1. Display an image of Still Life with Fish, Vegetables, Gougères, Pots, and Cruets on a Table. Invite students to share what they see in the painting and write students' responses on a graphic organizer. What colors do they see? What details do they notice in the foreground and background? Why do you think the artist chose the objects he did for the still life? Where would you hang this painting? Why would you choose this space? Explain that a still life is a work of art depicting a group of natural and man-made objects.
2. Lead a discussion about positive and negative space. Point out that the positive space is made up of the objects in the still life, and negative space consists of the background and the space between the objects. Illustrate the concept of negative space by either cutting out the negative space on a reproduction of the still life or by highlighting the shape created by the edges of the negative space with a marker.
3. Divide the class into two groups. Give one group an image of Still Life with Peaches, a Silver Goblet, Grapes, and Walnuts. Give the other group an image of Still Life with Fruit and Decanter.
4. Have each group create a graphic organizer (e.g., a circle, idea map) or word bank about the still life they were given. Tell them to list everything they see in the still life. (For English language learners, you may wish to provide a word bank already containing words that may describe the still life, or you might display real objects that are visible in the still life.)
5. Have each student write a three-paragraph essay that describes the still life in detail. The essay should provide enough information for someone to draw the still life based solely on the written description. The essay should include the following parts:
• 1st paragraph: Students write an introduction that explains what the work of art depicts, the orientation of the composition (landscape or portrait), and its medium (i.e., drawing, painting, or photograph).
• 2nd paragraph: Students create a detailed inventory of what is included in the composition, using adjectives to identify and describe the still life objects.
• 3rd paragraph: Students describe key details (e.g., colors in foreground and background, details about positive and negative space, size and placement of the objects in relation to each other).
6. After students complete their first drafts, have them proofread their essays and revise them as needed.
7. Tell each student to trade essays with a classmate in the other group. Then pass out white construction paper and drawing pencils. Have each student draw what is described in his or her classmate's essay. Give them the following instructions:
• Read the essay thoroughly.
• Begin sketching out the composition with pencil.
• Add color to the drawing using pastels.
8. Compare and contrast students' drawings with the works of art created by the original artists. Lead a discussion asking the following questions:
• How are the works of art similar?
• How are they different?
• What could you have written to help your classmate make a more accurate drawing?
• What could your classmate have written to help you make a more accurate drawing?
9. Have students revise their essays based on the class discussion and what is inaccurate in the drawings. Then tell students to complete their final drafts.
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| Still Life with Fish, Vegetables, Gourgères, Pots, and Cruets on a Table, Jean-Siméon Chardin, 1769 |
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Common Core Standards for English Language Arts
Grades 3–5
WRITING
3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose.
3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
4.4 Produce clear and coherent writing (including multiple-paragraph texts) in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
5.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grade 5.)
SPEAKING AND LISTENING
3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
3.6 Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification.
4.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
4.3 Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.
4.6 Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion); use formal English when appropriate to task and situation. (See grade 4 Language standards 1 and 3 for specific expectations.)
5.3 Summarize the points a speaker or media source makes and explain how each claim is supported by reasons and evidence, and identify and analyze any logical fallacies.
5.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, using formal English when appropriate to task and situation. (See grade 5 Language standards 1 and 3 for specific expectations.)
LANGUAGE
3.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
3.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them).
5.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal contrast, addition, and other logical relationships (e.g., however, although, nevertheless, similarly, moreover, in addition).
Visual Arts Content Standards for California State Public Schools
Grade 3
2.0 Creative Expression
2.4 Create a work of art based on the observation of objects and scenes in daily life, emphasizing value changes.
4.0 Aesthetic Valuing
4.2 Identify successful and less successful compositional and expressive qualities of their own works of art and describe what might be done to improve them.
Grade 4
1.0 Artistic Perception
1.2 Describe how negative shapes/forms and positive shapes/forms are used in a chosen work of art.
2.0 Creative Expression
2.6 Use the interaction between positive and negative space expressively in a work of art.
Grade 5
4.0 Aesthetic Valuing
4.4 Assess their own works of art, using specific criteria, and describe what changes they would make for improvement.
English–Language Arts Standards for California Public Schools
Grade 3
Writing
1.0 Writing Strategies
1.1 Create a single paragraph:
a. Develop a topic sentence.
b. Include simple supporting facts and details.
Grade 4
Writing
1.0 Writing Strategies
1.2 Create multiple-paragraph compositions.
1.10 Edit and revise selected drafts to improve coherence and progression by adding, deleting, consolidating, and rearranging text.
Grade 5
Writing
1.0 Writing Strategies
1.1 Create a multiple-paragraph expository composition.
1.6 Edit and revise manuscripts to improve the meaning and focus of writing by adding, deleting, consolidating, clarifying and rearranging words and sentences.
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