WEEK #2: How Do We Look? (Middle School)

Enduring Idea

Our context is our perspective.

Rationale

In order to gain a balanced perspective of an image
 it is important to understand the context 
from which it comes and from which we view it.

Artist/Artwork

Demonstration in Baton Rouge (9 July) Jonathan Bachman/Reuters

Key Concept

Visual culture influences how we see the world which influences how we understand images an

Essential Question

How do our beliefs affect how we see the world?

Unit Objectives

• Standards
• Compare one's own interpretation of a work of art with the interpretation of others. VA:Re.7.1.5a
• Identify, describe, and visually document places and/or objects of personal significance. VA:Cr2.3.5a  
• Identify and interpret works of art or design that reveal how people live around the world and what they value. VA:Re.7.1.6a
• Design or redesign objects, places, or systems that meet the identified needs of diverse users. VA:Cr2.3.6a
• Explain how the method of display, the location, and the experience of an artwork influence how it is perceived and valued. VA:Re.7.1.7a
•  Apply visual organizational strategies to design and produce a work of art, design, or media that clearly communicates information or ideas.  Apply visual organizational strategies to design and produce a work of art, design, or media that clearly communicates information or ideas. 
•  Explain how a person’s aesthetic choices are influenced by culture and environment and impact the visual image that one conveys to others. VA:Re.7.1.8a
• Select, organize, and design images and words to make visually clear and compelling presentations. VA:Cr2.3.8a
• Own Situation: I need to evaluate my own understanding of how I understand visual culture.
• Cross Curricular Application: History: Since the start of humanity we have decided our history in large part by the images that record it.

Instruction Plan

• Objective: Recognize how our own cultural context affects how we understand and read images. 
• Lesson: Analyze Our Own Understanding of Images
• Activities: 
• View Demonstration in Baton Rouge (9 July) by Jonathan Bachman/Reuters
• Discuss what students see and understand. 
• Open it up to why they think about the image the way they do?
• How might someone from 100 years ago in Africa view this image? What about 200 years ago in America?
• Brainstorm and create a mural collage to represent how they view their generation.