Observational Art Lesson Plan

Subjects
Art, Social Studies, Technology

Topic
Observational Art

Objective
The students will:

• Examine the ability of art to inform.
• Determine the place of observational art in the exploration of the American west and the establishment of Yellowstone National Park.
• Apply the process of observational art to accurately portray a landscape.

Method
Working in small groups, students will examine/research the history of observational art in the exploration of the American West and Yellowstone. Students will work independently to apply observational techniques. At the end of the project, students will come together as a group and discuss/critique each work.

Background
Artists have always used their craft to tell a story or convey a meaning. During the 1800s, explorers of North America often employed artists to document their journey, catalog findings and portray the environment around them. Use the Influence of Art in Yellowstone electronic field trip to spark their research. Several possible selections are:

• Federal Government sponsored expeditions
• The Hayden Expedition
• Thomas Moran
• William Henry Jackson

Students may find that artists like Thomas Moran felt a great need to portray their experiences for those who could not be there. Early photographers, like William Henry Jackson, were similarly motivated, braving the elements with their cumbersome technology to capture an image for posterity.

Materials

• Reference materials for student research
  
• Drawing paper
  
• Colored pencils, pencils, crayons or markers
  
• 4x6 inch cardboard frames
  
• Digital cameras, computers
  
• 35 mm camera with black and white film

Procedure

1. Have students research examples of art and artists in the exploration of the American West and in Yellowstone specifically.
   
2. After research is complete debrief the students' findings with the class.
   
3. Divide students into groups as follows:
   a.) Drawing/painting a landscape
   b.) Black and white photography
   c.) Color/digital photography
   
4. Instruct students to use the tools assigned in their group (drawing, black and white photos, digital photos) to document the same landscape. To help them frame the image they capture, instruct them to use 4x6 inch cardboard frames.
   
5. Post all works in the class by group. As a class, discuss the similarities and differences between each method used to accurately portray thelandscape. Which images seem the most accurate? Which have the most power? Are they the same or different? What are the difficulties with each method? The strengths? What information did each type of image give the viewer?

Assessment

• Have students complete an essay outlining their own experience with this observational art project.
• Have students write a descriptive paragraph about the location they captured through observational techniques.

Extensions
Use the Hayden Expedition, or other government and army sponsored surveys, as an example. Take students on a hike in a local park or wilderness area. Have them journal their trip much as artists and explorers on historic expeditions have done. They should map their route and draw their observations. Be sure to have them accurately draw the plants, animals and landmarks they encounter on their trip.

Source
The Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, Wyoming 2002