Back to Unit Design Databank Index
Plan Number: 015
Title/Lesson/Theme:
Relating to African Jewelry
Designed by: Michael Dennis
Grade level/Discipline: 6-8/Art
Estimated Time: 8-15 hrs.
Objectives (what will be assessed?):
The students will learn and discuss the the function of jewelry in African and American societies. The students will learn jewelry making techniques that are based on their grade level.The student will also discuss and study motifs used in African jewelry and incorporate African or their own motifs into the piece of jewelry they produce.
Description/Background:
Jewelry and ornamentation is a common link between African and American societies. Although the two societies may not agree on what makes jewelry attractive, both cultures have reasons that they believe their own jewelry is attractive and important. If students are helped to understand how styles and motifs came to be and what kind of materials and techniques are used then they can examine why they find their own jewelry attractive and important.
Step by Step Procedure:
-Before designing a slide-show from the CD-rom determine what jewelry making techniques you want your students to concentrate on. (For example you may not want to include lost wax casting in sixth or seventh grade exploratory courses but may want to concentrate on it in an eighth grade elective art course.)
-Lead a discussion with the students about the jewelry of Africa using the CD-rom slide-show feature based on the type of jewelry you want your students to develop for themselves. (click here to view or download sample list)
-Within this discussion talk about the principles and elements of art that link and/ or separate African jewelry from American jewelry, the techniques used to make each kind of jewelry, and what, if any particular meaning it has within the culture it originates from.
-After the discussion, have the students develop designs for their own piece of jewelry in the form of thumbnail sketches.
-As the students develop sketches, take breaks with the entire class and with individuals to talk about specific techniques they will have to use to make their piece. Students may also be broken into groups or work together with other who are going to be using similar techniques and materials.
Assignment in CD (essays, chapters):
In the Art and Life of Africa CD-rom go to the slideshow feature to find and develop your presentation or web page go to http://www.uiowa.edu/~africart/search/index.html to run a search for jewelry along with the other web site listed later in the lesson.
Studio Materials Needed:
For fabrication jewelry: String, beads, metal, saws, scissors, paint, wood, anything and everything that can be converted into jewelry or part of jewelry, files, sandpaper, steel wool, polish.
For lost wax casting:raw wax or wax sheets, candles, metal tools plaster, casting cylinders, kiln, pewter or other metals with low melting points, files, fine sand paper, steel wool, polish, string.
Vocabulary:
Motif, Lost wax casting,
Evaluation/Assessment tool (how will objectives be assessed?:
Students will be assessed based on recognizing different jewelry making techniques and recognition of the origin on pieces of jewelry. The students will also be assessed on craftspersonship in the construction and design of their piece of jewelry.
Bibliography/Alternative resources:
Websites:
Submitted 7/21/98