A primary goal of substantive art education is to communicate visually--to decipher art for meaning and to construct meaning through images and objects. Strategies available to engage students are the interdisciplinary activities found in performance, visual and written forms of creative expression, and related disciplines such as ethnography,…

Many of the paintings of 20th-century American artist Philip C. Curtis defy clear classification. Curtis's artworks often show dreamlike and fantastical qualities and are therefore frequently pigeonholed as Surrealistic. While this classification is not completely erroneous, it fails to acknowledge some subtle differences between Curtis's artwork…

Instructional strategies based on a portrait painting of Francisco Goya introduce primary grade students to the idea that portraits are pictures of people. Students also develop an awareness that the visual vocabulary of color, shape, line, texture, and the quality of brushstrokes can communicate feelings and ideas. (RM)

Instructional strategies based on a portrait painting of Jean-Baptiste Oudry familiarize intermediate grade students with the techniques of portraiture and introduce the characteristics of eighteenth-century French rococo painting. (RM)

Discusses the history of modern art and the emergence of post-modernism, assessing the implications for art education. Stating that viewers must be culturally literate to comprehend post-modern art, Parks argues that discipline-based art education will better prepare students to deal with the images, issues, and ambiguity they will be confronted…

The instructional strategies suggested use a work of one of Mexico's most celebrated political history painters, David Siqueiros, to introduce junior high students to formal qualities in portraiture and contemporary Mexican art history. (RM)

Instructional strategies introduce students in grades 10-12 to the stylistic characteristics and portraiture technique of Mary Cassatt and help them understand Cassatt's relationship to work of other Impressionist painters. (RM)

Defines art history by examining visual and contextual information and distinguishes between the fine and applied arts. Discusses scientific neutrality and the personal and social uses of art. Concludes that it is impossible for art historians to be truly objective, but this should not be problematic because art historians interpret art works for…

Presents four classroom lessons designed for elementary and secondary students based on paintings in the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. Provides an overall goal, specific objectives, background of the painting, and suggestions for discussion and activities for each painting. Includes full-page color prints of each painting. (CFR)

Identifies and responds to criticisms of discipline-based art education (DBAE). Shows how it is an all-inclusive program that responds to the needs of all students. Analyzes factors that relate to self-esteem and demonstrates how DBAE enhances it. Describes a typical lesson and case studies to support this argument. (KM)

Describes how three groups of twentieth-century U.S. artists--Landscape and architectural artists, pop artists, and the photo-realists--used the object as the primary image in their artwork. Maintains that this approach to studying still life may be more relevant for teachers and students today. (KM)

This lesson plan introduces seventh-ninth graders to Frank Lloyd Wright and shows how nature influenced and inspired the design of his home and studio. Students will: identify natural design elements from the house, apply their awareness of form to their own natural and built environment, and create designs based on natural forms they find…

Claims that contemporary artists in Western society are obsessed with their careers and fail to approach art as total human beings. Cites three instances in which the latter has happened. Recognizes the experiential nature of learning in studio art and argues that artists/teachers are obligated to ground students' art experiences in praxis. (KM)

Describes a computer system in which art reproductions are described and entered into a database containing 27 categories of information. Named the Visual Art Index System (VIAS), its underlying structure is influenced by contemporary models of aesthetics and art criticism. Maintains that the database and laserdisk can effect teaching methodology,…

Provides four art portraits from various sources to help students question reality and the roles people play in society. Includes background information on the artists, historical contexts, visual analyses, and vocabulary lists. Outlines art and reading assignments for all age groups. (KM)