Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Semester of Degree Completion

1981

Thesis Director

James M. Brinkman

Abstract

My personal goal and purpose is to learn what work and time is involved in creating humanities activities for the classroom. I feel units such as this should be made available to teachers to provide them with ideas, materials, and the incentive to teach interrelated arts. Portions of this project could also be supplemental to World History, Literature, or Social Studies classes.

There is a need for and current trend toward combining the arts in higher education that should be circulated at a much more accelerated rate to the schools of the area. My observations in working with students indicate that the students more quickly grasp, better relate to, and retain arts experiences when they have a clear understanding of the peoples that created the art.

The only limiting factor to each student's progress is individual ability. These cultures and art forms offer something of interest to any student, depending only on his/her enthusiasm and area of talent or expertise. I included materials for a wide range of reading levels, so as not to hamper the interest or personal achievement level of slower readers. The units provide more advanced resources and materials for the gifted and highly motivated students so their progress can proceed at their own individual rate. The minimum requirements for the project are: (1) journal of materials and writing assignments in class; (2) participation in and contribution to a group project; (3) an individual project; (4) test, covering the previous three requirements.

Resources are listed in two annotated bibliographies: (1) books used in creating the units; (2) films, filmstrips, records, and cassettes available. The slides were made this semester under the direction of Dr. Darling for an Art study. They were chosen for being difficult to find in other film sources. The notes are taken from a paper I wrote for Dr. Brinkman in the Summer of 1980 and a paper I wrote for Dr. Darling in the Fall of 1980.

This program is in lesson plan form. The format was adapted from the Handbook of Museum-based Lesson Plans, Saint Louis Art Museum. The time-lines and a wealth of materials in the Egyptian and Mesopotamiam cultures were used from the Oriental Art Institute, Chicago, Illinois. After all the units are presented, the class could be divided into groups to construct a model structure representative of the culture they are to represent. Each student could make an individual project to be housed in the model. The projects would be written in contract form by the student and weekly progress would be noted on the contract contributing to a final grade. Part of the group project would entail a group presentation of their model structure to the rest of the class. The group presentation should include information on the models, embellishments, history, and description of individual works.

After all the groups are finished, pictures would be taken and a class scrapbook compiled. The final test would include multiple choice, fill in the blank, and essay questions on the cultures; individual project, individual experience of the student in the group project of presenting one culture, and what the student gained from observing the group presentations of other cultures.

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