Bringing the Past to Life

The culture developed by the ancient Greeks may have ended more than 2,000 years ago, but many of their ideas still live on today. Modern American politics, science, language, and drama are based on early Greek concepts. Painted pottery is one of the few forms of art that survived the fall of ancient Greek civilization. The narratives and designs painted on ancient Greek pottery can teach us about the culture and daily lives of the ancient Greeks.

The Enduring Idea or Big Idea in this lesson is culture. All art mirrors life. It is a reflection of the artists' construction of meaning about their life and times. The essential question then becomes: In what ways were vases used in Ancient Greece?

In this lesson, students will learn about the culture of ancient Greek civilization and contrast and compare it to their own lives. This interdisciplinary lesson teaches students to use math in order to create the pattern for their vases, technology with computers to research information and an Elmo document camera to present the information they have learned. Mixing art education with content areas brings meaning and value to learning. The interdisciplinary approach of engaging students in creative expression along with content areas helps students construct knowledge and develop real-life skills that will last a lifetime. I hope you will be able to see examples of this as you read our blog.

This lesson correlates with the following Michigan Content Standards and Benchmarks for Visual Arts:
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4
2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6
3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5
4.1, 4.2, 4.3
5.1, 5.4

This lesson correlates with the National Content Standards for Visual Arts:
1. Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes
2. Using knowledge of structures and functions
3. Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas
4. Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures
5. Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others
6. Making connections between the visual arts and other disciplines

I hope you enjoy the work our Southeast fifth graders did. They would love to read your comments, so be sure to post a word or two.
Thank you, Mrs. Guetschow



Visit Mythology Island at: http://www.poptropica.com/