

http://www.widewalls.ch/what-is-a-mural-the-history-and-meaning/

Saligman, M. (1998). Common Threads [Mural]. Retrieved from

http://www.megsaligman.com/common-threads/2016/5/2/common-threads

Zimmerman, J. (2001). Incredibles Las Cosas Q’ Se Ven [Mural]. Retrieved from

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/culturalriches/slide05.h

tml