Perspective

This lesson was created to combine school curriculum on learning perspective and information about art and artists of the Renaissance, with a Piagetian and Constructivist methodology. Google SetchUp is a program on many school computers, but if your school does not have it, there are online Web 2.0 versions that can be used. However, these are clunky and clumsy compared to SketchUP (at the time of this writing) and would require extra time allotted for student instruction, guidance and practice.     

Some ways in which this lesson demonstrates Piaget and Constructivist methodologies are:    

Adolescents are intrigued by realistic and puzzling phenomena that stimulate their curiosity and challenge
their thinking. The questions in the beginning challenge students to look hard enough at an image that they go beyond the generalization of knowing something's "off" (a slight jarring of their schema, perhaps) and insist they evaluate what they're seeing, and identify what isn't correct. The Angel's tray question prompts students to be aware of the need to address these inequities within their own work as they proceed forward. For perspective skills to be taught, students will inevitably err along the way. They must hone their visual analysis to perceive inaccuracies, locate them and go about fixing them (accomodation for disequilibration).

-Students work mostly independently or in groups. Teacher circulates among them, guiding, facilitating and questioning

- The final drawing assignment -and the journal personalization- provide students options that help them invest in their work through their own, individual goals, ideas and vision.

-Students are able to explore ways of integrating these new skills and apply them with their personal goals for their final drawings.

-The unit is introduced as a Whole Concept, and students work on aspects
of it as they progress.

-
Students�  are encouraged
to pursue available resources for seeking
answers and additional information

-Art-making
is very hands-on by nature.

-Students work in groups for part of the
unit

-Students
share materials, brainstorm together and work cooperatively.

-On-going evaluation, technique and process-modifications/revisions
throughout.

-Students analyze, evaluate and reflect
upon their work verbally and through class critique and written self-assessments.

-Student work can be displayed.