Grant Wood Paintings

## Created By

Linda Tylka

10/30/10

## Standards

SS.3.A.1.1: Analyze primary and secondary sources

VA.3.C.1.2: Reflect on and interpret works of art, using observation skills, prior knowledge and experience

TH.3.C.2.2: Discuss the meaning of an artistic choice to support development of critical thinking and decision-making skills

## Lesson Objective

Students will look at The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and Stone City, Iowa by Grant Wood and create landscape paintings. Students will then create and perform an original Reader's Theater script based on the painting The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.

## Essential Question

How did Grant Wood show depth in his paintings?

## Materials

Pencils, paper, black crayons, watercolors, paint brushes, water containers, art prints, art magazine on Grant Wood

## Procedures

1. The teacher will show the prints and magazine and have a discussion with the students critiquing the paintings
2. The teacher will demonstrate how to start the drawing at the chalkboard/whiteboard
3. The students will draw their landscape pictures
4. The students will trace their drawings using the black crayons
5. The students will use the watercolors to paint the large areas of the painting
6. The students will add the painted details
7. The students will create reader's theater scripts using the important information (See paper) about Paul Revere and Grant Wood
8. The students will perform the scripts

See paper:

Third Grade: The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere Grant Wood - 1931

1. Grant Wood the artist retells the story of the midnight ride of the silver smith named Paul Revere.
2. Grant Wood's point of view of the story is from above the town looking down on toy houses, round trees and a curved road.
3. Shadows line the road making the painting look unreal.
4. This historical event happened just before the American Revolutionary War on April 18, 1775
5. Paul Revere is a patriotic symbol for riding his horse int he middle of the night to the city of Lexington, Mass. before the battle of Lexington and Concord
6. Paul Revere warned the colonists about the advancing English troops by waving a lantern from the top of a church, one light if the English were coming by land, 2 if by sea.
7. Paul Revere was just one of several men who road to different towns warning the people that the British were coming
8. The American colonists fought the British to gain independence from England

 Assessment Strategies

The students were observed painting the large elements of their landscapes at the bottom of their paper and smaller items higher up. The students were observed mixing tints and shades to create light and dark areas of their paintings. The students were observed using good painting techniques. The students participated in the creating of the reader's theater script. The students were observed reading with fluency their scripts about Grant Wood and the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.

 Evaluation of Lesson (Reflection)

I think that the lesson was very successful. 90% of the students' paintings showed depth, the mixing of colors, and interesting details of a landscape. The students enjoyed learning about Paul Revere while learning how to paint a landscape. They also saw that "art makes history come alive." Finally, they also made the connection between history. art, and theater.