Lesson Plan: Sarah Williams, “Cooper Fort”

This lesson plan contains the National Learning Standards for Visual Arts and the Texas TEKS for Elementary, Middle, and High School art teachers. Students will study the painting style and the representation of contrast in Sarah William’s work Cooper Fort. The teacher will help the students identify how the artist blends light colors into the background to give the impression of illumination within a space. Afterwards, the students will create a coloring pencil composition of their favorite memory in the style of Sarah Williams.

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If you use or reference this lesson plan, please leave a comment with your feedback. The lesson plan can be downloaded in the link below.

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Sarah Williams, Cooper Fort, 2016, oil on panel, 18 inches X 24 inches, Tyler Museum of Art, Tyler, Texas

Culture: American

Subject: Fine Art, Art History

Collection: Tyler Museum of Art’s Permanent Collection

Grades: Elementary School, Middle School and High School

Topics: Artistic Practices, Art History, Critical Thinking, Dramatic Lighting, and Painting

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Art Vocabulary

Activity Vocabulary:

Sarah Williams:

• Sarah Williams was born in 1984 in Kansas City, Missouri. Her home state and the imagery of the Midwest is an important influence in her style and representation of regional places.[1]
• She received her Bachelor of Fine Art from William Woods University in Missouri.[2]
• To gain her Master of Fine Arts, she needed to leave her home state. She chose to move to the Dallas-Fort Worth area and attend the University of North Texas. She drew on her memories from Missouri.[3]
• She moved back to Missouri to teach at the Missouri State University as an Assistant Professor in Drawing and Painting.[4]
• When she returned home, she found that the architectural landscape had changed. The businesses, homes, and historical locations were either physically changed, destroyed, or empty.[5]
• She found herself in the position of the visitor who is not unfamiliar with the landscape.[6]
• Her paintings have a nostalgic tone. In both outdoor scenes of lonely buildings and indoor scenes of quiet sanctuaries, the artist’s use of light and shadow help the viewer emotionally connect to the people who live and work in the presented locations.

Oil Paint:

• A form of slow-drying paint in which pigment is suspended in a drying vegetable oil, typically made from nuts or seeds.[7]
• This slow-drying process allows artists to work on a painting over a longer period of time than some other paint mediums.[8]

Dramatic Lighting:

• Sarah Williams has a unique method of emphasizing the light in her compositions.
• In her artwork, Cooper Fort, the light is centered to the inside of a impromptu tent. The tent was made from a bedsheet placed over furniture and a string to create its structure.
• The room is dark, save for the small candles that are sitting on the piano.
• The window in the background reveals that the time of day is night.
• People are not present in the scene. However, the viewer understands that this is a home and a space for joy.
• The viewer can assume that the tent was made for children.
• William’s use of blending color causes the tent to look like it is glowing.

Regionalism:

• Texas Regionalism was a movement started by the Texas artist Jerry Bywaters in 1928. He believed that art must be a reflection of life and the artist’s surroundings, originally classifying the style as Lone Star Regionalism.[9]
• This method of art focused on the mundane scenes of Texas life by depicting real objects and places. The style allows artists, such as Williams, to use realistic elements to the compositions to heighten the design.[10]

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Elements of Design[11]:

• Artists use the elements of design to create the foundation of the artwork. The elements of art include: line, shape, form, space, color, and texture.

Line:

• An element of design; line is created on a surface with a pointed moving tool. Lines can range in size, width, texture, and presentation. Common types of line are vertical, horizontal, diagonal, zig-zag, and curved.

Shape:

• An element of design; shape is a two-dimensional enclosed space that represents either an organic shape or a geometric shape. Geometric shapes include squares, circles, rectangles, triangles and other standard geometric shapes. Organic shapes include natural non-geometric shapes that are developed from curvilinear lines.

Form:

• An element of design; form is a three-dimensional enclosed space that represents organic and geometric shapes in a third space. Geometric forms include cubes, spheres, triangular prisms, rectangular prisms, and cones. Organic shapes include three-dimensional forms observed in nature, such as trees, rivers, and rocks.

Space:

• An element of design; this term defines the surface area between, before, and behind an object in a composition.

Color:

• An element of design; this term defines the pigments used in a painting. Color can be organized into categories, such as: hues, values, complements, and intensity.

Texture:

• An element of design; this term defines an artwork’s surface. The artist’s use of the chosen medium creates either implied or actual texture.

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Principles of Design[12]:

• Artists used principles of design to build upon the foundational elements of design. This includes the following: rhythm, movement, balance, proportion, variety, emphasis, and unity. 

Rhythm/ Pattern:

• A principle of design; this term defines the repetitive imagery and elements of design found in a composition.

Movement:

• A principle of design; this term defines the visual movement observed in a painting. This can be identified as kinetic movement or implied movement. Additionally, movement can be defined as how the viewer’s eye moves throughout the composition.

Balance:

• A principle of design; this term defines the arrangement of the presented imagery with the elements of design. It refers to either asymmetrical compositions or symmetrical compositions.

Proportion:

• A principle of design; this term defines the comparative size between objects in the composition. It can refer to the imagery within a painting or the size between a sculpture and a real object.

Variety:

• A principle of design; this term defines the combination of imagery, objects, and ideas in an artwork.

Emphasis:

• A principle of design; this term defines the most prominent area in a composition. The viewer’s eye is drawn to this point because the artist used a mixture of the elements and principles of design.

Unity:

• A principle of design; this term defines how the elements and principles of design are combined within a composition.

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[1] “Sarah Williams”, Moody Gallery, updated 2022, accessed December 12, 2024, https://www.moodygallery.com/artists/sarah-williams/biography.

[2] Sarah Williams, “Talley Dunn Gallery: Sarah Williams C.V.”, Talley Dunn Gallery, updated 2024, accessed December 12, 2024, https://talleydunn.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024-Sarah-Williams-CV.pdf.

[3] Lauren Moya Ford, “Painting From Rural Roots: An Interview with Sarah Williams,” Glasstire Magazine, updated November 7, 2020, accessed December 12, 2024, https://glasstire.com/2020/11/07/painting-from-rural-roots-an-interview-with-sarah-williams/.

[4] “Sarah K. Williams”, Missouri State University, updated 2024, accessed December 12, 2024, https://art.missouristate.edu/profile-display.aspx?p=SarahWilliams.

[5] Lauren Moya Ford, “Painting From Rural Roots: An Interview with Sarah Williams,” Glasstire Magazine, updated November 7, 2020, accessed December 12, 2024, https://glasstire.com/2020/11/07/painting-from-rural-roots-an-interview-with-sarah-williams/.

[6] Ibid.

[7] “Art Term: Oil Paint,” Tate Modern Museum, accessed February 21, 2024, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/o/oil-paint

[8] Ibid.

[9] Patrick Stewart, “Art Terms: Lone Star Regionalism,” Dallas Museum of Art, updated 2014, accessed September 14, 2021, https://collections.dma.org/essay/JWVpzdM9.

[10] “Texas Regionalism,” Amon Carter Museum of American Art, updated May 11, 2014, accessed September 14, 2021, https://www.cartermuseum.org/exhibitions/texas-regionalism.

[11] Rosalins Ragan, “Elements of Art,” in Art Talk, 61 – 211, edited by Bennett and McKnight Division, (San Francisco: Glencoe Publishing Company, 1988).

[12] Rosalins Ragan, “Principles of Design,” in Art Talk, 211 – 347, edited by Bennett and McKnight Division, (San Francisco: Glencoe Publishing Company, 1988).

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Bibliography: Resources for Vocabulary and Lesson Plan

“Art Term: Oil Paint”. Tate Modern Museum. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/o/oil-paint

Ford, Lauren Moya. “Painting From Rural Roots: An Interview with Sarah Williams”. Glasstire Magazine. Updated November 7, 2020. Accessed December 12, 2024. https://glasstire.com/2020/11/07/painting-from-rural-roots-an-interview-with-sarah-williams/.

Office of the Secretary of State. “§117.102: Art, Kindergarten, Adopted 2013.” Texas Education Agency: Education, updated 2013, accessed January 5, 2022, https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=117&rl=102.

Office of the Secretary of State. “§117.105: Art, Grade 1, Adopted 2013.” Texas Education Agency: Education, updated 2013, accessed January 5, 2022, https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=117&rl=105.

Office of the Secretary of State. “§117.108: Art, Grade 2, Adopted 2013.” Texas Education Agency: Education, updated 2013, accessed January 5, 2022, https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=117&rl=108.

Office of the Secretary of State. “§117.111: Art, Grade 3, Adopted 2013.” Texas Education Agency: Education, updated 2013, accessed January 5, 2022, https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=117&rl=111.

Office of the Secretary of State. “§117.114: Art, Grade 4, Adopted 2013.” Texas Education Agency: Education, updated 2013, accessed January 5, 2022, https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=117&rl=114.

Office of the Secretary of State. “§117.117: Art, Grade 5, Adopted 2013.” Texas Education Agency: Education, updated 2013, accessed January 5, 2022, https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=117&rl=117.

Office of the Secretary of State. “§117.202: Art, Middle School 1, Adopted 2013.” Texas Education Agency: Education, updated 2013, accessed January 5, 2022, https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=117&rl=202.

Office of the Secretary of State. “§117.203: Art, Middle School 2, Adopted 2013.” Texas Education Agency: Education, updated 2013, accessed January 5, 2022, https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=117&rl=203.

Office of the Secretary of State. “§117.204: Art, Middle School 3, Adopted 2013.” Texas Education Agency: Education, updated 2013, accessed January 5, 2022, https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=117&rl=204.

Office of the Secretary of State. “§117.302: Art, Level I, Adopted 2013.” Texas Education Agency: Education, updated 2013, accessed January 5, 2022, https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=117&rl=302.

Office of the Secretary of State. “§117.303: Art, Level II, Adopted 2013.” Texas Education Agency: Education, updated 2013, accessed January 5, 2022, https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=117&rl=303.

Office of the Secretary of State. “§117.304: Art, Level III, Adopted 2013.” Texas Education Agency: Education, updated 2013, accessed January 5, 2022, https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=117&rl=304.

Office of the Secretary of State. “§117.305: Art, Level IV, Adopted 2013.” Texas Education Agency: Education, updated 2013, accessed January 5, 2022, https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=117&rl=305.

Ragan, Rosalins. “Elements of Art.” In Art Talk, 61 – 211. Edited by Bennett and McKnight Division. San Francisco: Glencoe Publishing Company, 1988.

Ragan, Rosalins. “The Principles of Design.” In Art Talk, 211 – 347. Edited by Bennett and McKnight Division. San Francisco: Glencoe Publishing Company, 1988.

“Sarah K. Williams”. Missouri State University. Updated 2024. Accessed December 12, 2024. https://art.missouristate.edu/profile-display.aspx?p=SarahWilliams.

“Sarah Williams”. Moody Gallery. Updated 2022. Accessed December 12, 2024. https://www.moodygallery.com/artists/sarah-williams/biography.

Stewart, Patrick. “Art Terms: Lone Star Regionalism”. Dallas Museum of Art. Updated 2014. Accessed September 14, 2021. https://collections.dma.org/essay/JWVpzdM9.

“Texas Regionalism”. Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Updated May 11, 2014. Accessed September 14, 2021. https://www.cartermuseum.org/exhibitions/texas-regionalism.

Williams, Sarah. “Talley Dunn Gallery: Sarah Williams C.V.”. Talley Dunn Gallery. Updated 2024. Accessed December 12, 2024. https://talleydunn.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024-Sarah-Williams-CV.pdf.

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Elementary School Lesson Plans: National Learning Standards

Goals:

Elementary School Students of all levels will be able to do the following:

• Identify the principles of design used in the artwork;
• Identify the elements of design used in the artwork;
• Study the painting style and use of light found in Sarah Williams’ work;
• Connect Sarah William’s presentation of spaces to memories and experiences;
• Create an image of a chosen space that matches the written description and memory of the location;
• And, present the artwork and the artist statement to the class or in an exhibition area, such as a hallway or classroom.

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National Learning Standards for Visual Arts:

Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade, Fourth Grade, Fifth Grade

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Pre-Kindergarten:

• Creating:

• Anchor Standard 1:
  • Creating: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
    • VA:Cr1.1.Pka: Engage in self-directed play with materials;
    • VA:Cr1.2.Pka: Engage in self-directed, creative making.
  • Anchor Standard 2:
    • Creating: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr2.3.PKa: Create and tell about art that communicates a story about a familiar place or object.
  • Anchor Standard 3:
    • Creating: Refine and complete artistic work.
      • VA:Cr3.1.PKa: Share and talk about personal artwork.

• Presenting:
  • Anchor Standard 6:
    • Presenting: Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
      • VA:Pr6.1.PKa: Identify where art is displayed both inside and outside of school.

• Responding:
  • Anchor Standard 8:
    • Responding: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
      • VA:Re8.1.PKa: Interpret art by identifying and describing subject matter.

• Connecting:
  • Anchor Standard 10:
    • Connecting: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
      • VA:Cn10.1.PKa: Explore the world using descriptive and expressive words and art-making.

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Kindergarten:

• Creating:
  • Anchor Standard 1:
    • Creating: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr1.1.Ka: Engage in exploration and imaginative play with materials.
      • VA:Cr1.2.Ka: Engage collaboratively in creative art-making in response to an artistic problem.
  • Anchor Standard 2:
    • Creating: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr2.1.Ka: Through experimentation, build skills in various media and approaches to art-making.
      • VA:Cr2.3.Ka: Create art that represents natural and constructed environments.
  • Anchor Standard 3:
    • Creating: Refine and complete artistic work.
      • VA:Cr3.1.Ka: Explain the process of making art while creating.

• Responding:
  • Anchor Standard 7:
    • Responding: Perceive and analyze artistic work
      • VA:Re.7.2.Ka: Describe what an image represents.
  • Anchor Standard 8:
    • Responding: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
      • VA:Re8.1.Ka: Interpret art by identifying subject matter and describing relevant details.
  • Anchor Standard 9:
    • Responding: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
      • VA:Re9.1.Ka: Explain reasons for selecting a preferred artwork

• Connecting:
  • Anchor Standard 10:
    • Connecting: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
      • VA:Cn10.1.Ka: Create art that tells a story about a life experience.

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First grade:

• Creating:
  • Anchor Standard 1:
    • Creating: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr1.2.1a: Use observation and investigation in preparation for making a work of art.
  • Anchor Standard 2:
    • Creating: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr2.1.1a: Explore uses of materials and tools to create works of art or design.
      • VA:Cr2.3.1a: Identify and classify uses of everyday objects through drawings, diagrams, sculptures, or other visual means.
  • Anchor Standard 3:
    • Creating: Refine and complete artistic work.
      • VA:Cr3.1.1a: Use art vocabulary to describe choices while creating art.

• Responding:
  • Anchor Standard 7:
    • Responding: Perceive and analyze artistic work
      • VA:Re.7.1.1a: Select and describe works of art that illustrate daily life experiences of one’s self and others
  • Anchor Standard 8:
    • Responding: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
      • VA:Re8.1.1a: Interpret art by categorizing subject matter and identifying the characteristics of form
  • Anchor Standard 9:
    • Responding: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
      • VA:Re9.1.1a: Classify artwork based on different reasons for preferences.

• Connecting:
  • Anchor Standard 11:
    • Connecting: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding
      • VA:Cn11.1.1a: Understand that people from different places and times have made art for a variety of reasons.

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Second Grade:

• Creating:
  • Anchor Standard 1:
    • Creating: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr1.2.2a: Make art or design with various materials and tools to explore personal interests, questions, and curiosity
  • Anchor Standard 3:
    • Creating: Refine and complete artistic work.
      • VA:Cr3.1.2a: Discuss and reflect with peers about choices made in creating artwork

• Responding:
  • Anchor Standard 7:
    • Responding: Perceive and analyze artistic work
      • VA:Re.7.1.2a: Perceive and describe aesthetic characteristics of one’s natural world and constructed environments
      • VA:Re.7.2.2a: Categorize images based on expressive properties
  • Anchor Standard 8:
    • Responding: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
      • VA:Re8.1.2a: Interpret art by identifying the mood suggested by a work of art and describing relevant subject matter and characteristics of form
  • Anchor Standard 9:
    • Responding: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
      • VA:Re9.1.2a: Use learned art vocabulary to express preferences about artwork

• Connecting:
  • Anchor Standard 10:
    • Connecting: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
      • VA:Cn10.1.2a: Create works of art about events in home, school, or community life

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Third Grade:

• Creating:
  • Anchor Standard 1:
    • Creating: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr1.1.3a: Elaborate on an imaginative idea.
  • Anchor Standard 2:
    • Creating: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr2.3.3a: Individually or collaboratively construct representations, diagrams, or maps of places that are part of everyday life.
  • Anchor Standard 3:
    • Creating: Refine and complete artistic work.
      • VA:Cr3.1.3a: Elaborate visual information by adding details in an artwork to enhance emerging meaning.

• Responding:
  • Anchor Standard 7:
    • Responding: Perceive and analyze artistic work
      • VA:Re.7.1.3a: Speculate about processes an artist uses to create a work of art.
      • VA:Re.7.2.3a: Determine messages communicated by an image.
  • Anchor Standard 8:
    • Responding: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
      • VA:Re8.1.3a: Interpret art by analyzing use of media to create subject matter, characteristics of form, and mood.
  • Anchor Standard 9:
    • Responding: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
      • VA:Re9.1.3a: Evaluate an artwork based on given criteria.
• Connecting:
  • Anchor Standard 10:
    • Connecting: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
      • VA:Cn10.1.3a: Develop a work of art based on observations of surroundings.

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Fourth Grade:

• Creating:
  • Anchor Standard 1:
    • Creating: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr1.1.4a: Brainstorm multiple approaches to a creative art or design problem.
  • Anchor Standard 2:
    • Creating: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr2.1.4a: Explore and invent art-making techniques and approaches.
      • VA:Cr2.3.4a: Document, describe, and represent regional constructed environments.
• Responding:
  • Anchor Standard 7:
    • Responding: Perceive and analyze artistic work
      • VA:Re.7.2.4a: Analyze components in visual imagery that convey messages.
  • Anchor Standard 8:
    • Responding: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
      • VA:Re8.1.4a: Interpret art by referring to contextual information and analyzing relevant subject matter, characteristics of form, and use of media.
  • Anchor Standard 9:
    • Responding: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
      • VA:Re9.1.4a: Apply one set of criteria to evaluate more than one work of art.
• Connecting:
  • Anchor Standard 11:
    • Connecting: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding
      • VA:Cn11.1.4a: Through observation, infer information about time, place, and culture in which a work of art was created.

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Fifth Grade:

• Creating:
  • Anchor Standard 1:
    • Creating: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr1.2.5a: Identify and demonstrate diverse methods of artistic investigation to choose an approach for beginning a work of art.
  • Anchor Standard 2:
    • Creating: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr2.3.5a: Identify, describe, and visually document places and/or objects of personal significance.
  • Anchor Standard 3:
    • Creating: Refine and complete artistic work.
      • VA:Cr3.1.5a: Create artist statements using art vocabulary to describe personal choices in art-making.
• Responding:
  • Anchor Standard 7:
    • Responding: Perceive and analyze artistic work
      • VA:Re.7.1.5a: Compare one’s own interpretation of a work of art with the interpretation of others.
      • VA:Re.7.2.5a: Identify and analyze cultural associations suggested by visual imagery.
  • Anchor Standard 8:
    • Responding: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
      • VA:Re8.1.5a: Interpret art by analyzing characteristics of form and structure, contextual information, subject matter, visual elements, and use of media to identify ideas and mood conveyed.
  • Anchor Standard 9:
    • Responding: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
      • VA:Re9.1.5a: Recognize differences in criteria used to evaluate works of art depending on styles, genres, and media as well as historical and cultural contexts.
• Connecting:
  • Anchor Standard 10:
    • Connecting: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
      • VA:Cn10.1.5a: Apply formal and conceptual vocabularies of art and design to view surroundings in new ways through art-making.
  • Anchor Standard 11:
    • Connecting: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding
      • VA:Cn11.1.5a: Identify how art is used to inform or change beliefs, values, or behaviors of an individual or society.

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Elementary School Lesson Plans: Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

Goals:

Elementary School Students of all levels will be able to do the following:

• Identify the principles of design used in the artwork;
• Identify the elements of design used in the artwork;
• Study the painting style and use of light found in Sarah Williams’ work;
• Connect Sarah William’s presentation of spaces to memories and experiences;
• Create an image of a chosen space that matches the written description and memory of the location;
• And, present the artwork and the artist statement to the class or in an exhibition area, such as a hallway or classroom.

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Texas Elementary School TEKS:

Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade, Fourth Grade, and Fifth Grade

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Kindergarten:

• §117.102.b.1.B
  • Foundations: Observation and Perception:
    • identify the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, and form, and the principles of design, including repetition/pattern and balance, in the environment.
• §117.102.b.2. A
  • Creative Expression:
    • create artworks using a variety of lines, shapes, colors, textures, and forms;
• §117.102.b.3. A / B / C
  • Historical and Cultural Relevance:
    • identify simple subjects expressed in artworks;
    • share ideas about personal experiences such as family and friends and develop awareness and sensitivity to differing experiences and opinions through artwork;
    • identify the uses of art in everyday life;
• §117.102.b.4.A / B
  • Critical Evaluation and Response:
    • express ideas about personal artworks or portfolios;
    • express ideas found in collections such as real or virtual art museums, galleries, portfolios, or exhibitions using original artworks created by artists or peers;

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First Grade:

• §117.105.b.1.B
  • Foundations: Observation and Perception:
    • identify the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, and form, and the principles of design, including emphasis, repetition/pattern, and balance, in nature and human-made environments.
• §117.105.b.2. A
  • Creative Expression:
    • invent images that combine a variety of lines, shapes, colors, textures, and forms;
• §117.105.b.3. A / C
  • Historical and Cultural Relevance:
    • identify simple ideas expressed in artworks through different media;
    • discuss the use of art in everyday life;
• §117.105.b.4.A / B
  • Critical Evaluation and Response:
    • explain ideas about personal artworks;
    • identify ideas found in collections such as real or virtual art museums, galleries, portfolios, or exhibitions using original artworks created by artists or peers.

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Second Grade:

• §117.108.b.1.A / B
  • Foundations: Observation and Perception:
    • compare and contrast variations in objects and subjects from the environment using the senses;
    • identify the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form, and space, and the principles of design, including emphasis, repetition/pattern, movement/rhythm, and balance.
• §117.108.b.2. A
  • Creative Expression:
    • express ideas and feelings in personal artworks using a variety of lines, shapes, colors, textures, forms, and space;
• §117.108.b.3. A / C
  • Historical and Cultural Relevance:
    •  interpret stories, content, and meanings in a variety of artworks;
    • analyze how art affects everyday life and is connected to jobs in art and design;

• §117.108.b.4. A / B
  • Critical Evaluation and Response:
    • support reasons for preferences in personal artworks;
    • compare and contrast ideas found in collections such as real or virtual art museums, galleries, portfolios, or exhibitions using original artworks created by artists or peers;

---

Third Grade:

• §117.111.b.1.A / B / C
  • Foundations: Observation and Perception:
    • explore ideas from life experiences about self, peers, family, school, or community and from the imagination as sources for original works of art;
    • use appropriate vocabulary when discussing the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form, space, and value, and the principles of design, including emphasis, repetition/pattern, movement/rhythm, contrast/variety, balance, proportion, and unity;
    • discuss the elements of art as building blocks and the principles of design as organizers of works of art.
• §117.111.b.2. A
  • Creative Expression
    • integrate ideas drawn from life experiences to create original works of art;
• §117.111.b.3. A / B
  • Historical and Cultural Relevance:
    • identify simple main ideas expressed in artworks from various times and places;
    • compare and contrast artworks created by historical and contemporary men and women, making connections to various cultures;
• §117.111.b.4. A / B
  • Critical Evaluation and Response
    • evaluate the elements of art, principles of design, or expressive qualities in artworks of self, peers, and historical and contemporary artists;
    • use methods such as oral response or artist statements to identify main ideas found in collections of artworks created by self, peers, and major historical or contemporary artists in real or virtual portfolios, galleries, or art museums;

---

Fourth Grade:

• §117.114.b.1.A / B / C
  • Foundations: Observation and Perception:
    • explore and communicate ideas drawn from life experiences about self, peers, family, school, or community and from the imagination as sources for original works of art;
    • use appropriate vocabulary when discussing the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form, space, and value, and the principles of design, including emphasis, repetition/pattern, movement/rhythm, contrast/variety, balance, proportion, and unity;
    • discuss the elements of art as building blocks and the principles of design as organizers of works of art.
• §117.114.b.2. A / B
  • Creative Expression:
    • integrate ideas drawn from life experiences to create original works of art;
    • create compositions using the elements of art and principles of design; and
• §117.114.b.3. A / B
  • Historical and Cultural Relevance:
    • compare content in artworks for various purposes such as the role art plays in reflecting life, expressing emotions, telling stories, or documenting history and traditions;
    •  compare purpose and content in artworks created by historical and contemporary men and women, making connections to various cultures;
• §117.114.b.4. A / B
  • Critical Evaluation and Response
    • evaluate the elements of art, principles of design, intent, or expressive qualities in artworks of self, peers, and historical and contemporary artists.
    • use methods such as written or oral response or artist statements to identify emotions found in collections of artworks created by self, peers, and major historical or contemporary artists in real or virtual portfolios, galleries, or art museums;

---

Fifth Grade:

• §117.117.b.1.A / B / C
  • Foundations: Observation and Perception:
    • develop and communicate ideas drawn from life experiences about self, peers, family, school, or community and from the imagination as sources for original works of art;
    • use appropriate vocabulary when discussing the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form, space, and value, and the principles of design, including emphasis, repetition/pattern, movement/rhythm, contrast/variety, balance, proportion, and unity; and
    • discuss the elements of art as building blocks and the principles of design as organizers of works of art.
• §117.117.b.2. A / B
  • Creative Expression:
    • integrate ideas drawn from life experiences to create original works of art;
    • create compositions using the elements of art and principles of design;

• §117.117.b.3. A / B
  • Historical and Cultural Relevance:
    • compare the purpose and effectiveness of artworks from various times and places, evaluating the artist’s use of media and techniques, expression of emotions, or use of symbols;
    • compare the purpose and effectiveness of artworks created by historic and contemporary men and women, making connections to various cultures;
• §117.117.b.4. A / B
  • Critical Evaluation and Response
    • evaluate the elements of art, principles of design, general intent, media and techniques, or expressive qualities in artworks of self, peers, or historical and contemporary artists;
    • use methods such as written or oral response or artist statements to identify themes found in collections of artworks created by self, peers, and major historical or contemporary artists in real or virtual portfolios, galleries, or art museums;

---

Elementary School Art Activities:

Questions for Elementary School Students:

1. Examine Sarah William’s painting Cooper Fort. Identify where each element of art is located in the artwork.
2. Examine Sarah William’s painting Cooper Fort. Identify where each principle of art is located in the artwork.
3. What is the scene shown in the painting?
4. Where is the light source located?
5. What do you think the light source is in the painting?
6. Do you think this lighting effect is exaggerated for the painting or correctly represented as it would be seen in real life? Explain your answer.
7. What is the mood of the piece? Explain your answer.
   1. Optional Question for Younger Students:
      1. Do you think the painting is happy / sad / angry / lonely / etc.? Please explain your answer.
8. What are some places where this type of lighting would be seen in the world?
9. What is the difference between the feeling that warm lighting gives in contrast to cool lighting?

---

Activity: Elementary School Fine Arts and Artist Statement

• Activity Setting: Classroom
• Materials: Pencils, Paper, Coloring Pencils
• Subject: Indoor/Outdoor Scenes, Light and Shadows, Mood, Connecting Memories to Art
• National Learning Standards: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade, Fourth Grade, and Fifth Grade
• Texas TEKS: Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade, Fourth Grade, and Fifth Grade
• Duration: Extended Project

Students will study the painting style and the representation of contrast in Sarah William’s work Cooper Fort. The teacher will help the students identify how the artist blends light colors into the background to give the impression of illumination within a space. Afterwards, the students will create a coloring pencil composition of their favorite memory in the style of Sarah Williams.

The students will first write about their favorite memory. The students need to answer the following questions to explain their memory:

• Where did the memory take place?
• Who were you with?
• Was it night, afternoon, or day?
• What is the light source in the memory?
• What did you do in this memory?
• Why is this memory your favorite?

This will serve as the artist statement that will explain the student’s drawing. The younger students will answer the questions in short sentences. Older students will write a paragraph or more to describe the scene. The number of paragraphs required for the older student’s artist statement is to be determined by the teacher.

Next, the teacher will provide a demonstration on how to blend coloring pencils. The teacher will first show how to blend red, orange, yellow, and white together to create a representation of radiating warm light. The teacher will adjust the presentation to younger and older students. Once the students have practiced these warm tones, then the teacher will give a few other examples of a violet blend, green blend, and blue blend. The teacher can reference Sarah William’s work to help explain these types of color blends. The teacher will also help explain how a dark background helps amplify the blended effect. The level of blending will vary by the age group and will be monitored by the teacher.

After the artist statement is completed and the demonstrations are presented, the students will begin making their compositions. Using the artist statement as the reference, students will draw the described scene with pencil. Then, when the sketch is approved by the teacher, the students can begin to add color with coloring pencils. The students will use their blending skills learned from the demonstrations to showcase light and shadow.

When the drawing is completed, the teacher will determine how the artwork will be presented. The students will either present their artwork and artist statement to the class or present the artwork and artist statement in an exhibition space.

---

Middle School Lesson Plans: National Learning Standards

Goals:

Middle School Students of all Levels will be able to do the following:

• Identify the principles of design used in the artwork;
• Identify the elements of design used in the artwork;
• Study the painting style and use of light found in Sarah Williams’ work;
• Connect Sarah William’s presentation of spaces to memories and experiences;
• Create an image of a chosen space that matches the written description and memory of the location;
• And, present the artwork and the artist statement to the class or in an exhibition area, such as a hallway or classroom.

---

National Learning Standards for Visual Arts:

Sixth Grade, Seventh Grade, and Eighth Grade

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Sixth Grade:

• Creating:
  • Anchor Standard 1:
    • Creating: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr1.2.6a: Formulate an artistic investigation of personally relevant content for creating art.
  • Anchor Standard 2:
    • Creating: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr2.1.6a: Demonstrate openness in trying new ideas, materials, methods, and approaches in making works of art and design.
  • Anchor Standard 3:
    • Creating: Refine and complete artistic work.
      • VA:Cr3.1.6a: Reflect on whether personal artwork conveys the intended meaning and revise accordingly.
• Responding:
  • Anchor Standard 7:
    • Responding: Perceive and analyze artistic work
      • VA:Re.7.1.6a: Identify and interpret works of art or design that reveal how people live around the world and what they value.
      • VA:Re.7.2.6a: Analyze ways that visual components and cultural associations suggested by images influence ideas, emotions, and actions.
  • Anchor Standard 8:
    • Responding: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
      • VA:Re8.1.6a: Interpret art by distinguishing between relevant and non-relevant contextual information and analyzing subject matter, characteristics of form and structure, and use of media to identify ideas and mood conveyed.
  • Anchor Standard 9:
    • Responding: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
      • VA:Re9.1.6a: Develop and apply relevant criteria to evaluate a work of art.
• Connecting:
  • Anchor Standard 10:
    • Connecting: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
      • VA:Cn10.1.6a: Generate a collection of ideas reflecting current interests and concerns that could be investigated in art-making.

---

Seventh Grade:

• Creating:
  • Anchor Standard 1:
    • Creating: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr1.2.7a: Develop criteria to guide making a work of art or design to meet an identified goal.
  • Anchor Standard 2:
    • Creating: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr2.1.7a: Demonstrate persistence in developing skills with various materials, methods, and approaches in creating works of art or design.
      • VA:Cr2.3.7a: Apply visual organizational strategies to design and produce a work of art, design, or media that clearly communicates information or ideas.
  • Anchor Standard 3:
    • Creating: Refine and complete artistic work.
      • VA:Cr3.1.7a: Reflect on and explain important information about personal artwork in an artist statement or another format.
• Responding:
  • Anchor Standard 7:
    • Responding: Perceive and analyze artistic work
      • VA:Re.7.1.7a: Explain how the method of display, the location, and the experience of an artwork influence how it is perceived and valued.
  • Anchor Standard 8:
    • Responding: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
      • VA:Re8.1.7a: Interpret art by analyzing art-making approaches, the characteristics of form and structure, relevant contextual information, subject matter, and use of media to identify ideas and mood conveyed.
  • Anchor Standard 9:
    • Responding: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
      • VA:Re9.1.7a: Compare and explain the difference between an evaluation of an artwork based on personal criteria and an evaluation of an artwork based on a set of established criteria.
• Connecting:
  • Anchor Standard 11:
    • Connecting: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding
      • VA:Cn11.1.7a: Analyze how response to art is influenced by understanding the time and place in which it was created, the available resources, and cultural uses.

---

Eighth Grade:

• Creating:
  • Anchor Standard 1:
    • Creating: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr1.1.8a: Document early stages of the creative process visually and/or verbally in traditional or new media.
  • Anchor Standard 2:
    • Creating: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr2.1.8a: Demonstrate willingness to experiment, innovate, and take risks to pursue ideas, forms, and meanings that emerge in the process of art-making or designing.
      • VA:Cr2.3.8a: Select, organize, and design images and words to make visually clear and compelling presentations.
  • Anchor Standard 3:
    • Creating: Refine and complete artistic work.
      • VA:Cr3.1.8a: Apply relevant criteria to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for a work of art or design in progress.
• Responding:
  • Anchor Standard 7:
    • Responding: Perceive and analyze artistic work
      • VA:Re.7.1.8a: Explain how a person’s aesthetic choices are influenced by culture and environment and impact the visual image that one conveys to others.
      • VA:Re.7.2.8a: Compare and contrast contexts and media in which viewers encounter images that influence ideas, emotions, and actions.
  • Anchor Standard 8:
    • Responding: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
      • VA:Re8.1.8a: Interpret art by analyzing how the interaction of subject matter, characteristics of form and structure, use of media, art-making approaches, and relevant contextual information contributes to understanding messages or ideas and mood conveyed.
• Connecting:
  • Anchor Standard 10:
    • Connecting: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
      • VA:Cn10.1.8a: Make art collaboratively to reflect on and reinforce positive aspects of group identity.
  • Anchor Standard 11:
    • Connecting: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding
      • VA:Cn11.1.8a: Distinguish different ways art is used to represent, establish, reinforce, and reflect group identity.

---

Middle School Lesson plan: Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

Goals:

Middle School Students of all Levels will be able to do the following:

• Identify the principles of design used in the artwork;
• Identify the elements of design used in the artwork;
• Study the painting style and use of light found in Sarah Williams’ work;
• Connect Sarah William’s presentation of spaces to memories and experiences;
• Create an image of a chosen space that matches the written description and memory of the location;
• And, present the artwork and the artist statement to the class or in an exhibition area, such as a hallway or classroom.

---

Texas Middle School TEKS:

Art 1, Art 2, Art 3

---

Art 1:

• §117.202.c.1.A / B / C / D
  • Foundations: Observation and Perception:
    • identify and illustrate concepts from direct observation, original sources, personal experiences, and communities such as family, school, cultural, local, regional, national, and international;
    • understand and apply the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form, space, and value, as the fundamentals of art in personal artworks using art vocabulary appropriately;
    • understand and apply the principles of design, including emphasis, repetition/pattern, movement/rhythm, contrast/variety, balance, proportion, and unity, in personal artworks using art vocabulary appropriately;
    • discuss the expressive properties of artworks such as appropriation, meaning, narrative, message, and symbol using art vocabulary accurately.
• §117.202.c.1.A
  • Creative Expression:
    • create original artworks based on direct observations, original sources, personal experiences, and the community;
• §117.202.c.3.A / B
  • Historical and Cultural Relevance:
    • identify the influence of historical and political events in artworks;
    • identify examples of art that convey universal themes such as beliefs, cultural narrative, life cycles, the passage of time, identity, conflict, and cooperation;
• §117.202.c.4.A / B
  • Critical Evaluation and Response
    • create written or oral responses to artwork using appropriate art vocabulary;
    • analyze original artworks using a method of critique such as describing the artwork, analyzing the way it is organized, interpreting the artist’s intention, and evaluating the success of the artwork;

---

Art 2:

• §117.203.b.1.A / B / C / D
  • Foundations: Observation and Perception:
    • identify and illustrate ideas from direct observation, original sources, imagination, personal experiences, and communities such as family, school, cultural, local, regional, national, and international;
    • compare and contrast the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form, space, and value, as the fundamentals of art in personal artworks using vocabulary accurately;
    • compare and contrast the principles of design, including emphasis, repetition/pattern, movement/rhythm, contrast/variety, balance, proportion, and unity, in personal artworks using vocabulary accurately;
    • understand and apply the expressive properties of artworks such as appropriation, meaning, narrative, message, and symbol using art vocabulary accurately.
• §117.203.b.1.A
  • Creative Expression:
    • create original artworks that express a variety of ideas based on direct observations, original sources, and personal experiences, including memory, identity, imagination, and the community;
• §117.203.b.3.A / B / C
  • Historical and Cultural Relevance:
    • analyze ways that global, cultural, historical, and political issues influence artworks;
    • analyze selected artworks to determine contemporary relevance in relationship to universal themes such as belief, cultural narrative, life cycles, the passage of time, identity, conflict, and cooperation;
    • compare and contrast relationships that exist between a society’s art and its music, literature, and architecture;

• §117.203.b.4.A / B / D
  • Critical Evaluation and Response:
    • create written or oral responses about personal or collaborative artworks addressing purpose, technique, organization, judgment, and personal expression;
    • analyze original artworks using a method of critique such as describing the artwork, analyzing the way it is organized, interpreting the artist’s intention, and evaluating the success of the artwork;
    • investigate and explore original artworks in a variety of venues outside of the classroom such as museums, galleries, or community art;

---

Art 3:

• §117.203.b.1.A / B / C / D
  • Foundations: Observation and Perception:
    • identify and illustrate concepts from direct observation, original sources, imagination, personal experience, and communities such as family, school, cultural, local, regional, national, and international;
    • evaluate the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form, space, and value, as the fundamentals of art in personal artworks using vocabulary accurately;
    • evaluate the principles of design, including emphasis, repetition/pattern, movement/rhythm, contrast/variety, balance, proportion, and unity, in personal artworks using vocabulary accurately;
    • compare and contrast the expressive properties of artworks, including appropriation, meaning, narrative, message, and symbol, using vocabulary accurately.
• §117.203.b.1.A
  • Creative Expression:
    • create original artworks expressing themes found through direct observation; original sources; personal experiences, including memory, identity, and imagination; and the community;
• §117.203.b.3.A / B / C
  • Historical and Cultural Relevance:
    • analyze ways in which global, contemporary, historical, and political issues have influenced art;
    • analyze cultural ideas expressed in artworks relating to social, political, and environmental themes such as environment/nature, conflict and power, relationships to others, and reality/fantasy;
    • evaluate the relationships that exist among a society’s art, music, theatre, and dance;

• §117.203.b.4.A / B / C
  • Critical Evaluation and Response:
    • create written and oral responses about personal or collaborative artworks addressing purpose, technique, organization, judgment, and personal expression;
    • analyze original artworks and portfolios using a method of critique such as describing the artwork, analyzing the way it is organized, interpreting the artist’s intention, and evaluating the success of the artwork;
    • investigate and explore original artworks in a variety of venues outside of the classroom such as museums, galleries, or community art;

---

Middle School Art Activities:

Questions for Middle School Students:

1. Examine Sarah William’s painting Cooper Fort. Identify where each element of art is located in the artwork.
2. Examine Sarah William’s painting Cooper Fort. Identify where each principle of art is located in the artwork.
3. What is the scene shown in the painting?
4. Where is the light source located?
5. What do you think the light source is in the painting?
6. Do you think this lighting effect is exaggerated for the painting or correctly represented as it would be seen in real life? Explain your answer.
7. What is the mood of the piece? Explain your answer.
   1. Optional Question for Younger Students:
      1. Do you think the painting is happy / sad / angry / lonely / etc.? Please explain your answer.
8. What are some places where this type of lighting would be seen in the world?
9. What is the difference between the feeling that warm lighting gives in contrast to cool lighting?

---

Activity: Middle School Fine Arts

• Activity Setting: Classroom
• Materials: Pencils, Paper, Coloring Pencils
• Subject: Indoor/Outdoor Scenes, Light and Shadows, Mood, Connecting Memories to Art
• National Learning Standards: Sixth Grade, Seventh Grade, and Eighth Grade

• Texas TEKS: Art 1, Art 2, Art 3
• Duration: Extended Project

Students will study the painting style and the representation of contrast in Sarah William’s work Cooper Fort. The teacher will help the students identify how the artist blends light colors into the background to give the impression of illumination within a space. Afterwards, the students will create a coloring pencil composition of their favorite memory in the style of Sarah Williams.

The students will first write about their favorite memory. The students need to answer the following questions to explain their memory:

• Where did the memory take place?
• Who were you with?
• Was it night, afternoon, or day?
• What is the light source in the memory?
• What did you do in this memory?
• Why is this memory your favorite?

This will serve as the artist statement that will explain the student’s drawing. The students will write a paragraph or more to describe the scene. The number of paragraphs required for the older student’s artist statement is to be determined by the teacher.

Next, the teacher will provide a demonstration on how to blend coloring pencils. The teacher will first show how to blend red, orange, yellow, and white together to create a representation of radiating warm light. Once the students have practiced these warm tones, then the teacher will give a few other examples of a violet blend, green blend, and blue blend. The teacher can reference Sarah William’s work to help explain these types of color blends. The teacher will also help explain how a dark background helps amplify the blended effect. The level of blending will vary by the age group and will be monitored by the teacher.

After the artist statement is completed and the demonstrations are presented, the students will begin making their compositions. Using the artist statement as the reference, students will draw the described scene with pencil. Then, when the sketch is approved by the teacher, the students can begin to add color with coloring pencils. The students will use their blending skills learned from the demonstrations to showcase light and shadow.

When the drawing is completed, the teacher will determine how the artwork will be presented. The students will either present their artwork and artist statement to the class or present the artwork and artist statement in an exhibition space.

---

High School Lesson Plans: National Learning Standards

Goals:

High School Students of all Levels will be able to do the following:

• Identify the principles of design used in the artwork;
• Identify the elements of design used in the artwork;
• Study the painting style and use of light found in Sarah Williams’ work;
• Connect Sarah William’s presentation of spaces to memories and experiences;
• Create an image of a chosen space that matches the written description and memory of the location;
• And, present the artwork and the artist statement to the class or in an exhibition area, such as a hallway or classroom.

---

National Learning Standards for Visual Arts:

High School Proficient, High School Accomplished, and High School Advanced

---

High School Proficient:

• Creating:
  • Anchor Standard 1:
    • Creating: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr1.1.Ia: Use multiple approaches to begin creative endeavors.
      • VA:Cr1.2.Ia: Shape an artistic investigation of an aspect of present-day life using a contemporary practice of art or design.
  • Anchor Standard 2:
    • Creating: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr2.1.Ia: Engage in making a work of art or design without having a preconceived plan.
  • Anchor Standard 3:
    • Creating: Refine and complete artistic work.
      • VA:Cr3.1.Ia: Apply relevant criteria from traditional and contemporary cultural contexts to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for works of art and design in progress.
• Responding:
  • Anchor Standard 7:
    • Responding: Perceive and analyze artistic work
      • VA:Re.7.1.Ia: Hypothesize ways in which art influences perception and understanding of human experiences.
      • VA:Re.7.2.Ia: Analyze how one’s understanding of the world is affected by experiencing visual imagery.
  • Anchor Standard 8:
    • Responding: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
      • VA:Re8.1.Ia: Interpret an artwork or collection of works, supported by relevant and sufficient evidence found in the work and its various contexts.
  • Anchor Standard 9:
    • Responding: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
      • VA:Re9.1.Ia: Establish relevant criteria in order to evaluate a work of art or collection of works.
• Connecting:
  • Anchor Standard 11:
    • Connecting: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding
      • VA:Cn11.1.Ia: Describe how knowledge of culture, traditions, and history may influence personal responses to art.

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High School Accomplished:

• Creating:
  • Anchor Standard 1:
    • Creating: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr1.1.IIa: Individually or collaboratively formulate new creative problems based on student’s existing artwork.
  • Anchor Standard 2:
    • Creating: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr2.1.IIa: Through experimentation, practice, and persistence, demonstrate acquisition of skills and knowledge in a chosen art form.
  • Anchor Standard 3:
    • Creating: Refine and complete artistic work.
      • VA:Cr3.1.IIa: Engage in constructive critique with peers, then reflect on, re-engage, revise, and refine works of art and design in response to personal artistic vision.
• Responding:
  • Anchor Standard 7:
    • Responding: Perceive and analyze artistic work
      • VA:Re.7.1.IIa: Recognize and describe personal aesthetic and empathetic responses to the natural world and constructed environments.
      • VA:Re.7.2.IIa: Evaluate the effectiveness of an image or images to influence ideas, feelings, and behaviors of specific audiences.
  • Anchor Standard 8:
    • Responding: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
      • VA:Re8.1.IIa: Identify types of contextual information useful in the process of constructing interpretations of an artwork or collection of works.
  • Anchor Standard 9:
    • Responding: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
      • VA:Re9.1.IIa: Determine the relevance of criteria used by others to evaluate a work of art or collection of works.
• Connecting:
  • Anchor Standard 11:
    • Connecting: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding
      • VA:Cn11.1.IIa: Compare uses of art in a variety of societal, cultural, and historical contexts and make connections to uses of art in contemporary and local contexts.

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High School Advanced:

• Creating:
  • Anchor Standard 1:
    • Creating: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr1.1.IIIa: Visualize and hypothesize to generate plans for ideas and directions for creating art and design that can affect social change.
  • Anchor Standard 2:
    • Creating: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
      • VA:Cr2.1.IIIa: Experiment, plan, and make multiple works of art and design that explore a personally meaningful theme, idea, or concept.
      • VA:Cr2.2.IIIa: Demonstrate understanding of the importance of balancing freedom and responsibility in the use of images, materials, tools, and equipment in the creation and circulation of creative work.
      • VA:Cr2.3.IIIa: Demonstrate in works of art or design how visual and material culture defines, shapes, enhances, inhibits, and/or empowers people’s lives.
  • Anchor Standard 3:
    • Creating: Refine and complete artistic work.
      • VA:Cr3.1.IIIa: Reflect on, re-engage, revise, and refine works of art or design considering relevant traditional and contemporary criteria as well as personal artistic vision.
• Responding:
  • Anchor Standard 7:
    • Responding: Perceive and analyze artistic work
      • VA:Re.7.1.IIIa: Analyze how responses to art develop over time based on knowledge of and experience with art and life.
      • VA:Re.7.2.IIIa: Determine the commonalities within a group of artists or visual images attributed to a particular type of art, timeframe, or culture.
  • Anchor Standard 8:
    • Responding: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
      • VA:Re8.1.IIIa: Analyze differing interpretations of an artwork or collection of works in order to select and defend a plausible critical analysis.
  • Anchor Standard 9:
    • Responding: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
      • VA:Re9.1.IIIa: Construct evaluations of a work of art or collection of works based on differing sets of criteria.
• Connecting:
  • Anchor Standard 10:
    • Connecting: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
      • VA:Cn10.1.IIIa: Synthesize knowledge of social, cultural, historical, and personal life with art-making approaches to create meaningful works of art or design.
  • Anchor Standard 11:
    • Connecting: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding
      • VA:Cn11.1.IIIa: Appraise the impact of an artist or a group of artists on the beliefs, values, and behaviors of a society.

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High School Lesson Plans: Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

Goals:

High School Students of all Levels will be able to do the following:

• Identify the principles of design used in the artwork;
• Identify the elements of design used in the artwork;
• Study the painting style and use of light found in Sarah Williams’ work;
• Connect Sarah William’s presentation of spaces to memories and experiences;
• Create an image of a chosen space that matches the written description and memory of the location;
• And, present the artwork and the artist statement to the class or in an exhibition area, such as a hallway or classroom.

---

Texas High School TEKS:

Art Level I, Level II, Level III, and Level IV

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Level I:

• §117.302.c.1.A / B / C / D
  • Foundations: Observation and Perception:
    • consider concepts and ideas from direct observation, original sources, experiences, and imagination for original artwork;
    • identify and understand the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form, space, and value, as the fundamentals of art in personal artwork;
    • identify and understand the principles of design, including emphasis, repetition/pattern, movement/rhythm, contrast/variety, balance, proportion, and unity, in personal artwork;
    • make judgments about the expressive properties such as content, meaning, message, and metaphor of artwork using art vocabulary accurately.
• §117.302.c.2.A / D
  • Creative Expression:
    • use visual solutions to create original artwork by problem solving through direct observation, original sources, experiences, narrations, and imagination;
    • create original artwork to communicate thoughts, feelings, ideas, or impressions;

• §117.302.c.3.A / B
  • Historical and Cultural Relevance
    • compare and contrast historical and contemporary styles while identifying general themes and trends;
    • describe general characteristics in artwork from a variety of cultures, which might also include personal identity and heritage;
• §117.302.c.4.A / B
  • Critical Evaluation and Response
    • interpret, evaluate, and justify artistic decisions in artwork by self, peers, and other artists such as that in museums, local galleries, art exhibits, and websites;
    • evaluate and analyze artwork using a verbal or written method of critique such as describing the artwork, analyzing the way it is organized, interpreting the artist’s intention, and evaluating the success of the artwork;

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Level II:

• §117.303.c.1.A / B / C / D
  • Foundations: Observation and Perception:
    • use visual comparisons to illustrate concepts and ideas from direct observation, original sources, experiences, narration, and imagination for original artworks;
    • identify and apply the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form, space, and value, as the fundamentals of art in personal artworks;
    •  identify and apply the principles of design, including emphasis, repetition/pattern, movement/rhythm, contrast/variety, balance, proportion, and unity in personal artworks;
    • explore suitability of art media and processes to express specific ideas such as content, meaning, message, appropriation, and metaphor relating to visual themes of artworks using art vocabulary accurately.
• §117.303.c.2.A / B / D
  • Creative Expression:
    • create original artwork using multiple solutions from direct observation, original sources, experiences, and imagination in order to expand personal themes that demonstrate artistic intent;
    • apply design skills in creating practical applications, clarifying presentations, and examining consumer choices in order to make successful design decisions;
    •  create original artwork to communicate thoughts, feelings, ideas, or impressions;
• §117.303.c.3.A / B
  • Historical and Cultural Relevance:
    • examine selected historical periods or styles of art to identify general themes and trends;
    • analyze specific characteristics in artwork from a variety of cultures;
• §117.303.c.4.A / B / C
  • Critical Evaluation and Response:
    • interpret, evaluate, and justify artistic decisions in artwork by self, peers, and other artists such as that in museums, local galleries, art exhibits, and websites;
    • evaluate and analyze artwork using a method of critique such as describing the artwork, analyzing the way it is organized, interpreting the artist’s intention, and evaluating the success of the artwork;
    • use responses to artwork critiques to make decisions about future directions in personal work;

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Level III:

• §117.304.c.1.A / B / C / D
  • Foundations: Observation and Perception:
    • analyze visual characteristics of sources to illustrate concepts, demonstrate flexibility in solving problems, create multiple solutions, and think imaginatively;
    • compare and contrast the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form, space, and value, as the fundamentals of art in personal artwork;
    • compare and contrast the principles of design, including emphasis, repetition/pattern, movement/rhythm, contrast/variety, balance, proportion, and unity, in personal artwork;
    • explore the suitability of art media and processes and select those appropriate to express specific ideas such as content, meaning, message, and metaphor relating to visual themes to interpret the expressive qualities of artwork.
• §117.304.c.2.A / B / C / D / E / F
  • Creative Expression:
    • create original artwork using multiple solutions from direct observation, original sources, experiences, and imagination in order to expand personal themes that demonstrate artistic intent;
    •  solve visual problems and develop multiple solutions for designing ideas, creating practical applications, clarifying presentations, and evaluating consumer choices in order to make successful design decisions;
    • use an understanding of copyright and public domain to appropriate imagery constituting the main focal point of original artwork when working from images rather than direct observation or imagination;
    • create original artwork to communicate thoughts, feelings, ideas, or impressions;

• §117.304.c.3.A / B
  • Historical and Cultural Relevance:
    • research selected historical periods, artists, general themes, trends, and styles of art;
    • distinguish the correlation between specific characteristics and influences of various cultures and contemporary artwork;
• §117.304.c.4.A / B / C
  • Critical Evaluation and Response:
    • interpret, evaluate, and justify artistic decisions in artwork such as that in museums, local galleries, art exhibits, and websites based on evaluation of developmental progress, competency in problem solving, and a variety of visual ideas;
    • evaluate and analyze artwork using a method of critique such as describing the artwork, analyzing the way it is organized, interpreting the artist’s intention, and evaluating the success of the artwork;
    • analyze personal artwork in order to create a written response such as an artist’s statement reflecting intent, inspiration, the elements of art and principles of design within the artwork, and measure of uniqueness;

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Level IV:

• §117.305.c.1.A / B / C / D
  • Foundations: Observation and Perception:
    • consider concepts and themes for personal artwork that integrate an extensive range of visual observations, experiences, and imagination;
    • compare and contrast the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form, space, and value, as the fundamentals of art in personal artwork;
    • compare and contrast the principles of design, including emphasis, repetition/pattern, movement/rhythm, contrast/variety, balance, proportion, and unity, in personal artwork;
    • discriminate between art media and processes to express complex visual relationships such as content, meaning, message, and metaphor using extensive art vocabulary.
• §117.305.c.2.A / B / D
  • Creative Expression:
    • produce an original body of artwork that integrates information from a variety of sources, including original sources, and demonstrates sustained self-directed investigations into specific themes such as a series or concentration of works;
    • evaluate and justify design ideas and concepts to create a body of personal artwork;
    • create original artwork to communicate thoughts, feelings, ideas, or impressions;
• §117.305.c.3.A / B / D
  • Historical and Cultural Relevance:
    • research and report on selected historical periods, artists, general themes, trends, and styles of art;
    • analyze and evaluate the influence of contemporary cultures on artwork;
    • examine, research, and develop a plan of action for relevant career or entrepreneurial art opportunities within a global economy, justifying the choice.
• §117.305.c.4.A / B / C / F
  • Critical Evaluation and Response:
    • develop evaluative criteria to justify artistic decisions in artwork such as that in museums, local galleries, art exhibits, and websites based on a high level of creativity and expertise in one or more art areas;
    • evaluate and analyze artwork using a method of critique such as describing the artwork, analyzing the way it is organized, interpreting the artist’s intention, and evaluating the success of the artwork;
    • analyze personal artwork in order to create a written response such as an artist’s statement reflecting intent, inspiration, the elements of art and principles of design within the artwork, and the measure of uniqueness;
    • evaluate a wide range of artwork to form conclusions about formal qualities, aesthetics, historical and cultural contexts, intents, and meanings.

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High School Art Activities:

Questions for High School Students:

1. Examine Sarah William’s painting Cooper Fort. Identify where each element of art is located in the artwork.
2. Examine Sarah William’s painting Cooper Fort. Identify where each principle of art is located in the artwork.
3. What is the scene shown in the painting?
4. Where is the light source located?
5. What do you think the light source is in the painting?
6. Do you think this lighting effect is exaggerated for the painting or correctly represented as it would be seen in real life? Explain your answer.
7. What is the mood of the piece? Explain your answer.
   1. Optional Question for Younger Students:
      1. Do you think the painting is happy / sad / angry / lonely / etc.? Please explain your answer.
8. What are some places where this type of lighting would be seen in the world?
9. What is the difference between the feeling that warm lighting gives in contrast to cool lighting?

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Activity: High School Fine Arts

• Activity Setting: Classroom and/or outdoor location
• Materials: Pencils, Paper, Coloring Pencils
• Subject: Indoor/Outdoor Scenes, Light and Shadows, Mood, Connecting Memories to Art
• National Learning Standard in Visual Arts: High School Proficient, high School Accomplished, and High School Advanced
• Texas TEKS: Art Level I, Level II, Level III, and Level IV
• Duration: Extended Project

Students will study the painting style and the representation of contrast in Sarah William’s work Cooper Fort. The teacher will help the students identify how the artist blends light colors into the background to give the impression of illumination within a space. Afterwards, the students will create a coloring pencil composition of their favorite memory in the style of Sarah Williams.

The students will first write about their favorite memory. The students need to answer the following questions to explain their memory:

• Where did the memory take place?
• Who were you with?
• Was it night, afternoon, or day?
• What is the light source in the memory?
• What did you do in this memory?
• Why is this memory your favorite?

This will serve as the artist statement that will explain the student’s drawing. The students will write a paragraph or more to describe the scene. The number of paragraphs required for the older student’s artist statement is to be determined by the teacher.

Next, the teacher will provide a demonstration on how to blend coloring pencils. The teacher will first show how to blend red, orange, yellow, and white together to create a representation of radiating warm light. Once the students have practiced these warm tones, then the teacher will give a few other examples of a violet blend, green blend, and blue blend. The teacher can reference Sarah William’s work to help explain these types of color blends. The teacher will also help explain how a dark background helps amplify the blended effect. The level of blending will vary by the age group and will be monitored by the teacher.

After the artist statement is completed and the demonstrations are presented, the students will begin making their compositions. Using the artist statement as the reference, students will draw the described scene with pencil. Then, when the sketch is approved by the teacher, the students can begin to add color with coloring pencils. The students will use their blending skills learned from the demonstrations to showcase light and shadow.

When the drawing is completed, the teacher will determine how the artwork will be presented. The students will either present their artwork and artist statement to the class or present the artwork and artist statement in an exhibition space.

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