For all you teachers

Here is an awesome lesson plan I came acrossed while researching fairy tales!

Once Upon A Time . . .
Carol M. Arbing
Four 45 – 60 minute lessons
2, 3
Social Studies, Visual Arts,
Language Arts, Math,
Technology

Developed by
Suggested Length
Suggested Grade Level(s)
Subject Areas





Overview

Overview
Viewing selected artwork of Robert Harris will stir the imaginations of students who are learning and reading about folk and fairy tales. The art will be a point of reference to compare and contrast the various homes portrayed in the literature.
Links to Curriculum Outcomes
Students will (be expected to)
_ use maps, globes and pictures to describe location and place (social studies)
_ give examples of economic decisions made by individuals and families (social studies)
_ investigate artwork from the past (e.g. portraits, landscapes, social documentary) and relate it to their art (visual arts)
_ participate in conversation, small-group and whole group discussion; understanding when to speak and when to listen (language arts)
_ collect, record, organize and describe relevant data (math)
_ explore and experiment with geometric shapes and relationships (including the orientation and perspectives of objects) (math)
Themes / Key Words
_ fiction
_ background & foreground
_ urban & rural settings

Related Artwork
_ Spot Sketch from China Rochi, Robert Harris, CAG H-6186
_ Peasants Cottage near Millbank, Robert Harris, CAG H-7991.12
_ Beaumaris Castle, Robert Harris, CAG H-6193
_ Old Longworth House, Robert Harris, CAG H-1245 b
_ House of Hon. J.C. Pope, Robert Harris CAG H-614
_ Storming the Ice Castle by Night, Robert Harris, CAG H-2231
_ Untitled, Robert Harris, CAG H-1406
_ Spot Sketch Inside Beaumaris Castle North Wales, Robert Harris, CAG H- 6185
Context
The lessons in this unit could be used for a Folk and Fairy Tales Unit and / or a Homes Unit in language arts.

Lesson #1: A Harris Fairy Tale
Objective After learning the elements of a fairy tale, students will examine a selected piece of Robert Harris’ art and in small groups, compose fairy tales based on what they see in the artwork and what they imagine.
Related Art Work
_ Spot Sketch from China Rochi, Robert Harris, CAG H-6186
Materials
_ paper
_ pencils
_ fairy tale elements handout
Activities
1. Begin by asking students:
_ What types of stories have castles in them?
_ Can you name some?
_ Can you name some fairy tales that do not have castles in them?

1. Record their answers on the board.

2. Ask students:
_ Are these stories real or make believe? Why?

1. Briefly discuss the meaning of fiction. Tell students about the elements of a fairy tale:
_ setting
_ characters (good and bad)
_ magic
_ problem
_ solution
_ ending

1. Read a familiar fairy tale (e.g. Cinderella). Map out the story’s fairy tale elements with the class.

2. Examine Robert Harris’ Spot Sketch from China Rochi. Discuss the features of the painting: the mountains and castle in the background; the lake in the foreground; the colors. Clarify the meanings of foreground and background. Ask students:
_ How do you feel when you look at this painting?
_ Do you think of a story when you look at this painting?
_ What story and why?

1. Organize students into groups of 4 or 5. Have students fill in the fairy tale elements handout and use it as a guide to writing a collaborative story about Robert Harris’ piece.
Ideas for Assessment
Observe how well the students work together in their groups. Have students present their Harris fairy tales to the class. Note whether students use the elements of a fairy tale in their stories.

Lesson #2: My Home, My Castle¼
Objective Examine homes in Robert Harris’ artwork and have students create a home in which they would like to live.
Related Art Works
_ Peasants Cottage Near Millbank, Robert Harris, CAG H-7991.12
_ Old Longworth House, Robert Harris, CAG H-1245 b
_ House of Hon. J.C. Pope, Robert Harris CAG H-614
_ Beaumaris Castle, Robert Harris, CAG H-6193
Materials
_ poster paper
_ tempera paint
_ paintbrushes
_ drawing utensils
_ pictures of man-made homes
Activities
1. Examine the homes in the referenced artwork. Collectively describe and list the characteristics of each home shown. Ask students:
_ Would you like to live in any of these places?
_ Why or why not?
_ In which type of home do you live?

2. Find out which type of home is the most prevalent by using student responses and creating a bar graph. Discuss sizes of homes and floor plans. Note the difference between a rural and urban setting.

3. Revisit the artwork. Ask students:
_ Are the homes in the artwork located in urban or rural areas?

4. Explain what factors influence our choice of home: proximity to medical help, stores, and schools (location); affordability (price); whether it meets the needs of the family (size); and the look and style of home (bungalow, a certain color, well manicured).

5. Ask students to think about the type of home they would like to live in and why. Have them draw or paint their home on a large piece of paper. Write a few sentences describing it.

Lesson #3: Fairy Tale Realtors
Objective Students will view and discuss dwellings in Robert Harris’ art, and write real estate advertisements for Cinderella’s castle and Red Riding Hood’s cottage while learning about the importance of adjectives in advertising.
Related Art Works
_ Storming the Ice Castle By Night, Robert Harris, CAG H-2231
_ Untitled, Robert Harris, CAG H-1406
Materials
_ index cards
_ real estate section of the newspaper
Activities
1. Ask students:
_ What is a home? (A shelter and a gathering place for family and friends.)

2. View and discuss Robert Harris’ artwork. Note characteristics of each dwelling. Ask students:
_ What type of home is it?
_ Can you tell what it is made of?
_ Where is it located?

3. Revisit the meaning of urban and rural settings. Ask students:
_ What fairy tale characters might live in these homes?
_ Note whether students noticed that royalty (Cinderella) lived in castles while characters like Hansel and Gretel lived in more modest dwellings.

4. Show (or read) real estate ads to the class. Note how some ads include the number of bed and bath rooms, property size, location in the community, type of view, and updates to the property.

5. Define adjective (descriptive word). Explain how adjectives “spice up” the ad to spark the interest of prospective buyers.

6. Have students imagine that they are real estate agents. They will write two descriptive real estate advertisements on index cards – one for Cinderella’s castle and one for Red Riding Hood’s cottage. Suggest using Harris’ art as a reference.

7. Collect the cards and post on a bulletin board called “Fairy Tale Homes for Sale”.
Ideas for Assessment
Have students read their advertisements to the class and find out whether or not their ad interested folks in buying the property.

Lesson #4: Where Does Prince Charming Live Now?
Objective Use a painting of castle ruins by Robert Harris (CAG H-6185) to bring meaning to the statement “nothing lasts forever", and help students discover that as time passes, things change. Students will create Prince Charming’s new home using drawing software.
Related Art Works
_ Spot Sketch Inside Beaumaris Castle North Wales, Robert Harris, CAG H- 6185
Materials
_ pictures of real castles
_ drawing software (e.g. Appleworks, Clarisworks)
Activities
1. View Robert Harris’ artwork. Discuss with students:
_ What do you see in the painting? Rocks? An old building? (It is a castle)
_ Encourage discussion. Who do you think lived there? What do you think happened?

2. Ask students:
_ What is meant by “nothing lasts forever”? Discuss how places and the environment change over time (e.g. trees grow, new neighborhoods build up).

3. Suggest that Harris’ castle ruins might be those of Prince Charming’s castle. Imagine where he might be living now. Ask:
_ Did he move to a bigger castle or a small, cozy cottage?
_ What might his new home look like?

4. Show pictures of real castles. Describe castle parts: the curtain (the outer stone walls), the moat, the keep (where the family lived), the dungeon, draw bridge, towers (look outs), the fortress (where soldiers lived), and crenels (long, thin windows).

5. Demonstrate how to create a house from shapes. Have students use available drawing software to create Prince Charming’s new dwelling out of shapes. Encourage students to consider what style of dwelling the Prince would want / need and to create a unique home for him. Students who are familiar with the drawing program may add colors or textures. Others may colour / paint their creations with crayons / paints.

1. Display students’ work with a title banner.
Ideas for Assessment
Observe whether students used varying shapes in their creations. Have them explain why they created the dwelling as they did.
Possible Extensions
These activities could be modified for a homes unit. Find out what types of homes are in your neighborhood. Go on a neighborhood walk or a historical walk through the town observing older buildings and cornerstones. Find out when the cornerstones were laid and by whom.