This teaching packet, designed for students in grades 6 through 9, explores the role of rulers in ancient Mesopotamian society and examines the depiction of those rulers in Mesopotamian art. Students are encouraged to compare present-day political leaders with ancient Mesopotamian rulers. The guide includes: (1) background information for…

This teaching guide introduces students to early 20th century European and American art. Through critically viewing and discussing art images and participating in related activities, students are encouraged to explore the historical and cultural context within which the art was created. This guide includes background information and an overview…

This classroom resource kit contains a presentation for 12 slides representing artworks found in the permanent collection of the J. B. Speed Art Museum (Kentucky), a teacher's manual, and an evaluation sheet. The printed document provides critical insight into the artworks and their historical era by investigating the materials and technical…

Abstract expressionism was the first art movement of international importance to have its roots in the United States. This movement stressed the role of art as a method of individual expression. Abstract expressionist paintings are usually non-representational and some elements of their production have been left to chance. Individual artist's…

Art reflects the ideas, experiences, spirit, and hopes of those who create it. It is through art works that students can see a visual record of how men and women lived and thought throughout history and across cultures. This instructional resource includes 52 transparencies, accompanying teaching strategies, and student worksheets which are…

This teacher's resource packet gives a brief history of the Japanese Warrior from the Old Tombs Period, 3rd-6th centuries A.D., to the end of the Edo Period in the 19th century, and explains Bushido, the ethical warrior code. Warrior artifacts, armor, helmets, and swords are discussed. Literature, exemplified by the 12th century historical…

Tomb art provides an invaluable window into China's history and culture. The understanding that spirits of dead ancestors can exert power and influence over the lives of their descendants has been a central tenet of the Chinese belief system, propelling the culture into practices ensuring the provision of comfort and status to the deceased in…

With the end of the Civil War just 30 years past, the organizers of the Atlanta (Georgia) 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition sought to demonstrate the South's national patriotism and progressivism. While the exhibits at the exposition widely varied, among the most ambitious undertakings were the displays of fine arts found in the Fine…

This 5-part video lesson deals with discipline-based art education in the elementary school. The video features a university professor who is a specialist in methods and the integration of art into the elementary classroom; each part of the video lesson is 30 minutes in length. First defining discipline-based art education as an approach, not a…

Brushwork is the essential characteristic of Chinese painting. Ink and brushwork provide the foundation of Chinese pictures, even when color also is used. In the quality of the brushwork the artist captures the spirit resonance, the raison d'etre of a painting. In China, painting and writing developed hand in hand, sharing the same tools and…

There are many ways to approach the investigation of architecture. One can look at structural form, climate and topography, the aesthetics of style and decoration, building function, historical factors, cultural meanings, or technology and techniques associated with construction. This resource kit touches upon a few of these approaches, ranging…

Sacred women have been portrayed throughout the history of India and Southeast Asia. Some were depicted as consorts to the Hindu gods and regarded as the necessary force that activates male energy. Other images arose out of local fertility cults and represented uncontrolled feminine energy that could be terrifying in aspect. The calmer Buddhist…

This packet includes a description of the geography of Iran, known as Ancient Persia and gives information about Persian Art. Both pre-Islamic and Islamic influences are discussed. The "Slide List" introduces 21 slides provided with the packet and describes them in the "Slide Descriptions." The packet includes a "Slide…

This resource kit contains a 26-minute video, close-captioned and subtitled in Spanish, a 68-page bilingual study guide, 10 color reproductions of paintings, and 14 slides. The video program, "Latino Voices: Artists and Community," features the work of seven contemporary Latino artists living in the United States. Through personal…

This document consists of the first two (printed) components of an instructional packet that includes: (1) a 206-page book, "Face Within Ourselves"; (2) a 39-page study guide "African American Artists, Affirmation Today"; (3) 28-minute videotape of five contemporary artists; (4) twenty 35-mm color slides. This packet introduces…