Suggested Grade Level(s): Intermediate Curricular Links: Art (elements of design), Visual Literacy, Symbolism
Big Ideas:
First Nations Peoples' used petroglyphs to communicate stories and ideas
Visual Literacy Lesson Plan:
Step 1: Lateral Observation Read to the students How the Robin Got Its Red Breast Show the students a variety of aboriginal carvings and create a list of themes, colours and shapes for describing Aboriginal art.
Brainstorm with students Aboriginal arts and crafts (e.g. clothing, mats, baskets). In a follow up discussion, sort and classify the responses according to type (e.g. sculpture, weaving) and purpose (e.g. ceremonial, decorative, functional).
Step 3: Evaluation/Application Display for the students some aboriginal petroglyths representing a variety of themes (clan and family crest, nature, transformation, history, spirituality, or beliefs). Invite students to bring in pictures or artifacts from home. Have students choose a theme, then copy or make a cultural object that expresses their theme with bark, potato prints, dying materials, found materials, and / or cutout construction paper sheets.
Allow the students to browse through Tsimshian Crests and Designs
Point out the many elements and principles of design such as contrast, balance, and symmetry and the Aboriginal images (e.g. circle within a circle, ovoids, animal shapes, and how they relate to Aboriginal themes such a transformation or nature)
Ask students to speculate why these particular images might be used on specific objects.