Governor's: Institute for Arts Educators: Summer 1998

Name: Louise Harvilla

School District: Highlands Middle School

Lesson Title: Tibetan Art : A Mandala Sand Painting

Grade Level: Grades 6, 7

Piloted with students in grade:

PA STANDARD AREA: ARTS AND HUMANITIES 7.1 Producing, Performing and Exhibiting X 7.2 Historical and Cultural Contexts 7.3 Critical Response X 7.4 Communicate Aesthetic Response 7.5 Connection with Other Subject Areas

Specific Standards: 7.2 Analyze a work of art by applying knowledge of historical and cultural movements. 7.4 Identify the expressive content and use of symbols in works in the arts.

Lesson Topic/theme: Multicultural art : artistic, aesthetic experiences through eastern philosophies

overview: The students will watch a media presentation of Tibetan art and culture to gain knowledge of the people,customs and beliefs. They will see examples of costumes, instruments for making art and music,and acquire a background in the culture by viewing slides,photographs and 3D examples of artifacts such as jewelery and masks. Students will look closely at Mandalas, discuss the designs and shapes and provide examples of other more familiar radial designs (ie: snowflakes, lace, fruit and flower rings) and explore these similarities. A discussion in small groups will provide an opportunity to compare and contrast Tibetan art forms,particularly the Mandala, to examples of Western art and culture.

Keywords: Mandala, Tibetan Art, Multicultural Art

Learning Objective(s): The learner will plan, design and create a Mandala using images,shapes and colors which will reflect either the mystical eastern philosophies or apply western traditional influences to the Tibetan Mandala design. The learner will demonstrate an Aesthetic response to the elements and principles of design shown in a Mandala by completing a written most important card (ie. most powerful image, most memorable, most appealing)

Materials: drawing paper, pencil,compass, ruler, colored pencils, liquid glue, colored sand.

Warm-Up: Students will practice designs with a compass, dividing from the center of the circle into pie shapes or segments.The sections will be divided into 4th's then 8th's. One of the 8th's will be the master. Designs will be drawn on the master taking shapes and forms from nature. Students will apply colors using colored pencils. These newsprint roughs will serve as a possible pattern for the final piece.

Procedure: Following completion of the rough draft newsprint copy the students will begin the final piece. Transfer the design using the lead pencil onto 9x9 inch cardboard or foam core to avoid wharping. Color the areas first with markers to key the palette. Work in one area at a time working from the center out just as the Tibetan Monks do. Lay down a row of glue at a time and apply the colored sand. Sand must be applied carefully with a paper funnel, allowing only a few grains of sand to fall out at a time. One of the most impressive qualities of the Mandala is the attention to intricate detail.Create the paper funnel by making a paper cone using oaktag, paying close attention to the size of the opening at the end of the cone- this must be VERY small!

Correctives: (enrichment activities for students who have not met the standard at proficient or advanced level): Produce another Mandala using other media that may be easier to manipulate such as colored yarn, tempera paint or acrylic. Simplify the design or use less area, such as a smaller backboard(ie. 6x6 instead of 9x9). Students may have more success working in teams of 2, or an advanced student may serve as an assistant or mentor.

Extensions: (Additional activities for students who have met the standard at a proficient or advanced level): Create a template for an enlarged Mandala by dividing a large sketch into a grid. Students can then work as a team, each one doing an individual section which is part of the large whole Mandala, similar to a mosaic or ceramic tile mural.

Assessment-Task Criteria: How will you judge novice, partially proficient, proficient and advanced? Do you have a model/exemplar of your expectations?: Finished student projects will be scored through a rubric that is developed by the teacher and students together that will measure how well the student has met the standard with regard to the following criteria: design process, use of color, creativity and craftsmanship. Novice Partially Proficient Proficient Advanced