Introduction
Fine art in mathematics is a concept which has significantly contributed in the understanding of mathematics among the students (Field, not dated). It helps students to understand basic concepts easily, which they could have otherwise taken too long to understand. Therefore, there is a need to integrate the fine arts in order to facilitate understanding among the students. This lesson will be based on the work of Pablo who did a great job in the field. Fine arts in mathematics have also significantly assisted teachers in instructing students in learning various geometric shapes by distinguishing their properties.
Objectives of the Presentation
This presentation plays a significant role in general understanding of the topic of geometry. It is clear and logical such that a student will be able to integrate the learned knowledge with new ideas. At the end of this presentation, the student is expected to be in a position to identify different shapes in geometry. They are also expected to use these shapes to construct different meaningful shapes. This practice is intended to help the students to develop a deep understanding of the geometric shapes.
A lesson on Fine Arts in Mathematics
This lesson is intended for the students with basic knowledge about geometric shapes as well as their properties. Therefore, the student’s are expected to be active by making the necessary contributions and asking questions throughout the presentation. The main goal of this lesson is to help the students to use visualizations effectively. This knowledge is aimed or is intended to help the students in identification of geometric objects in different areas. By the end of this lesson, students are expected to be in a position to identify different shapes which Picasso finds in art. Students are also expected to know the features of which the shapes are made up of. Furthermore, the students are expected to be in a position to apply various tools in arranging various shapes to come up with a piece of art. This may include meaningful objects like cat, dog or a family. Finally, students are supposed to describe their piece of art clearly revealing a good understanding of how this is connected to the geometry visually.
Materials Needed In the Lesson
In order to enable the students to grab the whole idea easily, there are some materials which the teacher must have. Some of the materials that the teacher will need in this case are a pair of posters containing some of Pablo’s work. These two posters will play an important role in this lesson as they will be used in explanations. As already noted, each one of these will contain an oil painting made by Picasso. These will have a significant role in the learning process.
There will also be the need for a tangible artifact. This will be represented by an African mask. These can easily be got from various stores dealing with arts. Again, this will be of great importance in the learning process. A tangible artifact in this case may be composed of various shapes glued together to come up with a meaningful shape.
This lesson will also require books which consist of Picasso and his work in art. These books will provide a deep understanding in art. The books will give students a chance to view various shapes by Picasso. They will be able to compare various shapes hence getting into a position where they can easily identify and differentiate these shapes. More information about his work in arts will be found in libraries. Students will also view a DVD showing students applying the work completed by Picasso in creating works of art. This will help students in application of Picasso’s concept.
After the students settles, the teacher will need to introduce the topic to the students. The teacher begins by informing the students that the lesson is all about the works of Picasso. The teacher will then ask the students whether they know any work done by Picasso. It is expected that some of students will not have an idea about him; some will relate him with terms like artist or even a painter. This forms a very important introduction in preparing the student’s brains for the presentation.
After this discussion, the teacher will display a couple of posters in front of the class room containing the works done by Picasso. The teacher will place one in the right and the other on the right. Each of these posters contains various shapes joined together to come up with a meaningful shape. Then the posters will be described for the students. The teacher will then identify one as Weeping Woman and the other as Three Musicians. The teacher will also clarify to the student that there are more work associated with Pablo. Students will be required to explain what they could see from these posters. From this point, students are expected to view the posters carefully in order to identify certain shapes.
The teacher will then give a brief explanation about Picasso. This will help the student in developing a deep understanding in the lesson. For instance, the teacher will explain to the students that; Picasso was significantly influenced by African Art (Rubin, 1989). Most of these works which attracted his attention most include the wooden carvings. These carvings contain come in different parts. The parts are carved and then joined together using glue. They are carved in such a way that it looks as if it was carved as one object. This description will provide the student with a background on what to expect from Picasso’s works.
The teacher will then pass the piece of art around the classroom and give the students an opportunity to identify the various parts combined to the whole piece. At this position, the teacher will explain how the work of Picasso is related with geometry. As one of the member of a mathematics movement known as cubism, Picasso was involved with the work which has a significant pole in geometry (Rubin, 1989). Cubism is all about the objects which has been broken, then analyzed and finally put together once again in a dissimilar way. The pieces in this particular case will contain various shapes which include rectangles, triangles, rhombuses, and squares among others. Then, the teacher will mention one shape and ask a student to point to it from the posters. The teacher may also ask another in the same way and ask a student to identify the shape from the piece. At this point, students will be required to come in front of the classroom and then pick out a specific shape from both computers. The teacher will begin with triangles. The first student will be asked to identify triangles from both pieces.
After this brief exercise, the teacher will then pose a question to know what the students know about the triangles. Obviously the students will be going by commenting about the number of sides. Other students will be asked to come up and identify another simple shape like a square. It will be realized that students finds the squares easily but will be unable to find other shapes.
From this point, the teacher will explain other shapes from the pieces. This may begin by showing the students some trapezoids from the legs of the musician. Then the students are asked to compare trapezoids with the squares. Majority of the students answers that the trapezoids have four sides. The teacher will then ask the students to classify these two shapes, that is square and trapezoids. Some students will identify these shapes as quadrilaterals. The teacher will confirm this and then ask the students to state the number of parallel sides a trapezoid has. The students will confirm that it has one.
The teacher will then ask the students to name the shape that results after combining two trapezoids. Students are expected to strain briefly but then identify the shape as a hexagon. The students will be expected to explain their answer. For instance, they must understand that it is called hexagon because it has six numbers of sides. The students are allowed to interact at this point by asking each other question. Some of the questions expected to be asked by the students among themselves are questions like the clarification of the class in which hexagon belongs to.
After this step, the students will have a good foundation on geometrical shapes. The teacher will distribute two text books consisting of some of Picasso’s work of art. The teacher will bookmark specific resources for the students to locate easily. Then, the students will be asked to analyze how he used shapes in his pieces of art.
Then, the teacher will let the students to watch a DVD. This DVD shows some students engaged in creation of their own Picasso. In order to have the students pay high level of attention on the DVD, the books should not be circulated at this point. It will be stopped to enable the students to concentrate on the steps followed by the students while creating their own Picasso from the DVD. Through this clip, the teacher will explain various tools which the students have applied in their art. Finally, the teacher will ask the students to withdraw the posters from in front of the classroom.
After watching the brief DVD clip, the students will have an idea of how to create their own pieces of art. The teacher will have asked some students to withdraw the posters from in front of the classroom. The teacher will then ask the students to pass the books across the classroom so that every student familiarizes themselves with these shapes. The students will be allowed to remain with the books throughout the week. Then the students will need to have all the tools required in drawing. Some of the tools which every student will be required to have include pencils, tape, crayons, markers, protractors glue, compasses, and rulers. The students will then be asked to create their own work following the cubism style. The students will be expected to have included all the shapes learned in the lesson in their drawings. This will enable them to remember these shapes in the future. Therefore, the teacher will provide the students with a list of all the shapes learnt so that they can integrate in their drawings accordingly. Students are expected to show creativity in using these shapes. The students may also cut papers into various shapes and then glue them together.
The teacher should insist the fact that every piece of art by each student must contain at least one of each shape. The piece should also have a meaning. That is, it must have a theme. For instance, it may be a dog, a rabbit or any other theme. The students are expected to combine the learned shapes in order to come up with a shape of a meaningful object. The student will be allowed to take two days to complete their project. Each student will be expected to present their work to the class by identifying various shapes applied in their work.
The students will be encouraged to come up with quality work in this project, which can be used in the forthcoming school art exhibit. Therefore, the teacher will be expected to insist on creativity among the students. Finally, the teacher will play one of the songs which were famous among Picasso’s generation. Students will then be urged to continue with their work. At this point, it will be advisable for the teacher to move around the class helping those students who may seem to be in problems.
Reference List
Field, M. Mathematics through Art – Art through Mathematics. Web.
Hopkins, A. (1996). Surviving Picasso (DVD)
Picasso Artist Study. audio clip about Picasso’s sculpture Guitar
Rubin, W. (1989). Picasso and Braque; pioneering cubism. Boston: Bulfinch.